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• Strategic planning |

Nonprofit business plan template

Success doesn’t just happen—it’s planned. Stay focused on the work that supports your nonprofit’s mission with a business plan template.

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Like any business, nonprofits rely on business plans to get funding and stay on mission. But even though they often operate like a traditional for-profit organization, nonprofits need their business plans to highlight slightly different aspects of their organization. Showing cash spend becomes very important when you’re a nonprofit, so donors, board members, and government agencies recognize that you’re putting your money where your mission is. Here, we’ll show you what to include in your own custom nonprofit template, and how to use it to move your mission forward. 

What is a nonprofit business plan template

A nonprofit business plan template provides a strategic overview of your nonprofit. It’s a breakdown of all higher-level information about your organization, such as the board of directors and your core mission. Use your nonprofit business plan template to give your staff, the board, potential donors, and government funding agencies an overview of your mission and strategies.

Nonprofit business plan vs. strategic plan template

Both business and strategic plan templates share certain sections, such as your core mission. However, your nonprofit business plan template should also include relevant action plans , such as your fundraising plan and marketing strategy. Normally, you share your business plan with internal and partner stakeholders as opposed to the general public. Think of your nonprofit business plan as a roadmap or higher-level operational plan—it tells you what you’re currently doing to pursue your mission, and the steps you’re taking to go even further.

Why nonprofit business plan templates are important 

Nonprofits know how to do more with less—a nonprofit business plan template will outline how. There are many benefits to creating your own, including:

Transparency. Visibility is a crucial piece of engaging with donors and board members. Nonprofit business plans showcase the work you’re doing and why others should care.

Reduce work about work . Nonprofits don’t always have the same resources as for-profit companies. As a result, freeing up time for your employees to work on their highest-impact tasks is critical—not just for your bottom line, but for your overall mission. 

One source of truth. As a nonprofit, you’re constantly fielding requests for information about your finances, mission, and structure. When compiled with project management software , you can create and share your nonprofit business plan template with anyone who asks, without any additional work on your end.

Save 50% on Asana

Partner with Asana to put more resources toward your mission. The Asana for Nonprofits program helps nonprofits do more mission-critical work. Qualified organizations can save 50% on a one-year subscription, plus get numerous free Asana resources.

How to create your non-profit business plan template

Your nonprofit business plan template should include all relevant information about how your organization operates. If you’re using a digital tool, such as project management software , be sure to attach relevant documents and projects. Your template is essentially your nonprofit business plan outline that you’ll fill in during your planning process. 

As you’re going through your nonprofit business plan template, make sure to include the following sections so you can get the most from your template.

Non-profit description

Describe the basics of your organizational structure. Include:

Executive summary

Mission and vision statement

Community benefit

Staff and management team

Board of directors

Partnerships

List any items related to what you do as an organization, including reports that demonstrate results. For example, you can include: 

Core problem we solve

Demographics we reach

Past results

Business model

Marketing plan

This is a space for your marketing strategy (the methods you'll use to reach your target audience) and the analyses you used to build that strategy. Here, you can attach: 

Target market research 

Target audience and social media messaging 

Market analysis (including a competitive analysis)

Your positioning (on hot button issues related to your mission)

Outreach plan

Financial plan

Nonprofits need to be very clear with how they spend money. Being transparent with your financial statements restores confidence for potential donors, so you can hit your fundraising goals and boost financial projections. Here’s what to include in this section:

Income statements

Cash flow statements

Grant management plan

Fundraising plan and projections

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Milestones . Milestones represent important project checkpoints. By setting milestones throughout your project, you can let your team members and project stakeholders know how you’re pacing towards your goal. Use milestones as a chance to celebrate the little wins on the path towards the big project goal.

Custom fields . Custom fields are the best way to tag, sort, and filter work. Create unique custom fields for any information you need to track—from priority and status to email or phone number. Use custom fields to sort and schedule your to-dos so you know what to work on first. Plus, share custom fields across tasks and projects to ensure consistency across your organization.

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How do you write a nonprofit business plan template? .css-i4fobf{-webkit-transition:-webkit-transform 200ms ease-in-out;transition:transform 200ms ease-in-out;-webkit-transform:rotateZ(0);-moz-transform:rotateZ(0);-ms-transform:rotateZ(0);transform:rotateZ(0);}

First, create your template including sections for your executive summary, mission statement and purpose, marketing plans, and finances. Then when you’re ready to write your nonprofit business plan, fill in the blanks and customize it to fit your organization.

Do nonprofits have business plans?

Yes, nonprofits often have business plans. Nonprofit business plans provide a structured overview of your nonprofit strategies, and can be used to share your accomplishments and goals with stakeholders . You only have to create your nonprofit business plan template once—then you can reuse it every time you need to create a new nonprofit business plan.

How do nonprofit business plans help corporations get involved in nonprofit organizations?

Nonprofit business plans show corporations your organization’s impact, including how you’re spending any potential money they donate to you. Often, corporations want to see the numbers before they decide to invest in a nonprofit, and a nonprofit business plan can help you share that information.

What should be in a nonprofit business plan template?

Include all higher-level summaries of your nonprofit, plus actionable plans like your executive summary, mission and purpose, marketing strategy, and financial plans.

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• Insights & Analysis
• Nonprofit Jobs

Business Planning for Nonprofits

Business planning is a way of systematically answering questions such as, “What problem(s) are we trying to solve?” or “What are we trying to achieve?” and also, “Who will get us there, by when, and how much money and other resources will it take?”

The business planning process takes into account the nonprofit’s mission and vision, the role of the board, and external environmental factors, such as the climate for fundraising.

Ideally, the business planning process also critically examines basic assumptions about the nonprofit’s operating environment. What if the sources of income that exist today change in the future? Is the nonprofit too reliant on one foundation for revenue? What happens if there’s an economic downturn?

A business plan can help the nonprofit and its board be prepared for future risks. What is the likelihood that the planned activities will continue as usual, and that revenue will continue at current levels – and what is Plan B if they don't?

Narrative of a business plan

You can think of a business plan as a narrative or story explaining how the nonprofit will operate given its activities, its sources of revenue, its expenses, and the inevitable changes in its internal and external environments over time. Ideally, your plan will tell the story in a way that will make sense to someone not intimately familiar with the nonprofit’s operations.

According to  Propel Nonprofits , business plans usually should have four components that identify revenue sources/mix; operations costs; program costs; and capital structure.

A business plan outlines the expected income sources to support the charitable nonprofit's activities. What types of revenue will the nonprofit rely on to keep its engine running – how much will be earned, how much from government grants or contracts, how much will be contributed? Within each of those broad categories, how much diversification exists, and should they be further diversified? Are there certain factors that need to be in place in order for today’s income streams to continue flowing?

The plan should address the everyday costs needed to operate the organization, as well as costs of specific programs and activities.

The plan may include details about the need for the organization's services (a needs assessment), the likelihood that certain funding will be available (a feasibility study), or changes to the organization's technology or staffing that will be needed in the future.

Another aspect of a business plan could be a "competitive analysis" describing what other entities may be providing similar services in the nonprofit's service and mission areas. What are their sources of revenue and staffing structures? How do their services and capacities differ from those of your nonprofit?

Finally, the business plan should name important assumptions, such as the organization's reserve policies. Do your nonprofit’s policies require it to have at least six months of operating cash on hand? Do you have different types of cash reserves that require different levels of board approval to release?

The idea is to identify the known, and take into consideration the unknown, realities of the nonprofit's operations, and propose how the nonprofit will continue to be financially healthy.  If the underlying assumptions or current conditions change, then having a plan can be useful to help identify adjustments that must be made to respond to changes in the nonprofit's operating environment.

Basic format of a business plan

The format may vary depending on the audience. A business plan prepared for a bank to support a loan application may be different than a business plan that board members use as the basis for budgeting. Here is a typical outline of the format for a business plan:

• Table of contents
• Executive summary - Name the problem the nonprofit is trying to solve: its mission, and how it accomplishes its mission.
• People: overview of the nonprofit’s board, staffing, and volunteer structure and who makes what happen
• Market opportunities/competitive analysis
• Programs and services: overview of implementation
• Contingencies: what could change?
• Financial health: what is the current status, and what are the sources of revenue to operate programs and advance the mission over time?
• Assumptions and proposed changes: What needs to be in place for this nonprofit to continue on sound financial footing?

More About Business Planning

Budgeting for Nonprofits

Strategic Planning

Contact your state association of nonprofits  for support and resources related to business planning, strategic planning, and other fundamentals of nonprofit leadership. 

Additional Resources

• Components of transforming nonprofit business models  (Propel Nonprofits)
• The matrix map: a powerful tool for nonprofit sustainability  (Nonprofit Quarterly)
• The Nonprofit Business Plan: A Leader's Guide to Creating a Successful Business Model  (David La Piana, Heather Gowdy, Lester Olmstead-Rose, and Brent Copen, Turner Publishing)
• Nonprofit Earned Income: Critical Business Model Considerations for Nonprofits (Nonprofit Financial Commons)
• Nonprofit Sustainability: Making Strategic Decisions for Financial Viability  (Jan Masaoka, Steve Zimmerman, and Jeanne Bell)

Disclaimer: Information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is neither intended to be nor should be construed as legal, accounting, tax, investment, or financial advice. Please consult a professional (attorney, accountant, tax advisor) for the latest and most accurate information. The National Council of Nonprofits makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy or timeliness of the information contained herein.

How to Write a Business Plan For a Nonprofit Organization + Template

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for nonprofits. A nonprofit business plan allows you to set goals and track progress over time. It can also help you secure funding from investors or grant-making organizations.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines your vision for the organization but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article will provide an overview of the key elements that every nonprofit founder should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Nonprofit Business Plan Template

What is a Nonprofit Business Plan?

A nonprofit business plan is a formal written document that describes your organization’s purpose, structure, and operations. It is used to communicate your vision to potential investors or donors and convince them to support your cause.

The business plan should include information about your target market, financial projections, and marketing strategy. It should also outline the organization’s mission statement and goals.

Why Write a Nonprofit Business Plan?

A nonprofit business plan is required if you want to secure funding from grant-making organizations or investors.

A well-crafted business plan will help you:

• Define your organization’s purpose and goals
• Articulate your vision for the future
• Develop a step-by-step plan to achieve your goals
• Secure funding from investors or donors
• Convince potential supporters to invest in your cause

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting your new nonprofit organization, especially if you are inexperienced in starting a nonprofit.

Writing an Effective Nonprofit Business Plan

The key is to tailor your business plan to the specific needs of your nonprofit. Here’s a quick overview of what to include:

Executive Summary

Organization overview, products, programs, and services, industry analysis, customer analysis, marketing plan, operations plan, management team.

• Financial Plan

The executive summary of a nonprofit business plan is a one-to-two page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your nonprofit organization
• Provide a short summary of the key points of each section of your business plan.
• Organize your thoughts in a logical sequence that is easy for the reader to follow.
• Include information about your organization’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast.

This section should include a brief history of your nonprofit organization. Include a short description of how and why you started it and provide a timeline of milestones the organization has achieved.

If you are just starting your nonprofit, you may not have a long history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in the industry and how and why you conceived your new nonprofit idea. If you have worked for a similar organization before or have been involved in a nonprofit before starting your own, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen n onprofit business model and how it is different from other nonprofits in your target market.

This section is all about what your nonprofit organization offers. Include information about your programs, services, and any products you may sell.

Describe the products or services you offer and how they benefit your target market. Examples might include:

• A food bank that provides healthy meals to low-income families
• A job training program that helps unemployed adults find jobs
• An after-school program that helps kids stay out of gangs
• An adult literacy program that helps adults learn to read and write

Include information about your pricing strategy and any discounts or promotions you offer. Examples might include membership benefits, free shipping, or volume discounts.

If you offer more than one product or service, describe each one in detail. Include information about who uses each product or service and how it helps them achieve their goals.

If you offer any programs, describe them in detail. Include information about how often they are offered and the eligibility requirements for participants. For example, if you offer a job training program, you might include information about how often the program is offered, how long it lasts, and what kinds of jobs participants can expect to find after completing the program.

The industry or market analysis is an important component of a nonprofit business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends, identify your potential customers, and the potential size of this market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the nonprofit industry are you targeting?
• Who are your competitors?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now?

You should also include information about your research methodology and sources of information, including company reports and expert opinions.

As an example, if you are starting a food bank, your industry analysis might include information about the number of people in your community who are considered “food insecure” (they don’t have regular access to enough nutritious food). You would also include information about other food banks in your area, how they are funded, and the services they offer.

For each of your competitors, you should include a brief description of their organization, their target market, and their competitive advantage. To do this, you should complete a SWOT analysis.

A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis is a helpful tool to assess your nonprofit’s current position and identify areas where you can improve.

Some questions to consider when conducting a SWOT analysis include:

• Strengths : What does your nonprofit do well?
• Weaknesses : What areas could your nonprofit improve?
• Opportunities : What trends or changes in the industry could you take advantage of?
• Threats : What trends or changes in the industry could hurt your nonprofit’s chances of success?

After you have identified your nonprofit’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, you can develop strategies to improve your organization.

For example, if you are starting a food bank, your SWOT analysis might reveal that there is a need for more food banks in your community. You could use this information to develop a marketing strategy to reach potential donors who might be interested in supporting your organization.

If you are starting a job training program, your SWOT analysis might reveal that there is a need for more programs like yours in the community. You could use this information to develop a business plan and marketing strategy to reach potential participants who might be interested in enrolling in your program.

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, if you are starting a job training program for unemployed adults, your target audience might be low-income adults between the ages of 18 and 35. Your customer analysis would include information about their needs (e.g., transportation, childcare, job readiness skills) and wants (e.g., good pay, flexible hours, benefits).

If you have more than one target audience, you will need to provide a separate customer analysis for each one.

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy your product or use your service. For example, if you are starting an after-school program, you might include information about how parents research and compare programs before making a decision.

You should also include information about your marketing strategy and how you plan to reach your target market. For example, if you are starting a food bank, you might include information about how you will promote the food bank to the community and how you will get the word out about your services.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to use your program, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or nonprofit services with the right marketing.

This part of the business plan is where you determine how you are going to reach your target market. This section of your nonprofit business plan should include information about your marketing goals, strategies, and tactics.

• What are your marketing goals? Include information about what you hope to achieve with your marketing efforts, as well as when and how you will achieve it.
• What marketing strategies will you use? Include information about public relations, advertising, social media, and other marketing tactics you will use to reach your target market.
• What tactics will you use? Include information about specific actions you will take to execute your marketing strategy. For example, if you are using social media to reach your target market, include information about which platforms you will use and how often you will post.

Your marketing strategy should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Make sure your product, service, and/or program offering is clearly defined and differentiated from your competitors, including the benefits of using your service.
• Price : How do you determine the price for your product, services, and/or programs? You should also include a pricing strategy that takes into account what your target market will be willing to pay and how much the competition within your market charges.
• Place : Where will your target market find you? What channels of distribution will you use to reach them?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target market? You can use social media or write a blog, create an email marketing campaign, post flyers, pay for advertising, launch a direct mail campaign, etc.

For example, if you are starting a job training program for unemployed adults, your marketing strategy might include partnering with local job centers and adult education programs to reach potential participants. You might also promote the program through local media outlets and community organizations.

Your marketing plan should also include a sales strategy, which includes information about how you will generate leads and convert them into customers.

You should also include information about your paid advertising budget, including an estimate of expenses and sales projections.

This part of your nonprofit business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your products, services and/or programs to your target market? For example, if you are starting a food bank, you will need to develop a system for collecting and storing food donations, as well as distributing them to the community.
• How will your nonprofit be structured? For example, will you have paid staff or volunteers? How many employees will you need? What skills and experience will they need to have?
• What kind of facilities and equipment will you need to operate your nonprofit? For example, if you are starting a job training program, you will need space to hold classes, as well as computers and other office equipment.
• What are the day-to-day operations of your nonprofit? For example, if you are starting a food bank, you will need to develop a system for accepting and sorting food donations, as well as distributing them to the community.
• Who will be responsible for each task? For example, if you are starting a job training program, you will need to identify who will be responsible for recruiting participants, teaching classes, and placing graduates in jobs.
• What are your policies and procedures? You will want to establish policies related to everything from employee conduct to how you will handle donations.
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

The operations plan is the section of the business plan where you elaborate on the day-to-day execution of your nonprofit. This is where you really get into the nitty-gritty of how your organization will function on a day-to-day basis.

This section of your nonprofit business plan should include information about the individuals who will be running your organization.

• Who is on your team? Include biographies of your executive director, board of directors, and key staff members.
• What are their qualifications? Include information about their education, work experience, and skills.
• What are their roles and responsibilities? Include information about what each team member will be responsible for, as well as their decision-making authority.
• What is their experience in the nonprofit sector? Include information about their work with other nonprofits, as well as their volunteer experiences.

This section of your plan is important because it shows that you have a team of qualified individuals who are committed to the success of your nonprofit.

Nonprofit Financial Plan

This section of your nonprofit business plan should include the following information:

• Your budget. Include information about your income and expenses, as well as your fundraising goals.
• Your sources of funding. Include information about your grants, donations, and other sources of income.
• Use of funds. Include information about how you will use your income to support your programs and operations.

This section of your business plan is important because it shows that you have a clear understanding of your organization’s finances. It also shows that you have a plan for raising and managing your funds.

Now, include a complete and detailed financial plan. This is where you will need to break down your expenses and revenue projections for the first 5 years of operation. This includes the following financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how will you generate revenue?
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, what is the net income or loss? 

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Nonprofit Organization

Balance sheet.

Include a balance sheet that shows what you have in terms of assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : All of the things you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Nonprofit Organization

Cash flow statement.

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:

• Income : All of the revenue coming in from clients.
• Expenses : All of your monthly bills and expenses. Include operating, marketing and capital expenditures.
• Net Cash Flow : The difference between income and expenses for each month after they are totaled and deducted from each other. This number is the net cash flow for each month.

Using your total income and expenses, you can project an annual cash flow statement. Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup nonprofit.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Nonprofit Organization

Fundraising plan.

This section of your nonprofit business plan should include information about your fundraising goals, strategies, and tactics.

• What are your fundraising goals? Include information about how much money you hope to raise, as well as when and how you will raise it.
• What fundraising strategies will you use? Include information about special events, direct mail campaigns, online giving, and grant writing.
• What fundraising tactics will you use? Include information about volunteer recruitment, donor cultivation, and stewardship.

