Six Steps to Starting Your Own Charity

Summer is here... now what? Hit the pools and parks everyday in search of the perfect tan? Part time jobs for the kiddos? Well... yes, that is a good and noble undertaking. Not to mention extra pocket money earned is extra future college money saved.
Day after day of mind numbing television, movies, and video games? How is that any different from last summer?

How about.... Asking yourself what is important to you, to your children, to your community- and starting up your own charity?

Who? What ? Where? When? How? And Why?

Step one- Choose a cause.... Not just any cause but one you believe in... for me that was cat rescue, specifically persian cats and I am the Co Director of South Texas Persian Rescue... for going on six years now.

My director and I love cats and we both were owned by several persian cats each. We had discovered petfinder.com online and decided that we could help by becoming foster parents... more research led us to discover that no persian specific rescue existed in Texas and that, in fact, there were persian kitties in need of rescue. We had no idea at the time! (Six years later and we have rescued, and found forever homes for upwards of seven hundred plus cats and kittens!)

Ask yourself, and your family what about your community do your enjoy... or needs improving? Such questions are a good place to begin your brainstorming session.

Step two- Seek and you shall find- people who can help, people who can supply answers, and people who can assist you in starting your charity.

We met with other rescue directors and board members to identity the best way for us to begin our rescue. Each and every individual proved resourceful in their endeavor to comply with our endless queries into the how-tos and what-fors.

Step three- Begin your paperwork homework trail.

It turns out that setting up non profit status is not nearly as daunting as Lewis and Clark experienced on their trek for a trail. Log onto the Society of Nonprofit Organizations to read the very helpful twelve step plan. After completing the plan of action, log onto charity.com and go to charity exemptions to download exemption status requirements. With the internet age, traversing the government halls for federal, state, and city paperwork is no longer a requirement and makes this undertaking that much easier.

Step four... Reach out.

Social networking is the new mainstay for non profits and other charitable venues to get the word out. Both in terms of letting people know that you are here, and in enlisting the services of others to your cause. Facebook, My space, Twitter... take your pick and start from there.

We have a facebook page- we did not until recently, I will admit, the thought of one more thing to do, to manage - was putting me off until one day I was looking at all the other rescues that were social networking and how their adoption numbers were increasing and their donations were improving. Thus, I took the plunge: our numbers have shown an increase. Yeah! Moreover, it really only takes as much time to administer our page as it does to peruse the high volume of forwarded emails I receive from my family each day... it was a blessing in disguise. Glance at the silly emails whilst dropping family members short notes about looking at our page. The number of unwarranted and unwanted forwarded emails has decreased dramatically (save from my mother. but hey, she is my mom after all!) and the number of page hits have increased, bringing more viewership to our cause's attention.

Step five- fundraising- asking for money.

People are inherently good, I firmly believe that (even after the condition of a great many of the cats we have taken into rescue! My director's mantra is people suck... but telling people that is not always a good way to solicit donations. If you want to sell something, seek out a local supplier to donate the goods or at least discount it. We wrote a proposal to our local veterinarian and he now provides us with a great rescue rate. This allows us to treat more kitties as well as rescuing more. We also networked with other rescues to locate and secure low cost spay and neutering services. Additionally, we participate in local adoption events with other rescues. We all work together to help out in the best way we can.

Step six- think like Sam Malone... and have a place where everyone knows your name.

In other words, become a household name. Enlist the services of your local library, schools, community centers, and churches to help spread your message.

We have supplied business cards to our local veterinary clinics, pet stores, and pet supply stores to help us in networking. We receive phone calls daily telling us that they (the caller) heard about us from so and so or saw our card posted on such and such's bulletin board.

Just think in six steps you can have started your own charity. Summer will fly by! Just think of the difference you will make as well as the difference in your life this will bring!