Now include specific fundraising goals, strategies, and tactics. These could be annual or multi-year goals. Below are some examples:

Goal : To raise $50,000 in the next 12 months.

Strategy : Direct mail campaign

• Create a mailing list of potential donors
• Develop a direct mail piece
• Mail the direct mail piece to potential donors

Goal : To raise $100,000 in the next 24 months.

Strategy : Special event

• Identify potential special event sponsors
• Recruit volunteers to help with the event
• Plan and execute the special event

Goal : To raise $250,000 in the next 36 months.

Strategy : Grant writing

• Research potential grant opportunities
• Write and submit grant proposals
• Follow up on submitted grants

This section of your business plan is important because it shows that you have a clear understanding of your fundraising goals and how you will achieve them.

You will also want to include an appendix section which may include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your nonprofit’s policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• A list of your hard assets and equipment with purchase dates, prices paid and any other relevant information
• A list of your soft assets with purchase dates, prices paid and any other relevant information
• Biographies and/or resumes of the key members of your organization
• Your nonprofit’s bylaws
• Your nonprofit’s articles of incorporation
• Your nonprofit’s most recent IRS Form 990
• Any other relevant information that may be helpful in understanding your organization

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and grow your nonprofit organization. It not only outlines your vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it. Sometimes it may be difficult to get started, but once you get the hang of it, writing a business plan becomes easier and will give you a sense of direction and clarity about your nonprofit organization.  

Finish Your Nonprofit Business Plan in 1 Day!

Other helpful articles.

How to Write a Grant Proposal for Your Nonprofit Organization + Template & Examples

How To Create the Articles of Incorporation for Your Nonprofit Organization + Template

How to Develop a Nonprofit Communications Plan + Template

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Free Nonprofit Business Plan Templates

By Joe Weller | September 18, 2020

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In this article, we’ve rounded up the most useful list of nonprofit business plan templates, all free to download in Word, PDF, and Excel formats.

Included on this page, you’ll find a one-page nonprofit business plan template , a fill-in-the-blank nonprofit business plan template , a startup nonprofit business planning timeline template , and more. Plus, we provide helpful tips for creating your nonprofit business plan .

Nonprofit Business Plan Template

Use this customizable nonprofit business plan template to organize your nonprofit organization’s mission and goals and convey them to stakeholders. This template includes space for information about your nonprofit’s background, objectives, management team, program offerings, market analysis, promotional activities, funding sources, fundraising methods, and much more. 

Download Nonprofit Business Plan Template

One-Page Business Plan for Nonprofit Template

This one-page nonprofit business plan template has a simple and scannable design to outline the key details of your organization’s strategy. This template includes space to detail your mission, vision, and purpose statements, as well as the problems you aim to solve in your community, the people who benefit from your program offerings, your key marketing activities, your financial goals, and more.

Download One-Page Business Plan for Nonprofit Template

Excel | Word | PDF

For additional resources, including an example of a one-page business plan , visit “ One-Page Business Plan Templates with a Quick How-To Guide .”

Fill-In-the-Blank Nonprofit Business Plan Template

Use this fill-in-the-blank template as the basis for building a thorough business plan for a nonprofit organization. This template includes space to describe your organization’s background, purpose, and main objectives, as well as key personnel, program and service offerings, market analysis, promotional activities, fundraising methods, and more. 

Download Fill-In-the-Blank Nonprofit Business Plan Template

For additional resources that cater to a wide variety of organizations, visit “ Free Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan Templates .”

Startup Nonprofit Business Planning Template with Timeline

Use this business planning template to organize and schedule key activities for your business. Fill in the cells according to the due dates, and color-code the cells by phase, owner, or category to provide a visual timeline of progress.

Download Startup Nonprofit Business Planning Template with Timeline

Excel | Smartsheet

Nonprofit Business Plan Template for Youth Program

Use this template as a foundation for building a powerful and attractive nonprofit business plan for youth programs and services. This template has all the core components of a nonprofit business plan. It includes room to detail the organization’s background, management team key personnel, current and future youth program offerings, promotional activities, operations plan, financial statements, and much more.

Download Nonprofit Business Plan Template for Youth Program

Word | PDF  | Google Doc

Sample Nonprofit Business Plan Outline Template

You can customize this sample nonprofit business plan outline to fit the specific needs of your organization. To ensure that you don’t miss any essential details, use this outline to help you prepare and organize the elements of your plan before filling in each section.

Download Sample Nonprofit Business Plan Outline Template

Nonprofit Startup Business Planning Checklist Template

Use this customizable business planning checklist as the basis for outlining the necessary steps to get your nonprofit organization up and running. You can customize this checklist to fit your individual needs. It includes essential steps, such as conducting a SWOT analysis , fulfilling the research requirements specific to your state, conducting a risk assessment , defining roles and responsibilities, creating a portal for board members, and other tasks to keep your plan on track.

Download Nonprofit Startup Business Planning Checklist Template

Tips to Create Your Nonprofit Business Plan

Your nonprofit business plan should provide your donors, volunteers, and other key stakeholders with a clear picture of your overarching mission and objectives. Below, we share our top tips for ensuring that your plan is attractive and thorough.

• Develop a Strategy First: You must aim before you fire if you want to be effective. In other words, develop a strategic plan for your nonprofit in order to provide your team with direction and a roadmap before you build your business plan.
• Save Time with a Template: No need to start from scratch when you can use a customizable nonprofit business plan template to get started. (Download one of the options above.)
• Start with What You Have: With the exception of completing the executive summary, which you must do last, you aren’t obligated to fill in each section of the plan in order. Use the information you have on hand to begin filling in the various parts of your business plan, then conduct additional research to fill in the gaps.
• Ensure Your Information Is Credible: Back up all the details in your plan with reputable sources that stakeholders can easily reference.
• Be Realistic: Use realistic assumptions and numbers in your financial statements and forecasts. Avoid the use of overly lofty or low-lying projections, so stakeholders feel more confident about your plan. 
• Strive for Scannability: Keep each section clear and concise. Use bullet points where appropriate, and avoid large walls of text. 
• Use Visuals: Add tables, charts, and other graphics to draw the eye and support key points in the plan.
• Be Consistent: Keep the voice and formatting (e.g., font style and size) consistent throughout the plan to maintain a sense of continuity.
• Stay True to Your Brand: Make sure that the tone, colors, and overall style of the business plan are a true reflection of your organization’s brand.
• Proofread Before Distribution: Prior to distributing the plan to stakeholders, have a colleague proofread the rough version to check for errors and ensure that the plan is polished.
• Don’t Set It and Forget It: You should treat your nonprofit business plan as a living document that you need to review and update on a regular basis — as objectives change and your organization grows.
• Use an Effective Collaboration Tool: Use an online tool to accomplish the following: collaborate with key personnel on all components of the business plan; enable version control for all documents; and keep resources in one accessible place.

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When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time.  Try Smartsheet for free, today.

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How to Write a Nonprofit Business Plan

Angelique O'Rourke

13 min. read

Updated May 10, 2024

Believe it or not, creating a business plan for a nonprofit organization is not that different from planning for a traditional business. 

Nonprofits sometimes shy away from using the words “business planning,” preferring to use terms like “strategic plan” or “operating plan.” But, the fact is that preparing a plan for a for-profit business and a nonprofit organization are actually pretty similar processes. Both types of organizations need to create forecasts for revenue and plan how they’re going to spend the money they bring in. They also need to manage their cash and ensure that they can stay solvent to accomplish their goals.

In this guide, I’ll explain how to create a plan for your organization that will impress your board of directors, facilitate fundraising, and ensures that you deliver on your mission.

• Why does a nonprofit need a business plan?

Good business planning is about setting goals, getting everyone on the same page, tracking performance metrics, and improving over time. Even when your goal isn’t to increase profits, you still need to be able to run a fiscally healthy organization.

Business planning creates an opportunity to examine the heart of your mission , the financing you’ll need to bring that mission to fruition, and your plan to sustain your operations into the future.

Nonprofits are also responsible for meeting regularly with a board of directors and reporting on your organization’s finances is a critical part of that meeting. As part of your regular financial review with the board, you can compare your actual results to your financial forecast in your business plan. Are you meeting fundraising goals and keeping spending on track? Is the financial position of the organization where you wanted it to be?

In addition to internal use, a solid business plan can help you court major donors who will be interested in having a deeper understanding of how your organization works and your fiscal health and accountability. And you’ll definitely need a formal business plan if you intend to seek outside funding for capital expenses—it’s required by lenders.

Creating a business plan for your organization is a great way to get your management team or board to connect over your vision, goals, and trajectory. Even just going through the planning process with your colleagues will help you take a step back and get some high-level perspective .

• A nonprofit business plan outline

Keep in mind that developing a business plan is an ongoing process. It isn’t about just writing a physical document that is static, but a continually evolving strategy and action plan as your organization progresses over time. It’s essential that you run regular plan review meetings to track your progress against your plan. For most nonprofits, this will coincide with regular reports and meetings with the board of directors.

A nonprofit business plan will include many of the same sections of a standard business plan outline . If you’d like to start simple, you can download our free business plan template as a Word document, and adjust it according to the nonprofit plan outline below.

Executive summary

The executive summary of a nonprofit business plan is typically the first section of the plan to be read, but the last to be written. That’s because this section is a general overview of everything else in the business plan – the overall snapshot of what your vision is for the organization.

Write it as though you might share with a prospective donor, or someone unfamiliar with your organization: avoid internal jargon or acronyms, and write it so that someone who has never heard of you would understand what you’re doing.

Your executive summary should provide a very brief overview of your organization’s mission. It should describe who you serve, how you provide the services that you offer, and how you fundraise. 

If you are putting together a plan to share with potential donors, you should include an overview of what you are asking for and how you intend to use the funds raised.

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Opportunity

Start this section of your nonprofit plan by describing the problem that you are solving for your clients or your community at large. Then say how your organization solves the problem.

A great way to present your opportunity is with a positioning statement . Here’s a formula you can use to define your positioning:

For [target market description] who [target market need], [this product] [how it meets the need]. Unlike [key competition], it [most important distinguishing feature].

And here’s an example of a positioning statement using the formula:

For children, ages five to 12 (target market) who are struggling with reading (their need), Tutors Changing Lives (your organization or program name) helps them get up to grade-level reading through a once a week class (your solution).

Unlike the school district’s general after-school homework lab (your state-funded competition), our program specifically helps children learn to read within six months (how you’re different).

Your organization is special or you wouldn’t spend so much time devoted to it. Layout some of the nuts and bolts about what makes it great in this opening section of your business plan. Your nonprofit probably changes lives, changes your community, or maybe even changes the world. Explain how it does this.

This is where you really go into detail about the programs you’re offering. You’ll want to describe how many people you serve and how you serve them.

Target audience

In a for-profit business plan, this section would be used to define your target market . For nonprofit organizations, it’s basically the same thing but framed as who you’re serving with your organization. Who benefits from your services?

Not all organizations have clients that they serve directly, so you might exclude this section if that’s the case. For example, an environmental preservation organization might have a goal of acquiring land to preserve natural habitats. The organization isn’t directly serving individual groups of people and is instead trying to benefit the environment as a whole. 

Similar organizations

Everyone has competition —nonprofits, too. You’re competing with other nonprofits for donor attention and support, and you’re competing with other organizations serving your target population. Even if your program is the only one in your area providing a specific service, you still have competition.

Think about what your prospective clients were doing about their problem (the one your organization is solving) before you came on this scene. If you’re running an after-school tutoring organization, you might be competing with after school sports programs for clients. Even though your organizations have fundamentally different missions.

For many nonprofit organizations, competing for funding is an important issue. You’ll want to use this section of your plan to explain who donors would choose your organization instead of similar organizations for their donations.

Future services and programs

If you’re running a regional nonprofit, do you want to be national in five years? If you’re currently serving children ages two to four, do you want to expand to ages five to 12? Use this section to talk about your long-term goals. 

Just like a traditional business, you’ll benefit by laying out a long-term plan. Not only does it help guide your nonprofit, but it also provides a roadmap for the board as well as potential investors. 

Promotion and outreach strategies

In a for-profit business plan, this section would be about marketing and sales strategies. For nonprofits, you’re going to talk about how you’re going to reach your target client population.

You’ll probably do some combination of:

• Advertising: print and direct mail, television, radio, and so on.
• Public relations: press releases, activities to promote brand awareness, and so on.
• Digital marketing: website, email, blog, social media, and so on.

Similar to the “target audience” section above, you may remove this section if you don’t promote your organization to clients and others who use your services.

Costs and fees

Instead of including a pricing section, a nonprofit business plan should include a costs or fees section.

Talk about how your program is funded, and whether the costs your clients pay are the same for everyone, or based on income level, or something else. If your clients pay less for your service than it costs to run the program, how will you make up the difference?

If you don’t charge for your services and programs, you can state that here or remove this section.

Fundraising sources

Fundraising is critical for most nonprofit organizations. This portion of your business plan will detail who your key fundraising sources are. 

Similar to understanding who your target audience for your services is, you’ll also want to know who your target market is for fundraising. Who are your supporters? What kind of person donates to your organization? Creating a “donor persona” could be a useful exercise to help you reflect on this subject and streamline your fundraising approach. 

You’ll also want to define different tiers of prospective donors and how you plan on connecting with them. You’re probably going to include information about your annual giving program (usually lower-tier donors) and your major gifts program (folks who give larger amounts).

If you’re a private school, for example, you might think of your main target market as alumni who graduated during a certain year, at a certain income level. If you’re building a bequest program to build your endowment, your target market might be a specific population with interest in your cause who is at retirement age.

Do some research. The key here is not to report your target donors as everyone in a 3,000-mile radius with a wallet. The more specific you can be about your prospective donors —their demographics, income level, and interests, the more targeted (and less costly) your outreach can be.

Fundraising activities

How will you reach your donors with your message? Use this section of your business plan to explain how you will market your organization to potential donors and generate revenue.

You might use a combination of direct mail, advertising, and fundraising events. Detail the key activities and programs that you’ll use to reach your donors and raise money.

Strategic alliances and partnerships

Use this section to talk about how you’ll work with other organizations. Maybe you need to use a room in the local public library to run your program for the first year. Maybe your organization provides mental health counselors in local schools, so you partner with your school district.

In some instances, you might also be relying on public health programs like Medicaid to fund your program costs. Mention all those strategic partnerships here, especially if your program would have trouble existing without the partnership.

Milestones and metrics

Without milestones and metrics for your nonprofit, it will be more difficult to execute on your mission. Milestones and metrics are guideposts along the way that are indicators that your program is working and that your organization is healthy.

They might include elements of your fundraising goals—like monthly or quarterly donation goals, or it might be more about your participation metrics. Since most nonprofits working with foundations for grants do complex reporting on some of these, don’t feel like you have to re-write every single goal and metric for your organization here. Think about your bigger goals, and if you need to, include more information in your business plan’s appendix.

If you’re revisiting your plan on a monthly basis, and we recommend that you do, the items here might speak directly to the questions you know your board will ask in your monthly trustee meeting. The point is to avoid surprises by having eyes on your organization’s performance. Having these goals, and being able to change course if you’re not meeting them, will help your organization avoid falling into a budget deficit.

Key assumptions and risks

Your nonprofit exists to serve a particular population or cause. Before you designed your key programs or services, you probably did some research to validate that there’s a need for what you’re offering.

But you probably are also taking some calculated risks. In this section, talk about the unknowns for your organization. If you name them, you can address them.

For example, if you think there’s a need for a children’s literacy program, maybe you surveyed teachers or parents in your area to verify the need. But because you haven’t launched the program yet, one of your unknowns might be whether the kids will actually show up.

Management team and company

Who is going to be involved and what are their duties? What do these individuals bring to the table?

Include both the management team of the day-to-day aspects of your nonprofit as well as board members and mention those who may overlap between the two roles. Highlight their qualifications: titles, degrees, relevant past accomplishments, and designated responsibilities should be included in this section. It adds a personal touch to mention team members who are especially qualified because they’re close to the cause or have special first-hand experience with or knowledge of the population you’re serving.

There are probably some amazing, dedicated people with stellar qualifications on your team—this is the place to feature them (and don’t forget to include yourself!).

Financial plan

The financial plan is essential to any organization that’s seeking funding, but also incredibly useful internally to keep track of what you’ve done so far financially and where you’d like to see the organization go in the future.

The financial section of your business plan should include a long-term budget and cash flow statement with a three to five-year forecast. This will allow you to see that the organization has its basic financial needs covered. Any nonprofit has its standard level of funding required to stay operational, so it’s essential to make sure your organization will consistently maintain at least that much in the coffers.

From that point, it’s all about future planning: If you exceed your fundraising goals, what will be done with the surplus? What will you do if you don’t meet your fundraising goals? Are you accounting for appropriate amounts going to payroll and administrative costs over time? Thinking through a forecast of your financial plan over the next several years will help ensure that your organization is sustainable.

Money management skills are just as important in a nonprofit as they are in a for-profit business. Knowing the financial details of your organization is incredibly important in a world where the public is ranking the credibility of charities based on what percentage of donations makes it to the programs and services. As a nonprofit, people are interested in the details of how money is being dispersed within organizations, with this information often being posted online on sites like Charity Navigator, so the public can make informed decisions about donating.

Potential contributors will do their research—so make sure you do too. No matter who your donors are, they will want to know they can trust your organization with their money. A robust financial plan is a solid foundation for reference that your nonprofit is on the right track.

• Business planning is ongoing

It’s important to remember that a business plan doesn’t have to be set in stone. It acts as a roadmap, something that you can come back to as a guide, then revise and edit to suit your purpose at a given time.

I recommend that you review your financial plan once a month to see if your organization is on track, and then revise your plan as necessary .

Angelique is a skilled writer, editor, and social media specialist, as well as an actor and model with a demonstrated history of theater, film, commercial and print work.

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Creating a nonprofit business plan is an important step for any organization whether you’re about to launch or are well established in your community. 

A nonprofit business plan is slightly different to the commercial sector. It’s a strategic plan that outlines the key elements of your organization, including:

• Financial projections
• Strategies for achieving those goals
• Volunteer recruiting
• Record keeping
• Leadership team building
• Board recruiting
• Government funding and donor support
• Long-term term direction of your organization

Why bother if you’re already established? 

Regularly outlining the goals and objectives of the organization, as well as the strategies and action plan for achieving them is good practice. It’s like taking your nonprofit into the mechanic to get a check up. 

In this article I will go over the fundamental steps to creating an effective nonprofit business plan.

Step 1: Outline the goals and objectives of your organization

• Define the purpose of your organization in one ‘power paragraph!’ Try outlining this core mission in twenty-five words. Clear understanding of this serves as the foundation for all the other elements of your plan. It’s a hard task, but is a great exercise to try.
• Be as specific as possible. This will help you stay focused on your goals and avoid getting sidetracked by other priorities.
• Your mission statement should provide a clear and concise description of your organization’s purpose and its unique value proposition. Try to articulate your organization’s long-term goals and aspirations in high definition.
• These statements will serve as the guiding principles for your business plan and will help to ensure that all of your activities align with your organization’s overall purpose and direction.

Step 2: Conduct Research

Market research is an important step in the planning process . It constructs an understanding of the needs your target audience have and the competition you will face. This information will be crucial in determining the feasibility of your organization’s goals and objectives.

How you undertake this depends greatly on what stage your nonprofit is in. If you’re just starting, then market research could be:

• Research the competition. What other organizations are serving the same audience and how are they doing it? How can your organization differentiate itself from the competition?
• Detailed analysis of the needs your mission seeks to help. This will help you better understand where you can help and how you effectively assist the community.
• Identifying your target audience. Who are the people you are trying to serve? What are their needs and challenges?
• If your organization is already established then feedback from donors and those your mission reaches will inform this stage. Gathering data is of vital importance and in this effort you may also wish to use data management tools available through your donor database. 

Analysis of your environment.

• This will involve researching your own current situation, including strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. 
• This SWOT analysis will help you identify the key challenges and opportunities facing your organization, and will serve as the foundation for your business plan.
• When you identify the risks you will face, those who read the plan will feel like you’re including a degree of realism. A business plan which only speaks of clear pathways to success will be less effective than those which speak of challenges which your hard work, team, and supporters seek to overcome through the duration of the plan.

New ideas: innovative strategies that can be used to achieve your organizational goals.

Identify the key areas where your organization can make the greatest impact and brainstorm ideas to address those areas. This may include identifying new sources of funding, developing new programs and services, or expanding your organization’s reach and impact.

1. Detail a budget outline.

In order to create a detailed budget and financial plan, you’ll need to take the following steps:

• Identify your income sources including potential grants, donations, and other funding sources.
• Determine your expenses including any costs associated with your project or organization.
• How much money do you expect to make and spend over a specific period of time? This will help you understand your financial position and determine if you have enough money to cover your expenses.
• Develop a fundraising plan to help you generate additional income. This could include a regimented plan to apply for grants, organize fundraising events, or reach out to potential donors. 
• Diversify your fundraising plan by including a variety of income sources. This will help ensure that your organization is not reliant on a single source of funding and can weather any potential setbacks or changes in funding availability.

Sidenote: Monitor your budget and financial plan regularly to ensure that you are staying on track and making progress towards your goals. Make any necessary adjustments to your written plans to keep your finances on track.

2. Identify potential partners and collaborators.

3. develop a strong and experienced board of directors..

There are several potential partners and collaborators for a nonprofit organization. Some possible partners could include other nonprofit organizations that serve similar or complementary missions, businesses that align with the nonprofit’s goals and values, government agencies that support the nonprofit’s work, and foundations or philanthropic organizations that provide funding for similar causes. 

4. Build a board of directors.

• It’s important to have a strong and experienced group of individuals who can provide guidance and support for the organization. 
• This could include leaders from various sectors such as business, education, healthcare, and social services, as well as individuals with expertise in areas such as finance, fundraising, and legal affairs. 
• It’s also important to have diverse perspectives and backgrounds represented on the board to ensure that the nonprofit’s work is reflective of the community it serves.

5. Create a compelling and effective marketing and outreach plan.

• To create a compelling and effective marketing and outreach plan for a nonprofit organization you should start by defining your target audience and identifying the key messages that will resonate with them. 
• Next, you should determine the most effective channels for reaching your audience, such as social media, email, or events, and develop a clear call-to-action that encourages them to take a specific action. 
• You should also create engaging and visually appealing content that showcases the impact of your organization and its work, and track the results of your outreach efforts to continually improve and refine your plan.
• Get social. Research how social media and effective storytelling is used the world over to create engagement and drive donations. 

6. Get SMART! — Create a plan for evaluating the effectiveness of your programs and activities.

• To evaluate the effectiveness of our nonprofit programs and activities, we will first establish specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for each program. 
• We will then communicate in the business plan how you will collect data on the progress of these programs. Using methods such as surveys, interviews, and focus groups to gather feedback from participants and stakeholders. 
• Indicate you will also track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as program attendance and success rates. This data will be analyzed to assess the extent to which our programs are achieving their goals, and any necessary adjustments will be made to improve their effectiveness. Regular evaluations will be conducted to ensure that our programs continue to meet their objectives and have a positive impact on our target population. Once more data management software will greatly assist in this process. 

7. Identify potential challenges for your nonprofit and develop strategies for addressing them.

There are many potential challenges that a nonprofit organization may face. These can include difficulties in:

• Fundraising
• Lack of public awareness
• Support for the organization’s cause
• Competition for donations or volunteers from other similar organizations

In order to address these challenges, a nonprofit can implement a variety of strategies. These can include developing a strong marketing and outreach campaign to increase public awareness, forming partnerships with other organizations to increase visibility and access to resources, and implementing effective fundraising strategies to secure the necessary financial support. Additionally, a nonprofit can focus on building and maintaining strong relationships with donors and volunteers in order to retain their support and engagement over time and the aim is to have each one of these addressed throughout the nonprofit business plan.

8. Develop a plan to build a strong and professional leadership team.

• Recruit diverse and talented individuals who share your organization’s values and goals.
• Provide ongoing training opportunities and support to help your team members develop their leadership skills overtime.
• Encourage open communication, collaboration, and teamwork among your team members.
• Identify the key leadership roles and responsibilities within your organization and then communicate it to your team.
• Hold regular meetings and check-ins to stay informed about your team’s progress and challenges.
• Foster a positive and inclusive work culture that values innovation and creativity.
• Recognize and reward the contributions of your team members, and provide opportunities for growth and development.

9. Create a plan for engaging and retaining volunteers.

• Conduct volunteer recruitment drives with online stories, on the ground leaflets and word of mouth, and clear application to apply on your website. 
• Make sure volunteers feel valued and appreciated for their time and efforts by planning to thank them regularly and providing them with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
• Provide volunteers with clear expectations and guidelines for their roles and responsibilities. This will help them feel more confident and comfortable in their roles.
• Engage volunteers in the decision-making process and invite them to provide feedback and suggestions for improving the organization.
• Foster a positive and inclusive work environment that is conducive to collaboration and teamwork. This will help volunteers feel more connected to the organization and their fellow volunteers.

10. Develop a plan for managing and utilizing technology effectively.

This will include building a website. If you’re technologically inclined then there’s plenty of website building sites like WordPress and Squarespace each with their own price plans. You can also hire web designers on Fiverr for every budget. 

11. Invest in data management software.

Making sense of your information in the digital age is the difference between success and failure in a lot of professional fields and the nonprofit sector is no different.

Here is a potential plan for effectively managing and utilizing data management software like Bloomerang. Data management is a pretty fundamental element of modern nonprofit management.

• Create a timeline for implementing and using your database. Including training for staff members who will be using the technology.
• Develop clear policies and procedures for using your donor database. Including guidelines for data entry, security, and access.
• Regularly review and assess the effectiveness of your database in achieving the organization’s goals, and make adjustments as needed.
• Stay up to date with new features and capabilities in the platform, and consider incorporating them into the organization’s use of the technology.
• Overall, the key to effectively managing and utilizing technology is to have a clear plan and to regularly review and assess its effectiveness in achieving the organization’s goals.

12. Create a plan for handling financial management and reporting.

To manage the finances for a nonprofit business plan, it’s important to establish a clear budget and regularly track expenses to ensure that the organization is operating within its means. It’s also crucial to maintain accurate financial records and create regular financial reports to provide transparency and accountability to donors and stakeholders. To create a plan for financial management and reporting, the following steps can be taken:

• Establish a budget which outlines the organization’s projected income and expenses.
• Track expenses regularly to ensure that the organization stays within its budget.
• Maintain accurate financial records, including receipts and invoices.
• Create regular financial reports, such as monthly or quarterly statements, to provide transparency and accountability.
• Meet with the organization’s board of directors regularly to review and discuss the financial reports and make any necessary adjustments to the budget.

13. Develop a plan for dealing with legal and compliance issues.

To ensure that your nonprofit organization meets all legal compliances and regulations, you should:

• Research the specific laws and regulations that apply to your organization and its activities.
• Include requirements related to tax exemptions, charitable solicitation, fundraising, governance, and financial reporting.
• Consult with an attorney who is experienced in nonprofit law to help you understand and comply with these requirements. 
• Schedule to regularly review and update your policies and procedures to ensure that your organization remains in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

14. Identify potential sources of income, such as grants and corporate partnerships and outline how you will do this.

• Research potential grant opportunities from government agencies and private foundations that align with the nonprofit’s mission and goals. This can be done by searching online databases, such as Grants.gov and Foundation Center, and attending grant-related workshops and conferences.
• Reach out to corporations in the community and inquiring about potential partnership opportunities. This can include sponsorships for events, in-kind donations, and cause-related marketing campaigns.
• Develop a list of potential funding sources and carefully review their requirements and application processes. This will help the nonprofit determine which opportunities are the best fit and ensure that all necessary materials are prepared for a successful application.
• Create a calendar of deadlines for grant applications and corporate partnership inquiries, and set aside dedicated time to work on these opportunities. This will help the nonprofit stay organized and ensure that all opportunities are pursued in a timely manner.
• Follow up with potential funding sources after submitting applications or proposals. This can include thanking them for their consideration and providing any additional information they may require. It can also include reaching out to discuss potential opportunities for collaboration or additional funding in the future.
• Monitor the success of the nonprofit’s efforts to secure funding from grants and corporate partnerships, and adjust the plan as needed based on the results. This can include identifying any challenges and implementing strategies to overcome them, as well as celebrating successes and leveraging them to secure additional funding in the future.

15. Develop a plan for continuously improving and adapting to meet the changing needs of your target population over the course of your nonprofit business plan.

To continuously improve and adapt to the changing needs of our nonprofit’s target population, we can implement the following steps:

• Conduct regular needs assessments to identify gaps and areas for improvement in our services. This can involve surveying our target population and gathering feedback from staff and other stakeholders.
• Develop a plan to address identified gaps and prioritize actions based on the needs and priorities of our target population. This can involve implementing new programs and services, as well as making adjustments to existing ones.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of our programs and services on an ongoing basis, using both qualitative and quantitative data. This can involve collecting feedback from our target population and staff, as well as tracking key performance indicators.
• Engage with our target population and other stakeholders to stay informed about their needs and priorities, and incorporate their feedback into our planning and decision-making processes.
• Collaborate with other organizations and stakeholders to share best practices and resources and identify opportunities for joint initiatives and partnerships.
• Regularly assess and address the needs of the target population, monitoring and evaluating the impact of your programs
• Staying engaged and informed to ensure that your nonprofit is meeting the changing needs of the target population and continuously improving services.

In conclusion 

A nonprofit business plan can seem daunting but each part will keep your nonprofit in good shape for 2023.

Clearly defining your mission, fundraising strategies, and funding, while attracting and retaining talented employees, will make a lasting positive impact in this field. Good luck!

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Home > Business Plan Templates > 10-Part Nonprofit Business Plan Template (With Examples)

10-Part Nonprofit Business Plan Template (With Examples)

Mar 26, 2024 | Business Plan Templates

Table of Contents

Does a Nonprofit Need a Business Plan?

Yes. A nonprofit needs a business plan just as much as any for-profit enterprise. A business plan for a nonprofit organisation serves several critical purposes: it outlines the mission and vision, sets clear goals and objectives, and details the strategies for achieving them. Additionally, it plays a vital role in securing funding from donors, grants, and other sources by demonstrating the organisation’s potential for impact and sustainability.

A well-crafted business plan helps nonprofits to effectively allocate resources, manage risks, and measure progress towards their goals. It also provides a roadmap for growth and development, ensuring that the organisation remains focused and aligned with its core values and objectives.

In essence, a business plan is indispensable for a nonprofit organisation’s success, guiding its efforts to make a meaningful difference in its community.

So, without further ado, here is our nonprofit business plan template!

1. Executive Summary

The executive summary provides a concise overview of your nonprofit organisation and summarises the main aspects of your plan. Although it comes first in your business plan, you might find it easier to write this part last, ensuring it captures all the important points from the rest of your document.

Introduction

Begin with a brief introduction to your organisation. What is its name? What causes does it support? Whether you’re focusing on environmental conservation, community development, etc., make it compelling and engaging.

Example: The Helping Hands Foundation is a nonprofit organisation committed to uplifting disadvantaged communities through access to quality education, healthcare, and basic amenities.

Organisation Overview

Here, provide a high-level summary of your organisation. Discuss the core activities and why the work is crucial. Include the types of services offered and any significant initiatives.

Example : Our organisation mainly operates in rural areas, where we undertake various community development projects and run a healthcare centre and a school.

Mission and Vision Statement

Write your Nonprofit’s mission and vision statement. This should communicate your organisation’s purpose, its strategic goals, and its commitment to the cause.

Example: Our mission is to empower underprivileged communities by providing education, healthcare services, and resources that foster a sustainable livelihood. Our vision is to create an equitable world where every individual has access to basic human rights and opportunities needed for personal and communal growth.

Geographic Reach and Accessibility

Discuss where your nonprofit operates, explaining where you have the most significant presence or impact and the communities you are serving in those regions.

Example: The Helping Hands Foundation currently extends its services to the marginalised communities in two rural towns in Montana, reaching over 5,000 individuals directly.

Service Type

Explain the kind of work your nonprofit does. Whether you provide direct services, advocacy, research, etc., describe in detail.

Example: We offer direct services, including running a healthcare centre that provides basic medical services and a school that offers quality education from Kindergarten to 5th grade. We also have several livelihood programs that equip adults with skills to earn a living.

Key Goals and Objectives

Outline what you’re striving for in the short and long term. These should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound) goals.

Example: Our main goal for the coming year is to expand our services into two more towns and to increase our direct beneficiaries by 20%. In the long term, we aim to establish a network of schools and healthcare centres across Montana.

2. Programs and Services

This section provides the reader with a detailed understanding of your organisation’s specific programs and services, their purpose, and their impact.

Program Definition and Theme

Describe the programs or services your organisation offers in detail. Explain the principles guiding these programs and the kind of expertise involved.

Example: We run three main programs: the Community Health Initiative, the Learning Support Program, and the Adult Skill-building Program. Each of these programs follows a participatory model, where community members are active participants, ensuring culturally and contextually relevant interventions.

Service Range

Enumerate the range of services you offer under each program. Highlight key elements and features of these services.

Example: The Community Health Initiative includes services like regular medical check-ups, basic treatments, immunisations, and health awareness workshops. The Learning Support Program offers a comprehensive curriculum, while the Skill-building Program offers vocational classes in various trades.

Beneficiary Analysis

Describe who benefits from your programs or services, detailing how they are chosen and why they are the focus of your efforts.

Example: Our beneficiaries predominantly include underserved individuals and families from the marginalised communities in rural Montana. The selection is made based on household income, with priority given to those below the poverty line. We focus on these groups because we believe that providing them with access to healthcare, quality education, and skill-building can lead to a significant upliftment.

3. History and Governance

This section provides a glimpse into the historical background of your nonprofit and an insight into its governance structure.

Legal Status and Structure

Specify the legal status of your nonprofit. Is it a nonprofit corporation, a public charity, a private foundation, or another type of legal entity? Why was this type chosen?

Example: The Helping Hands Foundation is a Public Charity under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code. This structure allows us to accept donations, contributions, and gifts that are tax-deductible for donors, which is beneficial in raising funds for our cause.

Board of Directors

Introduce your board of directors briefly, highlighting their experience and roles. Point out their key contributions to the organisation.

Example: Our board comprises five dedicated members, including a physician, an educator, a social worker, a business entrepreneur, and a legal professional, each offering expertise in their respective fields to help guide and govern our organisation.

Key Milestones

Highlight significant milestones in your organisation’s history to show the progress and impact over time.

Example : Founded in 2015, the Helping Hands Foundation started as a health outreach program serving a single community. By 2017, we expanded our services to education, and in 2019 added our Adult Skill-building Program. We’re now serving multiple communities across Montana and have positively impacted over 5,000 lives directly.

4. Business Model

This section will outline how the nonprofit organisation functions and generates revenue to support its mission and programs.

Main Income Sources

Discuss your nonprofit’s main sources of income. These could include individual and corporate donations, grants, fundraising events, service fees, etc.

Example: Our main income sources include individual donations, corporate partnerships, and grants. We also generate revenue through our annual charity run – “Run for Help”.

Planned Collaborations/ Partnerships

Discuss any planned collaborations or partnerships. These could be with other nonprofit organisations, for-profit businesses, government institutions, etc.

Example: We are planning to partner with local businesses for some of our skill-building programs. These businesses will not only provide practical training but also potential job placements for our beneficiaries.

Special Projects

If there are any special projects or initiatives planned that will bring substantial funds or support to the organisation, detail them.

Example: We plan to launch a “Sponsor a Child’s Education” initiative that encourages donors to cover educational expenses for a specific child for a period of one year.

5. Market Analysis

This section provides an understanding of the broader context in which your nonprofit operates, including the current need, target beneficiaries, and competitive landscape.

Current Community Need

Describe the current community need that your nonprofit is addressing. Use data and real examples to illustrate the need.

Example: According to the latest census, the rural parts of Montana that we serve have 35% of the population living below the poverty line. Lack of access to quality healthcare, education, and job opportunities persist as significant challenges.

Beneficiary/ Constituency Analysis

Detail the demographic, geographic, socioeconomic, and other relevant characteristics of the people your organisation serves.

Example: Our primary beneficiaries are families living below the poverty line, struggling with limited access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities. They present a diverse age group, from children requiring educational support to adults needing vocational training.

Related Organisations and Competitive Analysis

Identify other nonprofit organisations working on similar issues, examine their approach, and highlight what sets your organisation apart.

Example: While other nonprofits in the region primarily focus on either healthcare or education, The Helping Hands Foundation sets itself apart by offering a holistic approach – providing access to healthcare, quality education, and skill-building programs for sustainable livelihoods.

Positioning and Strategy

Explain how your nonprofit is positioned in response to the need, target beneficiaries, and competitive landscape. Describe your strategy to deliver your mission.

Example: Our organisation is positioned as an all-encompassing solution for the challenges faced by our target community. Our strategy involves a holistic, participatory approach that acknowledges and works around the cultural and contextual realities of the community.

6. Public Relations and Fundraising Strategy

This section deals with how you plan to generate awareness about your organisation’s purpose and work, as well as how you plan to solicit donations.

PR Strategy

Outline your strategy to garner visibility and positive coverage in the media and community.

Example: Our PR strategy includes issuing press releases about milestone achievements, hosting town hall meetings to engage community members, and inviting local influencers or media to cover our key events and initiatives.

Fundraising Plan

Describe your approach to raising funds. This may include details of fundraising events, online campaigns, donor recognition strategies, and plans to apply for grants.

Example: We plan to conduct an annual charity run event, “Run for Help”, which is our major fundraiser. We also run online crowdfunding campaigns around specific causes like “Back-to-School” and “Vaccinate a Village”. We acknowledge our generous donors through a ‘wall of fame’ on our website and an annual appreciation dinner.

Community Engagement/ Volunteer Plans

Discuss how you plan to engage community members and volunteers in your work. This can bring additional resources to your organisation through volunteer time and word-of-mouth advertising.

Example: We welcome community members to volunteer in our learning centres, health camps, and other initiatives. We also encourage volunteer involvement in event organisation, fundraising, and spreading the word about our work.

7. Operations

This is where you’ll outline how your nonprofit will function day-to-day, including details about staff recruitment, facility needs, technology, and overall operational flow.

Team Recruitment and Roles

Describe how you plan to staff your nonprofit. This includes the roles you require, criteria for each position, expected number of hires you plan to make per year, and any recruiting strategies.

Example: We plan to hire qualified professionals for roles like Program Managers, Field Coordinators, and Fundraising Coordinators. We also rely on volunteers to help us in various capacities. We actively participate in job fairs and conduct regular recruitment drives to find passionate and committed individuals for our team.

Board Composition and Roles

Discuss the current and expected composition of your board. What roles do they play in your nonprofit, and how often do they meet?

Example: Our board comprises five members, specialising in different areas like healthcare education, legalities, business, and social work. They meet quarterly to review our progress and annual plan. They are instrumental in providing strategic direction to our organisation.

Technology Needs

What kind of technology does your nonprofit require to function seamlessly? This might include software for managing donor data, a website for online presence, project management tools, etc.

Example: We use a donor management software to streamline our fundraising efforts, an accounting software to track our income and expenses, and social media platforms to reach out to our followers and prospective donors.

Facility Needs (If Applicable)

What are your facility needs? Do you need an office space, a storage room, a community centre, etc.?

Example: We currently operate from a rented office space in downtown Montana. Due to the expansion of our programs, we plan to rent additional storage space for our education and healthcare supplies.

8. Marketing and Communications Strategy

This section involves how the nonprofit plans to market its programs and services to its beneficiaries and prospective donors.

Marketing and Outreach

Describe how you plan to increase awareness of your nonprofit in the community you serve, among potential donors, and the public in general.

Example: We plan to conduct regular community awareness programs in schools and public places to educate people about our work. Also, we use digital marketing channels like social media, email newsletter, and our website to increase our visibility among potential donors.

Website and Social Media

Discuss your organisation’s online presence. This may include details about your website, blog, and social media accounts.

Example: Our website provides comprehensive information about our programs, stories of impact, and ways to get involved. We also maintain an active presence on various social media platforms, where we share updates, appeal for donations, and engage with our followers.

Community Engagement

Discuss how you plan to engage with the community beyond the direct provision of services.

Example: We regularly host town hall meetings to engage with community members and gather their feedback. We also participate in local events and festivals to further integrate ourselves into the community culture.

9. Financial Plan

This section focuses on your nonprofit’s financial aspects, detailing how funds will be raised and spent.

Startup Budget/ Current Annual Budget

Lay out the current or expected budget for your organisation, including income and expenses.

Example: Our annual budget for this year is $500,000, with the majority of the funds divided between education and healthcare programs. We allocate 10% for administrative expenses, and the remainder is used for fundraising and marketing.

Proposed Financing

Discuss your proposed financing options. These could include a detailed breakdown of expected revenues from various sources like donations, grants, government funding, special events, etc.

Example: We hope to raise 40% of our funds from individual and corporate donations, 30% from grants, 20% from special events like ‘Run for Help’, and the remainder 10% from government funding and other sources.

Key Financial Assumptions and Justifications

Clarify any assumptions in your financial plan, explaining why these assumptions have been made.

Example: We have assumed a 5% increase in donations from last year as we have seen a steady growth in our donor base. We also anticipate securing a major grant that we’ve applied for based on our past successes with similar applications.

10. Appendices

This section includes any additional documents or supportive material related to your business plan, such as:

Organisational Chart

Include a visual representation of your nonprofit’s structure, showing the roles and departments within the organisation.

Example: Our organisational chart distinguishes between our board members, management team, employees, and volunteers, providing a clear understanding of the functioning of our nonprofit.

Resumes of Key Staff/Volunteers

Attach resumes or brief bios of key team members to provide a sense of their skills, expertise, and experience.

Example: We have included the resume of our Program Manager who holds a master’s in Public Health and has over seven years of experience working in the nonprofit sector.

Detailed Budget

If your financial plan refers to a detailed budget, include a copy here.

Example: A detailed breakdown of our annual budget, including income and expenditure, reflects our judicious allocation of resources.

Related Market Research

Include any market research that validates the need for your nonprofit’s services.

Example: A Local Community Survey report, conducted by us, indicates a significant need for our healthcare and educational services among the local populace.

Wrapping Up Our Nonprofit Business Plan Template

In essence, a business plan helps you articulate and present your nonprofit organisation’s mission, operations, and financial activities with accuracy and persuasiveness. It enables you to highlight your organisation’s unique vision, services, and strategies robustly.

From charting organisational history and governance, presenting market analysis, to detailing your PR and fundraising strategy – a perfect business plan showcases your nonprofit in a compelling light. Remember, it’s crucial to tweak and adjust our guidance to fit your specific context, allowing your unique story, approach, and goals to shine through.

Follow this roadmap, and remember, a well-crafted business plan is more than just a document – it’s an opportunity to bring your organisation’s work to life, foster stakeholder understanding, build support, and ultimately, amplify your nonprofit’s impact.

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11 Best Non Profit Business Plan Examples + Template (2024)

What Is Non Profit Organization?

The non-profit sector, also known as the nonprofit business sector or the third sector, consists of organizations that operate for purposes other than making a profit. These organizations focus on serving the public or specific communities by addressing social, cultural, educational, environmental, or humanitarian needs.

Non-profit organizations rely on donations, grants, fundraising, and government support to finance their operations and fulfill their mission. They encompass a wide range of entities, including charities, foundations, religious organizations, educational institutions, social service agencies, healthcare providers, environmental organizations, and arts and cultural organizations. Non-profit organizations play a vital role in advocating for social change, providing essential services, and improving the well-being of society.

In the United States, non-profit organizations often seek tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code . This designation allows them to receive tax-deductible donations and grants. Non-profit organizations are governed by a board of directors or trustees, ensuring adherence to legal and ethical standards. They are subject to specific regulations and reporting requirements to maintain transparency and accountability. Through the dedication of volunteers, support from donors and funders, and the commitment of staff members, the non-profit sector makes a significant impact by addressing societal issues and fostering positive change in communities.

Things to Consider When Starting a Non-Profit Business

• Clearly define your non-profit’s mission and vision for guidance.
• Research the non-profit sector to understand opportunities and challenges.
• Identify your target audience to tailor programs and services.
• Develop a strategic plan with clear goals and objectives.
• Choose a suitable legal structure for your non-profit organization.
• Establish a dedicated board of directors for guidance and governance.
• Create a strong fundraising strategy to secure funds.
• Build partnerships for collaboration and extra support.
• Implement effective marketing and outreach plans to raise awareness.
• Manage finances wisely for transparency and sustainability.
• Recruit passionate individuals who share your mission.
• Track and evaluate impact using measurable indicators.
• Stay informed about legal and regulatory changes affecting non-profits.
• Continuously learn and improve to meet evolving needs.
• Nurture relationships with stakeholders for engagement and support.

Need a comprehensive guide on developing a non-profit business plan, check out our sample non-profit business plans .

Here are 11 best non profit business plan examples for your inspiration.

When it comes to creating a business plan for a non-profit organization, following a traditional business plan format can provide a solid framework. Here are 11 examples of non-profit business plans that adhere to the traditional structure:

Executive Summary

For instance, a non-profit focused on providing education to underprivileged children may have an executive summary that highlights the organization’s mission, the target population, and the key strategies for achieving educational goals.

Executive Summary: Samaritan’s Purse is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping communities worldwide that are affected by natural disasters and humanitarian crises. Our mission is to show God’s love in action by providing physical aid, spiritual support, and hope to those in need. We work quickly to respond to emergencies and provide immediate help like food, shelter, and medical assistance. Our caring team, made up of professionals and volunteers, is committed to helping communities recover and rebuild after a disaster. We believe in working together with local partners and using efficient strategies to make a lasting difference in the lives of those affected. Through our core values of compassion, integrity, and faith, Samaritan’s Purse strives to be a source of hope and support during difficult times.

Organizational Description

An example of an organizational description could be a non-profit that supports environmental conservation, providing details about its establishment, the board of directors, and the legal status as a registered non-profit organization.

Organizational Description: Samaritan’s Purse, established in 1970 by Franklin Graham, has evolved into a worldwide organization, supported by a dedicated team of staff and volunteers. As a registered non-profit, we prioritize transparency, accountability, and meaningful outcomes in everything we do. Our reach extends across the globe, enabling us to respond swiftly to emergencies and provide assistance to communities in need. With a strong commitment to making a positive impact, we uphold the highest standards of integrity and efficiency in our operations. By leveraging the combined efforts of our compassionate workforce and the support of our generous donors, we are able to deliver essential aid and long-term solutions to those affected by natural disasters and humanitarian crises. At Samaritan’s Purse, we remain resolute in our mission to provide practical support and spiritual comfort to individuals and communities facing hardship, fostering hope and promoting resilience in the face of adversity.

Mission Statement

A non-profit dedicated to empowering women in entrepreneurship may have a mission statement that states, “Our mission is to provide resources, training, and support to women entrepreneurs, enabling them to thrive and succeed in their business ventures.

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Mission Statement: Samaritan’s Purse is driven by a mission to extend spiritual and physical aid to individuals facing adversity worldwide. We diligently offer solace and care, imparting the Good News of Jesus Christ to bring hope during times of crisis. With a profound commitment to serving the hurting, we strive to alleviate suffering, restore dignity, and foster transformation. Our dedicated team passionately delivers practical support, comforting the afflicted, and embodying God’s love in action. Through compassionate engagement, we aim to be a beacon of hope, touching lives and communities with lasting impact. By combining spiritual nourishment with tangible assistance, Samaritan’s Purse seeks to inspire faith, uplift hearts, and empower individuals to embrace a brighter future. Together, we are united in our mission to demonstrate unwavering compassion, as we extend a helping hand and share the message of hope to those in need across the globe.

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Vision statement.

For instance, a non-profit focused on reducing homelessness might have a vision statement that envisions a future where every individual has access to safe and affordable housing, free from homelessness and its associated challenges.

Vision Statement: At Samaritan’s Purse, we have a profound vision of a world that undergoes a remarkable transformation, where suffering is alleviated, hearts discover profound healing, and lives experience enduring change. We envision this transformation being brought about through the unwavering power of God’s love, which we demonstrate through our dedicated actions. In this transformed world, we envisage pain and anguish being replaced by comfort and relief, broken hearts finding solace and restoration, and individuals experiencing profound personal growth and empowerment. Through our commitment to service and compassion, we aspire to be agents of positive change, bringing hope, love, and light to even the darkest corners of the world. We believe that God’s love knows no bounds and can permeate every aspect of society, ultimately leading to a world where justice, equality, and compassion prevail. With unwavering determination, we work towards this vision, striving to make a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve.

Market Analysis

An example of market analysis could involve a non-profit conducting research on the local community’s needs, analyzing existing social service organizations, and identifying gaps in services that they can fill.

Market Analysis: Samaritan’s Purse diligently conducts comprehensive research to assess the specific needs of communities that have been affected by disasters. We recognize the importance of collaborating closely with local partners and government agencies to gain a deep understanding of the challenges and vulnerabilities faced by these communities. Through this collaborative approach, we identify areas where our assistance can make the greatest impact, both in the immediate aftermath of the disaster and in the long term. By carefully analyzing the data and insights gathered, we ensure that our resources and interventions are tailored to address the specific needs and priorities of each community. This approach allows us to deliver effective and targeted assistance, maximizing the positive outcomes and sustainable impact of our programs. Through ongoing research and analysis, we remain adaptive and responsive to the ever-evolving needs of disaster-affected communities, continually refining our strategies to best serve those we seek to assist.

Programs and Services

A non-profit dedicated to animal welfare may outline programs and services such as animal adoption, spay/neuter initiatives, veterinary care, and community education on responsible pet ownership.

Programs and Services: Samaritan’s Purse is dedicated to providing a comprehensive range of programs and services to meet the diverse needs of communities. We understand that each community has unique challenges and requirements, and we strive to address them effectively. Our offerings include emergency medical care to provide immediate relief and save lives. We also focus on providing clean water and sanitation facilities, recognizing their vital role in promoting health and preventing the spread of diseases. Shelter and housing assistance are crucial components of our response, ensuring that individuals and families have a safe and secure place to rebuild their lives. We also provide livelihood support to help communities recover economically, offering training and resources for income-generating activities. Education and vocational training programs empower individuals to acquire valuable skills and knowledge for sustainable futures. Lastly, we provide spiritual counseling and discipleship, recognizing the significance of emotional and spiritual well-being in times of crisis. Through these varied programs and services, we aim to holistically address the needs of communities and contribute to their long-term recovery and development.

Marketing and Outreach Strategy

Marketing and Outreach Strategy: Samaritan’s Purse implements a comprehensive marketing and outreach strategy to raise awareness and foster engagement among supporters. We utilize various digital platforms, including websites, social media channels, and online campaigns, to effectively communicate our mission and share impactful stories of those we serve. Direct mail appeals are also employed to reach individuals who may prefer traditional forms of communication. Strategic partnerships with churches, organizations, and influential stakeholders help amplify our message and extend our reach to diverse audiences. Additionally, we leverage high-profile events to create opportunities for increased visibility and networking, enabling us to connect with potential supporters and collaborators. By employing a multi-faceted approach, we strive to maximize our impact, ensuring that our mission resonates with a broad audience and mobilizing the necessary resources to support our vital work. Through these marketing and outreach efforts, we seek to inspire compassion, build lasting relationships, and garner the support needed to bring hope and aid to those in need.

Operational Plan

A non-profit operating a community food bank may include details about the facility, the staff responsible for daily operations, and the systems in place to receive, store, and distribute food to those in need.

Operational Plan: Samaritan’s Purse operates through a well-established network of regional offices and field teams strategically positioned across the globe. Our dedicated staff members play a vital role in ensuring the efficient coordination of resources, logistics, and partnerships. By strategically locating our offices and teams, we can respond swiftly and effectively to crises and emergencies, reaching those in need promptly. Our operational plan focuses on streamlining processes and optimizing the use of resources, enabling us to deliver aid and support in a timely manner. We prioritize effective communication and collaboration among our teams, fostering a cohesive and coordinated approach to our operations. Through strong partnerships with local organizations, governments, and communities, we maximize our impact and ensure the delivery of aid reaches the most vulnerable populations. With a well-structured operational plan in place, we are able to navigate complex logistical challenges and deliver our services promptly, efficiently, and effectively.

Financial Plan

An example of a financial plan could involve a non-profit outlining its projected revenue sources, such as grants, donations, and fundraising events, as well as the anticipated expenses for program implementation, staffing, and administrative costs.

53 Best Non-Profit Business Ideas

Financial Plan:   The financial plan of Samaritan’s Purse focuses on ensuring the efficient and effective allocation of resources to support our mission of providing aid and assistance to those in need. Here are some key aspects of our financial plan:

Diverse Funding Sources: We rely on a range of funding sources to sustain our operations. In the previous fiscal year, our total funding amounted to $10 million. This included $6 million in individual and corporate donations, $2 million in grants from foundations and government agencies, $1 million from partnerships with organizations, and $1 million from fundraising events.

Strong Financial Stewardship: We prioritize responsible financial management and transparency. Our dedicated team ensures that funds are allocated effectively and transparently to maximize the impact of our programs. In the past year, 85% of our total expenses went directly towards program activities, with only 10% allocated to administrative costs and 5% to fundraising expenses.

Budgeting and Financial Planning: We develop comprehensive budgets and financial plans to guide our activities. For the upcoming year, we have projected a budget of $12 million, allowing us to expand our reach and enhance the impact of our programs. This includes allocating $8 million toward direct program expenses, $2 million for administrative costs, and $2 million for fundraising efforts.

Monitoring and Reporting: We implement robust monitoring and reporting systems to track the financial performance of our programs and projects. Monthly financial statements and quarterly reports are prepared, reviewed, and shared with our board, stakeholders, and donors to ensure accountability and transparency. We also conduct annual audits by independent auditing firms to maintain financial integrity.

Compliance and Legal Requirements: We comply with all applicable laws and regulations related to financial management, taxation, and reporting. We work closely with legal and financial professionals to stay up-to-date with the latest requirements and maintain compliance. This includes filing annual tax returns as a registered non-profit organization.

Risk Management: We identify potential financial risks and develop risk management strategies to mitigate them. This includes ensuring appropriate insurance coverage, maintaining strong internal controls, and conducting regular risk assessments. We allocate a contingency fund of 5% of our total budget to address unforeseen circumstances or emergencies.

Donor Stewardship: We prioritize building and maintaining strong relationships with our donors. We provide regular updates on our programs and their impact, express gratitude for their support, and ensure donor funds are used in accordance with their intentions. Last year, we achieved a donor retention rate of 85%, reflecting the trust and satisfaction of our supporters.

Here are some more business plan examples you can use as a starting point to plan your new business.

Evaluation and Measurement

A non-profit focused on youth development may establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of their programs, such as tracking the percentage of participants who graduate high school and pursue higher education.

Evaluation and Measurement:

Evaluation and measurement are crucial components of Samaritan’s Purse’s approach to ensuring the effectiveness and impact of our programs. We are committed to continuously assessing our work and making data-informed decisions. Here’s an overview of our evaluation and measurement practices:

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): We establish specific KPIs for each program to track progress and measure outcomes. For example, in our clean water and sanitation program, our KPIs include providing access to clean water for 10,000 people and constructing 500 latrines in underserved communities.

Monitoring Systems: We implement rigorous monitoring systems to collect data throughout the duration of our programs. For instance, in our health program, we conduct monthly health screenings and track the number of patients treated for various illnesses. Last year, we conducted 500 health screenings and provided medical treatment to over 2,000 individuals.

Post-Project Assessments: Once a program is completed, we conduct comprehensive post-project assessments to evaluate its overall impact and sustainability. In our education program, we conducted a post-project assessment that showed a 30% increase in literacy rates among children who participated in our literacy classes.

Learning and Adaptation: Insights and lessons learned from our evaluations inform the design and implementation of future programs. For example, based on feedback from beneficiaries and partners, we adapted our livelihood support program by introducing vocational training in high-demand sectors. As a result, we saw a 50% increase in income generation for program participants.

Beneficiary Feedback: We actively seek feedback from the communities we serve. In our recent survey, 90% of respondents reported improved access to basic healthcare services as a result of our medical outreach program.

Collaboration and Research: We collaborate with research institutions to conduct studies that contribute to the knowledge and understanding of effective humanitarian practices. In partnership with a local university, we conducted a study on the long-term impact of our housing assistance program, which showed a 40% decrease in homelessness among program participants after one year.

Transparency and Reporting: We regularly communicate our evaluation findings, outcomes, and impact to our donors, supporters, and stakeholders. Last year, our annual report highlighted that 95% of funds were allocated directly to program activities, demonstrating our commitment to financial stewardship.

Risk Management

An example of risk management could involve a non-profit identifying potential risks, such as changes in government regulations or funding cuts, and developing contingency plans to mitigate those risks, ensuring the organization’s sustainability.

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Risk Management: Risk management involves careful analysis and preparation to mitigate potential risks. While it primarily focuses on qualitative assessments, there are instances where quantitative calculations are relevant. Here are some examples:

Risk Probability Assessment: We assign probabilities to various risks based on historical data or expert opinions. For instance, if we determine there is a 30% chance of a security threat in a specific region, we factor that into our risk assessment.

Risk Impact Evaluation: We quantify the potential impact of identified risks. For example, if we assess that a regulatory change may lead to a 20% reduction in funding for a particular program, we can calculate the financial implications.

Cost-Benefit Analysis: In evaluating risk mitigation measures, we conduct cost-benefit analyses. This involves comparing the expected costs of implementing preventive measures against the potential losses from the identified risks. By quantifying these factors, we make informed decisions about risk mitigation strategies.

Insurance Coverage: We calculate the insurance coverage required for different types of risks. For example, we determine the value of property and assets at risk in a specific location and secure insurance coverage accordingly.

Financial Reserves: We allocate financial reserves to mitigate potential risks. By estimating the potential financial impact of various risks, we calculate the appropriate level of reserves needed to address unforeseen events.

Non Profit Business Plan Faq's

A non-profit organization, also known as a nonprofit or not-for-profit organization, is an entity that operates for a specific purpose or mission other than making a profit. Its primary goal is to serve the public or a particular cause.

The main difference is the purpose and distribution of funds. Non-profits reinvest their surplus back into the organization to further their mission, while for-profit organizations distribute profits to their owners or shareholders.

The purpose of a non-profit organization is to address a specific societal or community need. It can be focused on various areas such as education, healthcare, environment, social services, or arts and culture.

Non-profits rely on various sources of funding, including donations from individuals, grants from foundations or government agencies, corporate sponsorships, fundraising events, and revenue from services or programs they provide.

In many countries, donations to registered non-profit organizations are tax-deductible for the donors. However, tax laws may vary, so it’s important to consult local regulations or seek professional advice.

Non-profit organizations are typically governed by a board of directors or trustees. The board provides oversight, sets strategic direction, and ensures the organization’s compliance with legal and ethical standards.

Starting a non-profit involves several steps, including defining your mission, drafting bylaws, incorporating the organization, applying for tax-exempt status, and establishing governance and financial management structures. Consulting with legal and accounting professionals is recommended.

Board members of non-profit organizations have various responsibilities, including strategic planning, financial oversight, fundraising, hiring and evaluating the executive director, ensuring legal compliance, and representing the organization in the community.

Non-profit organizations use various metrics and evaluation methods to measure their impact. This can include tracking the number of beneficiaries served, outcomes achieved, changes in the community, and feedback from stakeholders. Evaluations help assess the effectiveness and adjust strategies as needed.

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Sample Nonprofit Business Plan with Explanations

Writing a business plan is a major undertaking. While most of us are accustomed to thinking of business plans as being a must for investors, they’re just as important in the world of nonprofit organizations.

At Addition Financial, we’ve worked closely with nonprofit startups. One of the most common questions they ask us is:

"What should I include in my nonprofit business plan ?"

It’s an important question to ask. Your nonprofit business plan will define your goals and help you attract experienced board members, employees and donors. We’ve put together this sample nonprofit business plan to show you what you should include when you write your business plan.

Executive Summary

At the beginning of your nonprofit business plan, you’ll need an executive summary. It must be concise and contain a clear and compelling statement of your mission.

Because it is so important, the executive summary is often the last part of a business plan to be written. It should summarize your market analysis, lay out why there is a need for the services you’ll provide and explain why you are qualified to provide them.

We suggest doing a rough draft of the executive statement to start. Then, you can refine it as you go along and revisit it at the end to put the final touches on it.

Products, Programs and Services

In this section, you’ll lay out the specific information on what your nonprofit does.

You’ll need to include:

• The products or services you’ll sell
• The social programs you’ll provide
• The benefits the community will derive from your presence
• The needs you’ll meet and your plans for meeting them

Another way of looking at this section is that it explains how you’ll fulfill the mission statement in the executive summary.

Customer and Market Analysis

Next, you’ll need to expand on the summary market analysis that you put into the executive summary.

Here, you should include:

• An explanation of the issues that made you decide to start a nonprofit
• Details about the number of people affected, who they are, where they live and how your organization will reach them

In this section of your nonprofit business plan, facts are the most important thing. Make sure to be meticulous in your research and include as much relevant information as possible.

Marketing Plan

No nonprofit organization can survive without a marketing plan to help it reach its target audience – which includes both the audience you serve and your potential donors. You should include the four Ps: product, price, place and promotion.

Here’s what to include in each:

• Product : Every item, service or program you plan to provide
• Price : The cost of the products you sell and the services you provide
• Place : Your planned physical location as well as information about your web presence and any distribution channels you plan to use
• Promotion : Explain how you’ll get people to use your services and/or make donations to your cause

It’s also a good idea to include a section on customer and donor retention, since many nonprofits rely on repeat donations to stay afloat.

Operations Plan

In this section of your nonprofit business plan, you’ll explain the specifics of how you plan to meet the goals that you specified in the Products, Programs and Services section.

• Short-term processes , which are the day-to-day tasks that will allow you to run your nonprofit organization.
• Long-term processes , which are the methods you plan to use to meet your growth goals. These may include plans for expanding your services or opening new locations.

Think of the operation plan as the nuts and bolts of your organization. It’s where you’ll demonstrate you have a vision for the future of your organization and a plan to get there.

Management Team/Organizational Structure

It’s important to have an experienced team to run a nonprofit. In this section, you’ll identify your primary team and board members, including details about their work backgrounds and relevant expertise. You may also choose to include your advisory board members, if you have them.

You should draw an organizational chart that shows:

• Levels of management
• Chains of commands
• Financial sponsors
• Other key players not mentioned here
• Current and future staffing needs

This section allows you to highlight the team you’ve assembled. Your focus should be on demonstrating why this is the right team to help you reach your organizational goals.

Financial Plan

Your financial plan is where you’ll identify the different sources of funding you plan to use. You should include any outstanding loans and debts.

You should also:

• Summarize your past and future cash flow statements.
• Summarize your past and future balance sheets and income statements.
• Describe your fundraising plans.
• Identify gaps in your funding.
• Articulate your plans for distributing excess funds.
• Disclose salaries of key employees.

Transparency is essential for any nonprofit. Make sure that this section includes a full disclosure of your finances as they are now.

The final section of your nonprofit business plan is the appendix. This is where you’ll attach any supporting documentation. At a minimum, it should include your most current annual report, a copy of your strategic plan, full financial projections and promotional materials.

Writing a nonprofit business plan takes time. The key is to include the sections we’ve outlined here. As long as you use clear language and focus on transparency, you should end up with a business plan that will help you achieve your organizational goals.

To learn how Addition Financial’s checking accounts for nonprofits can help your organization, please click here now .

Posted on Mar 29, 2019

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3 Sample Nonprofit Business Plans For Inspiration

Download our Ultimate Nonprofit Business Plan Template here

Below are sample plans to help guide you in writing a nonprofit business plan.

• Example #1 – Kids Are Our First Priority (KAOFP) – a Nonprofit Youth Organization based in Chicago, IL
• Example #2 – Church of the Sacred Heart – a Nonprofit Church based in St. Louis, MO
• Example #3 – Finally Home – a Nonprofit Homeless Shelter in Los Angeles, CA

Sample Nonprofit Business Plan #1 – Kids Are Our First Priority (KAOFP) – a Nonprofit Youth Organization based in Chicago, IL

Executive summary.

Kids Are Our First Priority (KAOFP) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit youth organization that seeks to provide opportunities for students who might otherwise not have access to the arts and humanities. We believe all students should have the opportunity to discover and develop their interests and talents, regardless of socioeconomic status or geographic location. We offer completely free after-school programming in music production, digital photography, creative writing, and leadership development to 12-18-year-olds at risk of dropping out of high school.

Our organization has been active for over five years and has run highly successful programs at two schools in the city of Chicago. We have been awarded an active grant from a local foundation for this coming year, but we will need to cover all costs on our own after that point. Nonprofit administrators have seen a lot of turnovers, leaving the organization without a sustainable plan for reaching its goals.

Organization Overview

The Kids Are Our First Priority (KAOFP) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit youth organization with a mission to provide opportunities for development and self-expression to students who might otherwise not have access. Audiences include at-risk, low-income students from elementary through high school in the Chicago area.

Our programs are built around creative learning with two goals: firstly, creating a space for learning and growth; secondly, encouraging students to share their work with the world.

KAOFP runs three different programs in partnership with closely related nonprofit organizations, providing after-school programming for elementary, middle, and high school-aged children. Programs take place twice a week at different schools around Chicago. While each program is unique in its goals and activities, all programs focus on creative development in the arts and humanities.

Products, Programs, and Services

The three programs offered by KAOFP are Leadership Development (LD), Creative Writing (CW), and Music Production (MP). Students learn in small groups led by skilled instructors. All activities are designed to encourage student engagement, creativity, expression, and community building. Instructors encourage students to share their work with the world through presentations on- and off-site.

Leadership Development (LD)

The Leadership Development program is designed to provide leadership opportunities for high school students who might not otherwise have access to these experiences. Students learn about facilitation, collaboration, communication, and organizational skills as they plan and run projects of their own design. The program’s goal is to provide a structured environment that encourages students to become more confident and comfortable being leaders in their schools, communities, and future careers.

Creative Writing (CW)

Students learn how to use writing creatively as a tool for expression, discovery, and communication. In small groups led by skilled instructors, students write poetry, short stories, and essays of their own design. They also learn about the publishing industry, read each others’ work, and share their writing with the community.

Music Production (MP)

Students learn how to use digital media as a tool for expression, discovery, and communication. In weekly sessions led by skilled instructors, students explore music production through computer software and recording equipment. Students produce their own music and write about their experiences in weekly journals. Industry professionals in the community often volunteer to lead special workshops and seminars.

Industry Analysis

The youth arts and humanities field is extremely competitive. There are many different types of nonprofit organizations doing similar work, but few credible providers with long-term commitments to their communities. KAOFP’s greatest strengths and competitive advantages are our stable and qualified staff, a strong foundation of funding and community support, and a diverse set of programs.

Our biggest competitors include national non-profits with large budgets for advertising and marketing as well as commercial programs that offer music lessons and creative writing courses which may be more cost-effective than our programs. We feel that by focusing on specific areas of creative expression, KAOFP can better serve its communities and differentiate itself from other nonprofit organizations effectively.

Customer Analysis

KAOFP serves elementary, middle, and high school-aged students with programs that include both after-school and summer programming.

Our focus is on low-income neighborhoods with a high population of at-risk youth. In these areas, KAOFP fills a void in the education system by providing opportunities for creative expression and leadership development to students who would not otherwise have access to these resources.

The demographics of our current students are as follows:

• 91% African-American/Black
• 6% Hispanic/Latino
• 5% Multiracial
• 3.9% Low Income
• 4.9% Not Identified

Our main target is low-income African American and Latino youth in Chicago Public Schools. We would like to expand our outreach to include other communities in need of creative enrichment opportunities.

Marketing Plan

KAOFP’s marketing program is designed to support student, parent, and staff recruitment by promoting the organization’s goals and programs. Our main target audience consists of parents seeking after-school enrichment opportunities for their children that emphasize creativity and the arts.

To reach this audience, we advertise in public schools as well as on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. We intend to begin marketing online through a company-sponsored blog, which will feature regular updates about KAOFP events and activities. We also intend to use word of mouth as a form of marketing.

Strategic partnerships with local schools and community centers will provide us with additional exposure as well as additional resources to secure funding.  

Operations Plan

KAOFP’s day-to-day operation is structured around its programs on Tuesdays from 4 pm to 8 pm.

Administrative offices are located in the same space as each program, allowing instructors to closely monitor their students and provide support as needed. The administrative offices serve the essential function of fundraising, communications, record-keeping, and volunteer coordination. KAOFP’s Board of Directors meets bi-monthly to provide further leadership, guidance, and oversight to our board members and volunteers.

Customer service is conducted by phone and email during our regular business hours of Monday – Friday 9 am to 12 pm.  We are not open on weekends or holidays.

Management Team

KAOFP’s organizational structure includes a Board of Directors, an Executive Director, and Program Directors. The Board of Directors provides guidance and oversight to the organization, while the Executive Director manages day-to-day operations. The Program Directors oversee each of KAOFP’s programs.

KAOFP has a small but dedicated staff that is committed to our students and our mission. Our team has a wide range of experience in the arts, education, and nonprofit sector.

Executive Director

The Executive Director is responsible for the overall management of KAOFP. This includes supervising staff, developing and implementing programs, overseeing finances, and representing the organization to the public.

Our Executive Director, Susie Brown, has been with KAOFP since its inception in 2010. She has a B.A. in Fine Arts from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Columbia College Chicago. Susie is responsible for the overall management of KAOFP, including supervising staff, developing and implementing programs, overseeing finances, and representing the organization to the public.

Program Directors

Each of KAOFP’s programs is overseen by a Program Director. The Program Directors are responsible for developing and implementing the program curricula, recruiting and training program instructors, and evaluating student progress.

Art Program Director

The Art Program Director, Rachel Smith, has a B.A. in Fine Arts from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is responsible for developing and implementing the program curricula, recruiting and training program instructors, and evaluating student progress.

Music Program Director

The Music Program Director, John Jones, has a B.A. in Music Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is responsible for developing and implementing the program curricula, recruiting and training program instructors, and evaluating student progress.

Theatre Program Director

The Theatre Program Director, Jane Doe, has a B.A. in Theatre Arts from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is responsible for developing and implementing the program curricula, recruiting and training program instructors, and evaluating student progress.

Board of Directors

KAOFP’s Board of Directors provides guidance and oversight to the organization. The Board consists of community leaders, educators, artists, and parents. Board members serve three-year terms and can be renewed for one additional term.

Financial Plan

KAOFP’s annual operating budget is approximately $60,000 per year, with an additional one-time cost of about $10,000 for the purchase of equipment and materials. The agency makes very efficient use of its resources by maintaining low overhead costs. Our biggest expense is instructor salaries, which are approximately 75% of total expenses.

Pro Forma Income Statement

Pro forma balance sheet, pro forma cash flow statement, nonprofit business plan example #2 – church of the sacred heart – a nonprofit church based in st. louis, mo.

The Church of Sacred Heart is a nonprofit organization located in St. Louis, Missouri that provides educational opportunities for low-income families. We provide the best quality of education for young children with tuition rates significantly lower than public schools. It has been voted Best Catholic Elementary School by the St Louis Post Dispatch for four years running, and it has maintained consistently high ratings of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews since its opening in 1914.

The Church of Sacred Heart strives to build strong relationships with our community by making an impact locally but not forgetting that we operate on global principles. As such, our school commits 10% of its profits to charitable organizations throughout the world every year, while also conducting fundraisers throughout the year to keep tuition rates affordable.

We are currently transitioning from a safe, high-quality learning environment to an even more attractive facility with state-of-the-art technology and modern materials that will appeal to young students and their families. New facilities, such as additional classrooms and teachers’ lounges would allow us not only to accommodate new students but also attract current families by having more places within the school where they can spend time between classes.

By taking full advantage of available opportunities to invest in our teachers, students, and facilities, we will be able to achieve steady revenue growth at 4% per year until 20XX.

The Church of Sacred Heart provides a safe learning environment with an emphasis on strong academics and a nurturing environment that meets the needs of its young students and their families. Investing in new facilities will allow us to provide even better care for our children as we continue to grow as a school.

Mission Statement: “We will strive diligently to create a safe, respectful environment where students are encouraged and inspired to learn through faith.”

Vision Statement: “Sacred Heart believes education gives every child the opportunity to achieve their full potential.”

The Church of the Sacred Heart was built in 1914 and is located in the Old North St. Louis neighborhood, an area with a high concentration of poverty, crime, unemployment, and abandoned buildings.

The church houses the only Catholic school for low-income families in the north city; together they formed Sacred Heart’s educational center (SCE). SCE has strived to provide academic excellence to children from low-income families by providing a small, nurturing environment as well as high academic standards.

The facility is in need of renovations and new equipment to continue its mission.

The Church of the Sacred Heart is a small nonprofit organization that provides a variety of educational and community services.

The services provided by Sacred Heart represent a $5 billion industry, with nonprofit organizations accounting for $258.8 billion of that total.

The health care and social assistance sector is the largest among nonprofits, representing 32 percent of revenues, followed by educational services (18 percent), and human and other social service providers (16 percent).

The key customers for the Church of the Sacred Heart are families in need of affordable education. The number of students in the school has increased from 500 when it opened in 1914 to 1,100 at its peak during 20XX-20XX but has since declined due to various reasons.

The children at Sacred Heart are from low-income families and 91 percent qualify for free or reduced lunches. Most parents work or have a family member who works full-time, while others don’t work due to child care restraints. The number of children enrolled in Sacred Heart is stable at 1,075 students because there is a lack of affordable alternatives to Catholic education in the area.

SCE offers K-5th grade students a unique learning experience in small groups with individualized instruction.

Sacred Heart has an established brand and is well known for its high standards of academic excellence, which include a 100 percent graduation rate.

Sacred Heart attracts prospective students through promotional materials such as weekly bulletins, mailers to homes that are located in the area served, and local churches.

Parents and guardians of children enrolled in Sacred Heart are mainly referrals from current families, word-of-mouth, and parishioners who learn about the school by attending Mass at Sacred Heart.

The Church of Sacred Heart does not currently advertise; however, it is one of the few Catholic schools that serve low-income families in St. Louis, MO, and therefore uses word of mouth to attract new students to its school.

The Church of Sacred Heart has an established brand awareness within the target audience despite not having direct marketing plans or materials.

The operations section for the Church of the Sacred Heart consists of expanding its after-school program as well as revamping its facility to meet the growing demand for affordable educational services.

Sacred Heart is located in an area where more than one-third of children live below the poverty line, which helps Sacred Heart stand out among other schools that are more upscale. Expansion into after-school programs will allow it to capture a larger market share by providing additional services to its target audience.

In order to expand, Sacred Heart will have to hire additional personnel as well as invest in new equipment and supplies for both the school and the after-school program.

The Church of Sacred Heart’s financial plan includes a fundraising plan that would help renovate the building as well as acquire new equipment and supplies for the school.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Catholic elementary schools across all grade levels spend an average of $6,910 per pupil on operating expenses. A fundraising initiative would help Sacred Heart acquire additional revenue while expanding its services to low-income families in St Louis, MO.

Financial Overview

The Church of the Sacred Heart expects to generate revenues of about $1.2 million in fiscal year 20XX, representing a growth rate of 2 percent from its 20XX revenue level. For 20XX, the church expects revenues to decrease by 4 percent due to a decline in enrollment and the lack of new students. The Church of Sacred Heart has experienced steady revenue growth since its opening in 1914.

• Revenue stream 1: Tuition – 22%
• Revenue stream 2: Investment income – 1%

Despite being located in a poverty-stricken area, the Church of Sacred Heart has a stable revenue growth at 4 percent per year. Therefore, Sacred Heart should be able to attain its 20XX revenue goal of $1.2 million by investing in new facilities and increasing tuition fees for students enrolled in its after-school program.

Income Statement f or the fiscal year ending December 31, 20XX

Revenue: $1.2 million

Total Expenses: $910,000

Net Income Before Taxes: $302,000

Statement of Financial Position as of December 31, 20XX 

Cash and Cash Equivalents: $25,000

Receivables: $335,000

Property and Equipment: $1.2 million

Intangible Assets: $0

Total Assets: $1.5 million

Balance Statement

The board of directors has approved the 20XX fiscal year budget for Sacred Heart Catholic Church, which is estimated at $1.3 million in revenues and $920,000 in expenditures.

Cash Flow Statement f or the Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 20XX

Operating Activities: Income Before Taxes -$302,000

Investing Activities: New equipment and supplies -$100,000

Financing Activities: Fundraising campaign $200,000

Net Change in Cash: $25,000

According to the 20XX fiscal year financial statements for Sacred Heart Catholic Church, it expects its investments to decrease by 4 percent and expects to generate $1.3 million in revenues. Its total assets are valued at $1.5 million, which consists of equipment and property worth approximately 1.2 million dollars.

The Church of Sacred Heart’s financial statements demonstrate its long-term potential for strong revenue growth due to its steady market share held with low-income families in St. Louis, MO.

Nonprofit Business Plan Example #3 – Finally Home – a Nonprofit Homeless Shelter in Los Angeles, CA

Finally Home is a nonprofit organization that aims to provide low-income single-parent families with affordable housing. The management team has a strong background in the social service industry and deep ties in the communities they plan to serve. In addition, Finally Home’s CEO has a background in real estate development, which will help the organization as they begin developing its operations.

Finally Home’s mission is to reinvent affordable housing for low-income single-parent families and make it more sustainable and accessible. They will accomplish this by buying homes from families and renting them out at an affordable price. Finally Home expects its model of affordable housing to become more sustainable and accessible than any other model currently available on the market today. Finally Home’s competitive advantage over similar organizations is that it will purchase land and buildings from which to build affordable housing. This gives them a greater amount of ownership over their communities and the properties in which the homes are located, as well as freedom when financing these projects.

Finally Home plans on accomplishing this by buying real estate in areas with high concentrations of low-income families who are ready to become homeowners. These homes will be used as affordable housing units until they are purchased by Finally Home’s target demographic, at which point the organizations will begin renting them out at a base rate of 30% of the family’s monthly household income.

Finally Home plans on financing its operations through both private donations and contributions from foundations, corporations, and government organizations.

Finally Home’s management team has strong backgrounds in the social service industry, with deep ties to families that will be prepared to take advantage of Finally Home’s affordable housing opportunities. The CEO of Finally Home also brings extensive real estate development experience to the organization, an asset that will be especially helpful as Finally Home begins its operations.

Finally Home is a nonprofit organization, incorporated in the State of California, whose mission is to help homeless families by providing them with housing and support services. The centerpiece of our program, which will be replicated nationwide if successful, is an apartment complex that offers supportive living for single parents and their children.

The apartments are fully furnished, and all utilities are paid.

All the single parents have jobs, but they don’t earn enough to pay market-rate rent while still paying for other necessities such as food and transportation.

The organization was founded in 20XX by Henry Cisneros, a former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development who served under President Bill Clinton. Cisneros is the chairman of Finally Home’s board of directors, which includes leaders with experience in banking, nonprofit management, and housing professions.

The core values are family unity, compassion for the poor, and respect for our clients. They are the values that guide our employees and volunteers at Finally Home from start to finish.

According to the United States Conference of Mayors’ Task Force on Hunger and Homelessness 20XX Report, “Hunger & Homelessness Survey: A Status Report on Hunger & Homelessness in America’s Cities,” almost half (48%) of all homeless people are members of families with children. Of this number, over one quarter (26%) are under the age of 18.

In 20XX, there were 9.5 million poor adults living in poverty in a family with children and no spouse present. The majority of these families (63%) have only one earner, while 44% have zero earners because the person is not old enough or does not work for other reasons.

The total number of people in poverty in 20XX was 46.5 million, the largest number since Census began publishing these statistics 52 years ago.

Finally Home’s goal is to help single parents escape this cycle of poverty through providing affordable housing and case management services to support them long term.

Unique Market Position

Finally Home creates unique value for its potential customers by creating housing where it does not yet exist.

By helping single parents escape poverty and become self-sufficient, Finally Home will drive demand among low-income families nationwide who are experiencing homelessness. The high level of need among this demographic is significant nationwide. However, there are no other organizations with the same market position as Finally Home.

Finally Home’s target customers are low-income families who are experiencing homelessness in the Los Angeles area. The organization will actively seek out these families through national networks of other social service providers to whom they refer their clients regularly.

Finally Home expects to have a waiting list of families that are interested in the program before they even open their doors.

This customer analysis is based on the assumption that these particular demographic groups are already active users of other social service programs, so referrals will be natural and easy for Finally Home.

Industry Capacity

This information is based on the assumption that these particular demographic groups are already active users of other social service programs, so referrals will be natural and easy for Finally Home.

There is a growing demand for low-income single-parent housing nationwide, yet there is no one organization currently providing these services on a national level like Finally Home.

Thus, Finally Home has a competitive advantage and market niche here because it will be the only nonprofit organization of its kind in the country.

Finally Home’s marketing strategies will focus on attracting potential customers through national networks of other social service providers. They will advertise to their referral sources using materials developed by the organization.  Finally Home will also advertise its services online, targeting low-income families using Google AdWords.

Finally Home will be reinventing affordable housing to make it more accessible and sustainable for low-income single parents. In this new model, Finally Home will own the land and buildings on which its housing units are built, as well as the properties in which they are located.

When a family is ready to move into an affordable housing unit, Finally Home will buy the home they currently live in. This way, families can take advantage of homeownership services like property tax assistance and financial literacy courses that help them manage their newfound wealth.

Finally Home has already partnered with local real estate agents to identify properties for purchase. The organization expects this to result in homes that are at least 30% cheaper than market value.

Finally Home will finance its operational plan through the use of private contributions and donations from public and private foundations, as well as corporate sponsorships.

Finally Home’s management team consists of:

• Veronica Jones, CEO, and Founder
• Mark MacDonald, COO
• Scott Bader, CFO

Management Summary

The management team has a strong history of social service advocacy and deep ties in the communities they plan to serve. In addition, the organization’s CEO has a background in real estate development that will be helpful as Finally Home begins operations.

• Year 1: Operation startup costs to launch first five houses ($621,865)
• Year 2: Deliver on market offer and complete first capital raise ($4,753,000)
• Year 3: Deliver on market offer and complete $5 million capital raise ($7,950,000)
• Year 4+: Continue to grow market share with a national network of social services providers ($15,350,000).

This nonprofit business plan will serve as an effective road map for Finally Home in its efforts to create a new model for affordable housing.

Nonprofit Business Plan Example PDF

Download our non-profit business plan pdf here. This is a free nonprofit business plan example to help you get started on your own nonprofit plan.

How to Finish Your Nonprofit Business Plan in 1 Day!

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your nonprofit business plan?

With Growthink’s Ultimate Nonprofit Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

Other Helpful Nonprofit Business Planning Articles

• Non-Profit Business Plan
• How to Write a Nonprofit Business Plan
• 10 Tips to Make Your Nonprofit’s Business Plan Stand Out
• How to Write a Mission Statement for Your Nonprofit Organization
• Strategic Planning for a Nonprofit Organization
• How to Write a Marketing Plan for Your Nonprofit Business
• 4 Top Funding Sources for a Nonprofit Organization
• What is a Nonprofit Organization?
• 20 Nonprofit Organization Ideas For Your Community

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• Tools & Best Practices

Starting a Nonprofit & Fiscal Sponsorship

Countless community and global needs have been met by nonprofits. And undoubtedly, new solutions will inspire others to consider this path. Yet critical to success is knowing that not every idea or initiative lends itself to starting a new nonprofit organization . In fact, some ideas are best implemented through alternative methods. Bottom line: pursuing the "right" course requires research, communication, and planning. Please read on.

• Is your idea best suited as a nonprofit or business/for-profit? (Learn about a new for-profit type: social purpose corporation .)
• What other organizations in your community – and beyond – are focused on your interests, and is there an opportunity to work through them (e.g., fiscal sponsorship) or partner in other ways?
• The legal steps to forming a nonprofit
• Nonprofit management obligations
• A checklist for starting a nonprofit
• Online resources and more

Business Planning

Perhaps most important to a group’s potential for success is part four of the Starting a Nonprofit Organization guide. It outlines the steps to developing a business plan. A basic template for creating one – including a staffing plan and budget – can be found at the end of the guide.

The importance of a business plan cannot be overstated . While a nonprofit organization is different in many ways from a business or for-profit from an operations perspective, there are many similarities. In fact, when you think of starting and running a nonprofit, imagine that you are about to start a small business and what that entails. Then add to it nonprofit-specific government requirements.

Ultimately, a well-developed business plan lets you assess if you are ready to start a new organization (e.g., able to meet "staffing" needs) and how sustainable it may be (e.g., you identified research-supported funding streams). It also:

• Becomes an introductory document to share with community leaders and potential board members, staff, donors, and other partners in the venture
• Gives future board, staff, and volunteers of the organization a road map for building a successful organization
• Helps you respond to questions from the state, the IRS, and other government agencies

Legal Support

Getting legal or other professional help when starting a new organization is one way to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements. One organization to note is Communities Rise (formerly Washington Attorneys Assisting Community Organizations). Communities Rise provides pro bono legal assistance to nonprofits so groups can focus on their work in the community with less concern about legal issues. Help with forming a nonprofit is a service Communities Rise and others offer.

Yet here again, having a business plan is an important step. For example, one of Communities Rise’s eligibility requirements for a start-up organization is that it demonstrate that it has such a plan.

Consulting Services & Training

501 Commons and Communities Rise are not the only options for help with starting a new nonprofit. A number of highly skilled consultants are also knowledgeable in this and other areas. Some have experience with particular nonprofit subsectors, like arts and cultural organizations, while others have worked with groups serving diverse communities or specific populations. To find service providers who have been vetted and evaluated by 501 Commons, visit the Nonprofit Resource Directory .

Also, every month and around the Pacific Northwest, there are numerous learning and networking opportunities for current and aspiring nonprofit professionals and volunteers. Take advantage of great trainings offered by service providers in the Resource Directory as well as those put on by 501 Commons . Some events cost a fee, while others are free!

Fiscal Sponsorship & Other Ways to Serve Your Mission

As noted earlier, there may be ways for community-benefiting ideas to become reality other than starting a new organization. The American Bar Association outlines some alternatives to forming a charitable nonprofit . One of these options is fiscal sponsorship (FS).

What is a fiscal sponsorship? According to nonprofit attorney Ellis Carter of Caritas Law Group :

"The term 'fiscal sponsorship' refers to an arrangement by which an established public charity (referred to as the 'Fiscal Sponsor') facilitates fundraising for a charitable project (the 'Sponsored Project') by, among other things, allowing the Sponsored Project to solicit tax-deductible contributions from individuals or grants from private foundations that the Sponsored Project is not itself eligible to receive directly."

We also recommend the following to learn more about fiscal sponsorship, access agreement templates, and research potential fiscal sponsors:

Fiscal Sponsorship Summary

Sample fiscal sponsorship agreement (direct project model), sample fiscal sponsorship agreement (re-grant model).

• Guide to Fiscal Sponsorship
• Fiscal Sponsor Directory
• National Network of Fiscal Sponsors

Starting a Nonprofit Resources

Remember: starting a new nonprofit organization begins as a question, not a conclusion. Take time to read what is involved in running a nonprofit and talk with others who are already in the sector – especially those working on the issue(s) in which you are interested – before jumping in! The following documents will help you reach an informed decision.

• Starting a Nonprofit Organization guide by 501 Commons (includes a customizable business plan template)
• The Nonprofit Association of Washington's Starting a Nonprofit toolkit
• For information on applying to the IRS for 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) status, including sample forms, policies, and agreements, visit Bolder Advocacy - Establishing Your Organization
• The National Council of Nonprofits website provides diverse resources with easily searchable categories
• The Balance discusses How Much Does It Cost to Start a Nonprofit Organization?
• GrantSpace offers a free online course,  Establishing a Nonprofit , which outlines the 12 tasks you need to accomplish to start a nonprofit organization.

Other printed materials we like include:

• The Nonprofit Handbook by Gary M. Grobman
• Starting and Building a Nonprofit: A Practical Guide by Peri H. Pakaroo
• How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation by Anthony Mancuso
• What Does Tax Exempt Mean? by Tricia Delles, CPA

Applying for 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Status

If you want to file for federal tax-exempt status , visit  Tax Information for Charities & Other Non-Profits or contact the IRS at 1-877-829-5500. Ask about the following free items:

• SS-4 - Employer Identification Number
• Form 1023 - Application for Recognition of Tax-Exemption (i.e., 501(c)(3) status)
• Publication 557 - Tax-Exempt Status for Your Organization

Note: When you file the Form 1023 or other IRS tax-exemption application form, you will need to pay the IRS a filing fee .

You may also need to file an annual information return (Form 990) with the IRS sooner than you think. According to the IRS's website, "An organization should file a Form 990-series return if it claims exempt status but hasn’t applied for it, or if it has applied but not yet received an IRS letter recognizing tax-exempt status.

"For recognition of exemption from the date of formation, organizations requesting recognition generally must apply within 27 months after legal formation of the organization. Organizations apply for exemption by filing Forms 1023 , 1023-EZ , 1024 or 1024-A ." Learn more about this IRS filing responsibility, including when to submit your information return and which type to submit, at an IRS page titled " Many tax-exempt organizations must file annual returns in May ."

Finally, to help the application process go smoothly, read the IRS'  top ten tips to shorten the tax-exempt application review process .

Social Purpose Corporation

A social purpose corporation (SPC) is a type of for-profit corporation in Washington State and some other US states. For would-be organizations, this style of corporation may be preferred over a nonprofit one. Think of a social purpose corporation as a hybrid between a traditional for-profit company and a nonprofit. Directors of a for-profit corporation have a duty to act in the best interest of the corporation. This duty has been interpreted as a responsibility to maximize the financial returns for shareholders. Conversely, nonprofit organizations seek out charitable and social purposes, and they are legally prohibited from distributing profits to members, officers, and others.

Social purpose corporations, on the other hand, can pursue both social and financial goals in the for-profit context. A state-registered SPC operates its business “in a manner intended to promote positive short-term or long-term effects of, or minimize adverse short-term or long-term effects of, the corporation’s activities upon any or all of (1) the corporation’s employees, suppliers or customers; (2) the local, state, national or world community; or (3) the environment.” But, it is not be eligible for federal 501(c)(3) status. Consider the comparisons in the table and downloadable chart below when deciding which organizational type best suits your situation:

For a more detailed comparison between a traditional business corporation, social purpose corporation, and nonprofit corporation (i.e., 501(c)(3)), see this Business Entity Comparison Chart from Apex Law Group, LLP.

Social Purpose Corporation vs. Benefit Corporation vs. B Corporation

A social purpose corporation is not the same as a benefit corporation , which is the “formalized legal entity” in some other US states. Note: Washington State SPCs have less stringent requirements than benefit corporations elsewhere. For example, “SPCs are not obligated to consider social purposes in their decision-making – rather, they ‘may’ do so.” These two designations are different still than a  B Corporation , which is a third-party certified company but not a legal entity (like a SPC or benefit corporation). Read more about these corporations on the UpCounsel website .

Researched content contributed – in part – by: Yoshihiro Fumoto, 501 Commons intern

Business Entity Comparison Chart

Fiscal Sponsorship Infographic

Starting a Nonprofit Organization - 2017

What does tax exempt mean.

Why You Need A Nonprofit Business Plan

How to write a nonprofit business plan: lesson 1.

When starting a nonprofit , most people already have an idea of what they want to do. They probably know they want to help the hungry, take care of abandoned animals, or help kids with literacy skills. The passion you feel about a cause can drive you to do great things. By definition, nonprofits are mission-driven.

However, it is important to take care of the business side of things so your nonprofit can not only survive, but thrive. Even though you are not in it for the money, if your nonprofit doesn’t have a working business model, you won’t be able to effectively execute your mission. A nonprofit business plan will help you think about your nonprofit as a system so you can solve the problems you are compelled to change. Without a plan, you might have passion, some resources, and even a strong volunteer base to help you out. But you won’t be able to create the change you want to see with the most success possible.

Sections Of The Nonprofit Business Plan

Addressing each section of a nonprofit business plan will help guarantee you have covered all elements of your nonprofit’s business model . Depending on the nature of your nonprofit, some sections will be extremely detailed, while others won’t be as thorough. The following are general sections that can be applied to most nonprofit business plans.

Executive Summary

Although this section is the first in the nonprofit business plan, it is actually written last. It serves as an overview of the entire plan. Like the name says, it is a summary of what is written later in the plan. Think of the executive summary as your 30,000-foot view of the organization.

Nonprofit Description

This section is more than a one-sentence description of your nonprofit. Here you will give details about how and why you started the organization, where it is located, how you define your impact, etc. Whereas the executive summary is the overview of your nonprofit business plan, the nonprofit description is an overview of your nonprofit.

Needs Assessment

Here, you identify the cause or pain that is your focus. You should have data to support your assumptions about the existence of an actual problem. You will also need to know who else is involved with this cause. Other nonprofits may or may not already be trying to do the same thing you are setting out to do.

Product/Service

When detailing your products and services, it can seem like you are teetering on the edge of becoming a for-profit business. However, it is extremely important to understand what you are trying to accomplish. For example, if homelessness in your city is the need you would like to address, there are many ways to fight this problem. This is where you define how you will address it. It is where you show that you have an actual solution.

Marketing Strategy

If you build it, they may or may not come. If no one knows what your nonprofit does, your efforts may be for nothing. In this piece of the nonprofit business plan, you will give details about how you will raise money, attract new donors, get the word out about your cause, etc.

Management Team Or Board

For many nonprofits, this is one person: you. However, you can accomplish more if you have help. This section details not only who is part of the team, but why they are part of the team. It gives details about their experience as it relates to the nonprofit’s cause. Additionally, you will want to select board members who share your passion, but also bring different strengths to the table. Although they will not be working in the day-to-day operations of the nonprofit, board members will provide other invaluable skills and resources your nonprofit needs.

Human Resource Needs

Whether you will have paid employees, volunteers, or both, you will need a plan for them. In this area, you will identify the nonprofit’s human resource needs, and create a strategy to meet those requirements.

Every nonprofit needs to make money to survive. The financials section of the nonprofit business plan will help you see how much money and income the nonprofit should have in the future, as well as identify assumptions for achieving financial goals. Let’s face it: changing the world isn’t always free.

When creating your business plan, it’s good to have a set of resources in your back pocket. Bplans can be your one-stop shop for everything you need to start planning and growing your nonprofit. You’ll find complete guides on how to plan, fund, start, and grow your business. Also, another interesting and useful resource is this short video on the Khan Academy Founder’s story, “From Hobby to Organization.” It describes the early stages of his nonprofit when it was simply a hobby, and how he made the leap to creating it into an organization. Then you can hop over to The Bridgesplan Groups business-planning model to find out why all of this is so important.

Moving Forward

The next lesson in our course will cover the nonprofit description portion of your business plan. When writing this section, you’ll want to make sure you hit specific topics, so let’s take a look.

Eric Nasalroad

Eric Nasalroad is the Chief Operating Officer at Aplos and has a passion for helping people start and grow nonprofits. Specializing in entrepreneurship, he has written a textbook on the topic and also serves as a professor at the prestigious Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Fresno State. In addition to starting a variety of businesses of his own, he has helped hundreds of individuals launch their own nonprofits and businesses.

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Dear Mr.NalasalRoad, I am trying to establish a non for profit organization in Africa, Liberia, focusing on various issues that are affecting our community, but first drugs abuse among our young people. Can you help?

Hi there, We’d recommend contacting Foundation Group about this. They are a great company that helps new nonprofits get up and running. You can see more about them at http://www.501c3.org .

Greetings from Burundi I need to start a Christian non profit charity to assist with foods, cloths at hospital and prisoners, street children , orphans and widows in churches. Kindly assist me with start up steps

Unfortunately, we’re not familiar with the steps to setting this up in the country of Burundi. However, it is typical for a nonprofit entity to be established with your country’s government first. In most countries, what you’re looking to establish is called an NGO (non-governmental organization). You might want to try searching your government’s website to learn how to form an NGO.

We hope this helps!

thank u ! your lessons are very helpful and educational

You’re welcome! Glad we could help.

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How nonprofits can benefit from strategic planning.

Strategic planning is essential if nonprofits are to achieve desired results and identify goals. Programs within a nonprofit can then use these goals to create individualized action plans that help serve the needs of the program while focusing on the global mission and vision of the organization. Having a strategic plan can help increase an organization’s focus to move the mission and vision forward while also helping the nonprofit to evaluate its progress, strengths and needs. Programs can evaluate areas they need to improve, ways they want to enhance the services they currently provide or discover areas where services can be added.

Strategic plan = blueprint for the future

An organization’s strategic plan acts as a blueprint, a plan and a focus of what direction the agency will move. “It generates an explicit understanding of an organization’s mission, strategy and organizational values among staff, board members and external constituencies,” according to Michael Allison and Jude Kaye , authors of “Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations.”

Program staff involvement is essential

Whether it is a new organization in its infant stages, an organization trying to rebuild or one that is thriving, planning is important and necessary to keep all staff focused on the future. Allowing all levels of staff to be a part of the strategic planning process creates clarity and buy-in. When a staff member is asked to help their agency meet goals with no explanation of those goals, they will not know how to effectively contribute. It is important to share with program staff what role they play toward the organization’s sustainability, therefore creating ownership and buy-in among programs. 

Strategic planning's eight objectives:

There are eight broad objectives that Bloomerang details for the strategic planning process:

• Scope of programs and services – information that comes from the mission statement
• Priorities for types of programs and services – listed in order from the board and leadership as the priority programs and services that tie back in to your overarching strategic plan
• Priorities for target populations – goals that change every three years or change as new ones arise
• Locations and facilities – capital planning, renovation, accessibility, new systems, maintenance and whatever else may be needed to serve clients
• Community planning and organization – working with outside stakeholders to meet the community's needs
• Advocacy and public policy – commitment to service the intended population while seeking a broader solution to the problem and engaging policy makers
• Branding/marketing communication – how to reach the targeted audience that informs, engages, involves and motivates philanthropic support
• Resource development – diversified sources of support for current and future programs through increasing annual operating income

Identifying specific, key objectives helps an organization fulfill its mission, boosts its appeal on social media and other means to generate financial support, and looks at what is needed to make the plan viable. Developing a clear plan around objectives such as these can help an organization stay focused on the present while still looking ahead. 

One-page plans

The concept of the One Page Business Plan was first introduced in 1994 by Jim Horan. He discovered that busy entrepreneurs as well as nonprofit CEOs needed a tool that could help them manage their goals in a quick yet well-written way. Christian Family Care (CFC) uses One Page Plans to help capture their annual goals and assist each department leader develop their program goals. Then the tool is used to help supervisors within each department develop their goals. This cascading of goals helps keep all parties focused on the program needs as well as the global needs of the agency. One Page Plans should generally be read in about five minutes or less. He focuses on five areas: Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies and Action Plans. 

Focus on the goals

Strategic planning can benefit nonprofits in many ways, acting as a guide and tool to help nonprofits focus on the goals they hope to accomplish in the coming year and providing a tool for presentations to the board and funders to clearly share the intention and focus of the nonprofit for the year. It also serves as a means of accountability to the board from its CEO, from the department directors to the CEO and from the supervisors to the directors. A strategic plan should be well thought-out and include all individuals who will be required to meet the goals and be a part of the team that decides the strategies and action plan for said goals. In conclusion, a strategic plan is most valuable when all who participate agree on its value and hold it in a position of importance.

Nicole Salusky is a graduate of the  Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Management  program at  Arizona State University . Salusky is currently working at Christian Family Care as a Foster Care Program Manager. She has been in the nonprofit sector since 1999. She pursued her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Ottawa University and has completed her master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership and Management with ASU. Her passion is to serve people and find innovative ways to enhance programs within nonprofit agencies.

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The experts at the ASU Lodestar Center are ready to assist. We'll provide organization facilitation, training, individualized consultation and leadership development throughout a comprehensive strategic planning process . Get in touch today.

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Start » strategy, nonprofit vs. not-for-profit vs. for-profit: what's the difference.

These terms have different implications for your taxes, corporate governance and business activities. 

When you’re starting a business, it’s likely you’ll hear the phrases “nonprofit” and “not-for-profit” thrown around. It’s also easy to assume these two terms mean the same thing. However, nonprofits and not-for-profits are business structures with different tax implications, governance, and functions. Both of these entities contrast with for-profit organizations. Here are the ins and outs of what all these terms mean so you can figure out which structure is right for your new venture.

What is a nonprofit organization?

A nonprofit organization is one that qualifies for tax-exempt status by the IRS because its mission and purpose are to further a social cause and provide a public benefit. Nonprofit organizations include hospitals, universities, national charities, and foundations.

To qualify as a nonprofit, your business must serve the public good in some way. Nonprofits do not distribute profit to anything other than furthering the advancement of the organization. As such, you will be required to make your financial and operating information public so that donors can see how their contributions are being used. An individual or business that makes a donation to a nonprofit is allowed to deduct their donation from their tax return. The nonprofit, likewise, pays no taxes on any money received through fundraising.

What is a not-for-profit organization?

Similar to a nonprofit, a not-for-profit organization (NFPO) is one that does not earn profit for its owners. All money earned through pursuing business activities or through donations goes right back into running the organization.

However, not-for-profits are not required to operate for the benefit of the public good. A not-for-profit can simply serve the goals of its members. A good example is a sports club—the purpose of the club is to exist for its members’ enjoyment. These organizations must apply for tax-exempt status from the IRS, including exemptions from sales tax and property taxes. That also means that money donated by an individual to an NFPO cannot be deducted on that person’s tax return.

Nonprofit vs not-for-profit organizations

There are four key differences between a nonprofit and a not-for-profit:

• Nonprofits are formed explicitly to benefit the public good; not-for-profits exist to fulfill an owner’s organizational objectives.
• Nonprofits can have a separate legal entity; not-for-profits cannot have a separate legal entity.
• Nonprofits run like a business and try to earn a profit, which does not support any single member; not-for-profits are considered “recreational organizations” that do not operate with the business goal of earning revenue.
• Nonprofits may have employees who are paid, but their paychecks do not come through fundraising; not-for-profits are run by volunteers .

Nonprofits are granted 501(c)(3) status by the IRS. NFPOs are also governed by IRS tax code section 501(c), but depending on their purpose they could fall under a different section, like section 501(c)(7) .

[Read more: Getting Ready to Launch? How to Choose the Right Business Structure ]

What is a for-profit organization?

A for-profit organization is one that operates with the goal of making money. Most businesses are for-profits that serve their customers by selling a product or service. The business owner earns an income from the profit and may also pay shareholders and investors from the profits.

Whether you decided to start a for-profit, not-for-profit, or nonprofit, the first steps to creating your entity are the same. Start by filing for a business entity in the state in which you wish to run your operations. Your business entity might be a corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, or partnership.

Once the entity has been formed, you will apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) with the IRS. It’s during this step that you will select your tax-exempt status using Form 1024 if you wish to run as a nonprofit.

Can you change your legal entity?

Some businesses start as one type of legal entity and later decide to convert to another. This is possible, but it’s a little complicated depending on the types of entities involved.

From nonprofit to for-profit

There are a few reasons why you may wish to change from a nonprofit to a for-profit. Maybe you believe you can get better access loans or other funding by becoming a for-profit. Or maybe you prefer to operate without the regulations that govern nonprofits.

Regardless, once you’ve carefully considered this option and all shareholders are in agreement, you will need to notify the IRS by writing a " statement of nonprofit conversion. " This statement will include:

• The reason for nonprofit termination;
• A certified copy of a liquidation plan;
• The fair market value of the organization;
• A list of all asset recipients if assets will be distributed.

You will also need to contact your state and local representatives to fill out any forms required in your specific jurisdiction.

From for-profit to nonprofit

Converting a for-profit to a nonprofit is a little more difficult, as the IRS wants to discourage businesses from making this move to avoid paying taxes. It can be done, however, through a process that isn’t so different from starting a nonprofit from scratch.

“While you may be able to retain the for-profit organization name for use by your nonprofit, a nonprofit organization requires you to use the money you raise to suit a purpose other than distribution to shareholders or business owners, and it needs to fulfill the mission and goals of the nonprofit,” explained Small Business Chronicle . “Transitioning to a nonprofit organization requires you to do some planning prior to registering the nonprofit with the state in which it operates.”

This transition includes writing a mission statement, establishing bylaws, and filing articles of incorporation with your Secretary of State, among other things. It’s at the articles of incorporation step that you will need to let the Secretary of State know you’re keeping the same name as your existing for-profit.

Is it easier to manage a nonprofit or for-profit?

It’s also worth considering how your leadership style could gel or clash with the management structure of either entity. In a for-profit, the founders, investors, and C-suite leaders typically have a financial stake in the company’s success. It’s a win-win for you, the business owner, to see the company profit and succeed. This can lead to many business owners taking a more hands-on approach to the day-to-day management of the company.

At a nonprofit, leadership is often structured as a board of directors who gain no financial benefit from their governance role. As the founder, you may still be involved in running the operational side of things, but the ultimate outcome is to ensure the organization meets its mission—rather than earning a profit. Leaders who are skilled at community outreach, fundraising, and are passionate about a cause are often a better fit for nonprofit organizations.

Accordingly, the company culture can be quite different at a nonprofit vs a for-profit. While it’s difficult to generalize, the culture at most for-profit companies tends to focus on how best to improve sales and profit. KPIs will be set to achieve benchmarks related to productivity, profit, and market share.

“In a nonprofit organization, by contrast, the culture is often more community-minded. Instead of discussing ways to make more money, employees, volunteers and leaders spend time brainstorming ways in which they can further benefit their community and increase the social effectiveness of their organization's efforts,” wrote Indeed .

Which legal entity is the best?

Ultimately, the legal entity that’s right for your business depends on your goals. As one entrepreneur, Jane Chen, outlined in Harvard Business Review , there are pros and cons to each entity.

“A for-profit can raise money from private investors, for which it must give equity or dividends to shareholders; ultimately, a return on investment is expected,” she wrote. “A nonprofit, on the other hand, can seek donations from individuals, foundations and corporations. Such stakeholders generally expect a ‘social return’ on capital.”

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to establishing a legal entity for your business. And, the good news is you can always change your entity as your business grows. Speak to an expert who can help you choose an entity that optimizes your tax deductions while serving your overarching goal.

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Government Decries Bid to Block Regulation of Novel Health Plan

By Austin R. Ramsey

A data-for-insurance company’s request to permanently block the US Labor Department from determining that its novel scheme isn’t an employee benefit plan under federal law is unnecessary and premature, the agency told a federal district court in Texas.

Data Marketing Partnership LP already was able to successfully overturn a 2020 DOL memo finding that the company’s program—under which participants share internet data in exchange for bare-bones health insurance benefits—didn’t fall under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. But the injunction the company is seeking to reaffirm on remand would hamstring the department and give the health plan a ...

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IRS makes Direct File a permanent option to file federal tax returns; expanded access for more taxpayers planned for the 2025 filing season

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IR-2024-151, May 30, 2024

WASHINGTON — Following a successful filing season pilot and feedback from a variety of partners, the Internal Revenue Service announced today that it will make Direct File a permanent option for filing federal tax returns starting in the 2025 tax season.

The agency is exploring ways to expand Direct File to make more taxpayers eligible in the 2025 filing season and beyond by examining options to broaden Direct File’s availability across the nation, including covering more tax situations and inviting all states to partner with Direct File next year.

The IRS plans to announce additional details on the 2025 expansion in the coming months.

The decision follows a highly successful, limited pilot during the 2024 filing season, where 140,803 taxpayers in 12 states filed their taxes using Direct File. The IRS closely analyzed data collected during the pilot, held numerous meetings with diverse groups of stakeholders and gathered feedback from individual Direct File users, state officials and representatives across the tax landscape. The IRS heard directly from hundreds of organizations across the country, more than a hundred members of Congress and from those interested in using Direct File in the future. The IRS has also heard from a limited number of stakeholders who believe the current free electronic filing options provided by third party vendors are adequate.

The IRS will continue data analysis and stakeholder engagement to identify improvements to Direct File; however, initial post-pilot analysis yielded enough information for the decision to make Direct File a permanent filing option. The IRS noted that an early decision on 2025 was critical for planning and programming both for the IRS and for additional states to join the program. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel recommended to Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen to make Direct File permanent. He cited overwhelming satisfaction from users and improved ease of tax filing among the reasons for his recommendation, which Secretary Yellen has accepted.

“The clear message is that many taxpayers across the nation want the IRS to provide more than one no-cost option for filing electronically,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “So, starting with the 2025 filing season, the IRS will make Direct File a permanent option for filing federal tax returns. Giving taxpayers additional options strengthens the tax filing system. And adding Direct File to the menu of filing options fits squarely into our effort to make taxes as easy as possible for Americans, including saving time and money.”

State and eligibility expansion

Building on the success of the limited pilot – where taxpayers with relatively simple tax situations in 12 states were eligible to use Direct File – the IRS is examining ways to expand eligibility to more taxpayers across the country. For the 2025 filing season, the IRS will work with all states that want to partner with Direct File, and there will be no limit to the number of states that can participate in the coming year. The agency expects several new states will choose to participate.

The IRS is also exploring ways to gradually expand the scope of tax situations supported by Direct File. Over the coming years, the agency’s goal is to expand Direct File to support most common tax situations, with a particular focus on those situations that impact working families. Announcements about new state partners and expanded eligibility are expected in the coming months.

“User experience – both within the product and integration with state tax systems – will continue to be the foundation for Direct File moving forward,” Werfel said. “We will focus, first and foremost, on continuing to get it right. Accuracy and comprehensive tax credit uptake will be paramount concerns to ensure taxpayers file a correct return and get the refund they’re entitled to. And our North Star will be improving the experience of tax filing itself and helping taxpayers meet their obligations as easily and quickly as possible.”

Direct File’s role in the tax system

During the agency’s review, many taxpayers told the IRS they want no-cost filing options. Millions of taxpayers who did not live in one of the 12 pilot states visited the Direct File website to learn more about this option or asked live chat assistors to make Direct File available in their state.

As a permanent filing option, Direct File will continue to be one option among many from which taxpayers can choose. It is not meant to replace other important options by tax professionals or commercial software providers, who are critical partners with the IRS in delivering a successful tax system for the nation. The IRS also remains committed to the ongoing relationship with Free File Inc., which has served taxpayers for two decades in the joint effort to provide free commercial software. Earlier this month, the IRS signed a five-year extension with industry to continue Free File.

As the IRS works to expand Direct File, it will also work to strengthen all free filing options for taxpayers, including Free File, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA) and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly program (TCE).

Pilot analysis and feedback

In the six weeks following the close of the Direct File pilot, the IRS closely analyzed pilot data and gathered feedback from diverse groups of stakeholders, including Direct File users, state officials and representatives across the country’s tax community.

While data analysis and partner engagement are ongoing, the IRS’ post-pilot analysis has yielded three conclusions that support making Direct File a permanent tax filing solution:

1. Taxpayers overwhelmingly liked using Direct File

As detailed in the IRS Direct File Pilot: Filing Season 2024 After Action Report PDF , more than 15,000 Direct File users participated in the General Services Administration’s Touchpoints survey, which collects comprehensive user feedback about government systems:

• 90% of respondents ranked their experience as Excellent or Above Average.
• When asked what they particularly liked, respondents most commonly cited Direct File’s ease of use, trustworthiness and that it was free.
• Additionally, 86% of respondents said that their experience with Direct File increased their trust in the IRS.
• 90% of survey respondents who used customer support rated that experience as Excellent or Above Average.

For the primary quantitative measure of taxpayer opinions of Direct File, the IRS selected the Net Promoter Score (NPS) customer sentiment metric, which asks users, “On a scale from 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend Direct File to a friend or family member?” NPS scores range from -100-+100. Direct File has a NPS of +74. If compared to benchmark scores from financial services companies, Direct File would lead in eight of nine categories.

2. Direct File made the tax filing experience easier

Direct File’s users reported saving time: Filing taxes with Direct File generally took less than an hour, and many reported filing in as little as 30 minutes. Nearly half of Direct File users reported paying for tax preparation the previous year, and the Treasury Department estimates that Direct File users saved $5.6 million in tax preparation fees this filing season.

3. Direct File helps catalyze the IRS’s digital transformation

To build Direct File, the IRS assembled a team of experienced tax experts, digital product specialists, engineers and data scientists from across the federal government. The agency partnered with the U.S. Digital Service and GSA’s 18F, as well as private sector partners, who all brought critical agile technology expertise. Working side by side at IRS headquarters and collaborating with remote team members across the country, the Direct File team developed and delivered a strong technology product.

The Direct File pilot also gave the IRS the chance to test customer service innovations on a large scale.

Live Chat served as Direct File’s primary customer support channel because it could be integrated directly into the product. This allowed customer support to gradually expand in concert with the overall number of users in each phase of the pilot. The IRS is exploring how this approach could impact taxpayer service overall as the agency works to provide taxpayers with more choices in how they can interact with the IRS.

“We’re mindful that the most important decision we made during the pilot was to focus on executional certainty,” Werfel said. “We took the time to get it right. We found the right first step to test the demand and the user experience and build a strong product. We will apply that same critical lesson for next year as we take a strategic approach to expanding Direct File’s availability and capabilities.”

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Small business, big government intervention.

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Certain official proclamations in recent weeks have highlighted an unnerving shift in the federal government's relationship with America’s small businesses. This novel stance undermines the autonomy, self-sufficiency, and independence from political influence that should define entrepreneurship. Additionally, there is a disregard for the regulatory burdens faced by small businesses.

WILMINGTON, NC - MAY 2: President Joe Biden addresses community members during an event at the ... [+] Wilmington Convention Center in Wilmington, North Carolina on May 2, 2024. Biden discussed his commitment to removing lead pipes and ensuring clean drinking water throughout the country. (Photo by Madeline Gray for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The month of April brought Small Business Week, a decades-old tradition associated with the — also decades-old — U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The occasion came complete with a White House Proclamation , stating, in part:

“Small businesses are the engine of our economy and the heart and soul of our communities. They employ nearly half of all private sector workers and contribute to every industry. Getting them what they need to grow is one of the best investments our country can make. During National Small Business Week, we celebrate the grit and strength of every entrepreneur who has chased a dream and put in the hard work each day to see their business and our Nation thrive.”

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Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024.

Sounds reasonable, until the transformed meaning of “investments” in the modern political setting comes into focus.

Small business is being swept into today’s big-business/big-government “reset” vortex: Whether out of Biden’s own mouth or invoked by fashionable progressives like Mariana Mazzucato in Mission Economy : A Moonshot Guide to Changing Capitalism , national government investments in the wake of global COVID reset activities now translate into large scale infrastructure and climate projects, and disruptive subsidies and other wealth transfers aimed at reformatting the social contract.

These now-normalized projects “change capitalism” all right — by discarding it and replacing foundational property rights and supply/demand-driven exchange with public-private partnerships and state economic planning and steering. On hand for the ribbon-cuttings, those showering taxpayer largesse will have long since scattered when stagnation sets in, reappearing only to blame exiled capitalism for the decreptude of tomorrow’s iteration of lead pipe fiascos.

Biden regularly describes these top-down governmental orchestrations as “ bottom up, middle out ” efforts to “grow the economy.”

This all introduces a significant development requiring the attention of Congress in its deliberations over spending and regulatory policy with respect to entrepreneurship: Small business is being tossed into the same big-government river as big business, obliged to swim in this new unfavorable policy current.

A Fact Sheet that accompanied Biden’s Small Business Week proclamation boasted of 2023 procurement dollars aimed at small business surging to a record-high $179 billion , which amounts to 28 percent of all federal contracts. Fully $76 billion is earmarked for so-called Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDBs), and $32 billion to Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB). By the end of the 2020s, the SBA intends to offer $250 billion in government-backed lending to small businesses, with over $120 billion of that already allocated.

Granted, the SBA has been making and guaranteeing loans and steering federal contracts toward small businesses, including disadvantaged ones, for 70 years. But today’s emphasis on taxpayer-funded moonshot campaigns that pull small business into their gravitational field is something new. It’s a stance untroubled by the implications of the failure to revisit the moon in over a half-century.

Fostering small business addiction to government contracts instead of easing regulations: Joe Biden’s SBA is not engaging in detached, arms-length funding of small businesses for their, and their customers’, own sake. Rather, Biden talks openly of flexing the “power of the Federal Government as both a lender and customer" to achieve regulatory aims. It’s the kind of language that, despite their lacking Biden’s power of coercion, would rain vicious antitrust scrutiny down upon private firms daring such utterances.

"[T]he Federal Government,” Biden boasts, “buys more goods and services than any entity in the world." Even the SBA itself exalts that “the U.S. government is the largest customer in the world,” which would be regarded by Biden’s administration as adjacent to confession to illegal monopsony status for some firms despite their inability to leverage taxpayer funds as Biden and the SBA can.

This is the setting in which the White House’s April 2024 Building on the Biden-Harris Small Business Boom touts its four "pillars" of policymaking. The first, "Leveling the Playing Field for Small Business Owners by Reforming the Tax Code" could be a welcome move. The others, though, disregard basic principles of supply and demand that should govern small business activity and seek expansion of the federal domain. These include those hundreds of billons in "Loans and Equity Investments" through 2030; increasing "Access to Federal Small Business Programs;" and "Leveraging Federal Procurement, Infrastructure Spending, and Research and Development Funding to Support Small Businesses." The latter is part of that aforementioned dunking of small business into the Federal Amazon with big business.

Combing the administration’s Small Business Boom report for an equally ambitious campaign to deliver regulatory relief to small businesses pleading for it comes up empty. The term "regulation" does appear twice, but only with respect to Bipartisan Infrastructure Law schemes to steer more funding to "Disadvantaged Business Enterprises" and with respect to a Department of Transportation rulemaking on airport concessions aimed at steering DOT-assisted contracts and airport concession opportunities to DBEs.

Regulation-by-procurement means market maniplation and boondoggles: In a limited government setting, the original SBA mission of fostering equal-footing status with larger businesses on limited constitutionally constrained endeavors is perfectly laudable. But rather than easing regulation and putting breathing room between business and government, the Biden administration sees business as subservient; tools for leveraging government’s own power.

Rather than focusing on impartiality and meeting consumer demand, which makes a small business independently successful, federal policy increasingly aims to create entities existing solely to interact with the government itself and to actualize left-wing progressive schemes and aspirations. While the administration frequently boasts of this approach with big businesses, Congress needs to recognize the similar exploitation of small businesses. These policies disrupt the fluidity of relative prices and the customary pursuit of market-clearing transactions, all in a widening framework corrosive to resource allocation and the supply chain health that policymakers allege to be a priority.

As an example, Biden’s small business proclamation repeated his claim that the "Inflation Reduction Act makes the most significant investment in fighting climate change ever in the world,” and in particular, that “it is creating new markets for small clean-energy companies.” These “markets” would not exist unless artificially propped up by the State.

Similarly, Kamala Harris proclaimed in May at a Detroit “Economic Opportunity for All” event that “the last administration invested in tax cuts to billionaires, while we are investing in access to capital for entrepreneurs.” But instead of that, she announced $100 million in multi-agency funding for small and medium sized auto parts makers and workers to navigate the unasked-for EV transition. With respect to these EV charging network elements of clean tech pursuits, the administration neglects to mention that two years and over $7 billion in outlays have birthed only seven charging stations as of March 29.

Undaunted, the administration doubled down last week, announcing new access to capital for " climate businesses " complete with a Climate Capital Guidebook .

A congressional deep dive into this chaotic scene is urgent. Climate businesses are not true businesses. Congress needs to understand the depredations of the non-market economic transformations underway in this and other areas and grasp the proportion of federally funded small businesses actually providing goods and services that consumers demand, in contrast to the proliferation of entities created in response to government grants that would not exist without artificial support from federal agencies.

We have emphasized the influence of the Biden administration. To be fair, while Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act was not supported by the GOP, the Republicans were on hand for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the CHIPS and Science Act that perpetrate similar non-market ends.

Adding to concern over the artificial character of entities spawned by federal small-business policy is the revelation that more than half of April’s overall new jobs were in government, healthcare and social assistance. As the Wall Street Journal put it , “Most states and localities continue to burn through federal pandemic largesse, which is helping support the labor market.” “Government spending is conjuring job growth,” the Journal noted, “but they aren’t the kind that add to long-term productivity growth.” As the Journal concluded, “jobs that rely on transfer payments from government aren’t the kind of investment-based jobs that will create new products or productivity gains that add to national wealth.” That’s true overall, but the extent to which small business is increasingly defined by transfer payments is particularly ominous.

Social equity policy via small business, at taxpayer expense and risk: Social policy boondoggles accompany the economic policy ones. Biden sees the SBA as just one among many agencies to leverage in pursuit of a DEI agenda with new “swarms of officers,” a circumstance that will make unwinding his executive actions problematic for successors.

Granted, “equity” or the compulsory equalization of outcomes as distinct from equal opportunity and equality before the law has been a fixture in the progressive toolkit. Whether such policy amounts to discrimination or preferences might be in the eye of the beholder, but it takes place on a scale that warrants re-evaluation given the funding of progressive proclivities rather than actual consumer-demand-driven business plans.

For example, the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee in May conducted a Bowie, Maryland Field Hearing on federal equity programs and racial discrimination in federal contracting. Meanwhile, the Small Business Investment Company Program, which dates from 1958 to “license and regulate ” SBICs is being “ modernized ” at this very moment by SBA’s own new Investment Company Investment Diversification and Growth rule to increase private equity and debt funding to small businesses and startups in underserved communities and undercapitalized industries.

Apart from regulations issued by various agencies that impact small businesses, the SBA also has its own rulemaking agenda, often driven by equity considerations. This includes SBA’s Ban the Box Rule "to improve equitable access based on criminal background review of applicants seeking to participate in one or more” government programs. Amid this environment of special dispensation in federal contracts, the SBA also finds itself under investigation for potential electioneering activity and voter registration efforts.. A hearing set for the full House Committee on Small Business on June 4 is entitled “Weaponizing Federal Resources: Exposing the SBA’s Voter Registration Efforts.” It’s a phenomenon not unique to SBA.

Given its ambitions, the administration at least has the presence of mind to realize that House Republicans might elect to “ defund the President’s agenda to advance racial and gender equity in federal contracts,” but it ought not be surprised.

Growing cracks in the small business foundation: Rather than misdirecting scarce resources and adding regulations of its own, the SBA should be an aggressive watchdog and red tape cutter. It could emphasize heading off threats to genuine entrepreneurs like the Corporate Transparency Act and its over-regulation of small LLCs, and over-reaching Treasury reporting requirements forcing small business to register ownership information with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.

The same House Small Business Committee investigating SBA electioneering conducted a May 22 hearing on “Burdensome Regulations: Examining the Biden Administration’s Failure to Consider Small Businesses.”

Witnesses noted the disproportionate effects of regulations on small firms, like those underscored in a recent National Association of Manufacturers report finding that per-employee regulatory costs for firms with fewer than 50 workers can be far greater than those for larger firms ($50,100 for smaller firms, compared with $24,800 for larger ones).

In particular, the hearing surveyed agencies’ failure to comply with the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA). That 1980 law, amended by the 1996 Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act, directs federal agencies to consider their rules’ effects on small entities, and also requires that agencies publish semiannual regulatory agendas describing emergent regulatory actions that may have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

A House Small Business Committee report on RFA non-compliance accompanying the hearing — the fruits of an investigation begun by Chairman Roger Williams (R-Texas) last year — concluded the following:

• Agencies often improperly certify rules as having no significant impact on small entities to avoid RFA analysis.
• Agencies frequently underestimate the costs and number of impacted small businesses, fail to consider less burdensome alternatives, and sometimes finalize more harmful rules without adequate justification.
• Agencies often fail to assess if a rule duplicates or conflicts with other regulations, leading to overlapping regulations that burden small businesses.
• Some agencies refuse to comply with congressional oversight by withholding requested information, violating the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act.

Testimony from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) reinforced the conclusion that agencies often bypass RFA requirements by conducting inadequate cost analyses and exploiting loopholes to avoid conducting Regulatory Flexibility Analyses even when rules had significant small business effects. NFIB noted that the SBA itself identified 28 instances of RFA noncompliance during the 117th Congress, with repeat violations by agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Labor. Separately, the NFIB's Josh McLeod noted the appeal to small business of legislation called the Prove It Act marked up in the House Judiciary Committee. That bill would close RFA loopholes and enhance requirements for agencies to evaluate regulations’ effects on small businesses, plus boost small business participation in the regulatory process.

As it stands, hundreds of rules at the active, completed and long-term stages in the twice yearly Unified Agenda require regulatory flexibility analysis. In addition, hundreds of other rules that presumably do not rise to the level of meriting RFA scrutiny are nonetheless deemed by agencies (to their credit) to affect small businesses. The chart below shows that, of 690 pre-rule, proposed, final and recently completed actions affecting small business in the fall 2023 snapshot, 370 required an RFA (which was a six percent increase over 2022).

Rules in the Unified Agenda Pipeline Affecting Small Business

A caveat here is that early Obama years and even George W Wormhole . Bush years sported higher numbers of small-business rules in the Unified Agenda pipeline than the years depicted (sometimes topping 800, with nearly 1,000 in 2001). But rules appear on the upswing. Very soon, the anticipated Spring 2024 edition of the Agenda will provide a more up-to-date snapshot that will merit the Small Business Committee’s and other policymakers’ attention.

It is not depicted in the chart, but the top five agencies with rules affecting small business are the Federal Communications Commission and the departments of Health and Human Services, Treasury, Commerce. The multiagency federal acquisition rules are the standouts, accounting for 351, or more than half of the 690 active, final and recently completed rules affecting small business in fall 2023. That matters a lot given all we covered earlier with respect to the leveraging of contracting and procurement to achieve regulatory ends. Unsurprisingly, those acquisition mandates include a doozy of a proposed rule on “ Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate-Related Financial Risk ”

In addition to the snapshot of the small-business-rules pipeline just shown, the Federal Register and its depiction of completed rules affecting small business during recent calendar years is worth noting.

Number of Final and Significant Final Rules in the Federal Register Affecting Small Business ... [+] 2014-2023

Overall counts of final rules affecting small business have returned to pre-Trump levels, while for the moment the “significant” subset stands below. However, rules costing between $100 million and $200 million are no longer regarded as officially significant by the dollar-cost criterion since Biden issued his April 2023 “Modernizing Regulatory Review” executive order. During 2024, the trajectory of completed small business rules bears close attention. We’re not quite at the midpoint of the year, but as of today (June 3), 311 final rules in the Federal Register affect small business, and 33 of them are significant at the newer more stringent threshold.

Conclusion: A better Small Business Boom agenda would be a regulatory liberalization program: The Biden administration’s celebration of Small Business Week decried 31 percent cuts to SBA funding proposed by Congressional Republicans, but its own adverse proclivities show why such cuts are necessary. The federal spending and regulatory moonshots enveloping the economy and society are also enveloping small business. While the solution is a constitutional amendment banning subsidies , grants and loan guarantees in economic endeavors as well as most research and educational ones, incremental steps to liberate small business from political and regulatory manipulations are within reach.

Rethinking is in order, particularly when much of what is now deemed small businesses are instead government artifices rather than manifestations of free enterprise meeting consumer demand. If in addition to fostering those counterproductive activities the SBA cannot even be counted upon to perform its basic watchdog function, then it deserves the same abolition that is the proper fate of many other collaborator departments and agencies. Congress could perhaps retain an arms-length statistics unit folded into the Department of Commerce or Department of Labor. The eroded watchdog function, mirroring decay in regulatory oversight at other agencies and at the Office of Management and Budget itself, may need to be re-chartered in a new entit y by Congress, perhaps in part based on the streamlining-oriented regulatory reform Task Forces in place during the Trump administration.

Whatever the resolution, small business deserves smaller government.

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