Your First 9 Months as a Nonprofit Founder
You have a vision. You see a problem in your community that keeps you up at night, and you're ready to do something about it. Starting a nonprofit from scratch is one of the most challenging yet rewarding entrepreneurial journeys you can undertake - you're not just building a business, you're creating a vehicle for social change.
I should know, in addition to running The Funding & Strategy Collaborative, I began Mindful Founders Inc. last year (2024). It’s been fun, challenging, exhausting, and rewarding. I’m proud of some of the ways I handled starting the nonprofit business, and others - like spending too much of my own money for pilot programs - I wish I didn’t do.
Please note that this blog post assumes that you have already done all of your compliance work, including but not limited to: filing your State Articles of Incorporation, getting tax exempt with the IRS, setting up your own nonprofit bank account, setting up a nonprofit website and social media channels, et cetera.
Months 1-3: Validate Everything!
Talk to your community OBSESSIVELY. Conduct 20+ conversations with the people you want to serve. What keeps them up at night? DO NOT ASSUME you know what they need - let them tell you. If you are shy, try finding a volunteer to help you through VolunteerMatch or a local school/college. One thing I did was a Google Form Survey with a raffle gift card for one of the survey respondents.
Research the competition. Who else is working on this issue? What gaps exist where you can add unique value? If there is a nonprofit down the street doing the same thing, why are you needed?
Recruit 4-6 passionate board members. Look for diverse skills: nonprofit experience, financial expertise, community connections. Passion for your mission is non-negotiable. I used LinkedIn’s free job post feature to recruit Board Members, and after interviewing several, I was so happy and re-energized that other professionals were interested and willing to help with my cause!
Test your concept small. Design a pilot program for 5-10 people. Better to serve 10 people incredibly well than 100 people poorly. Honestly, sometimes I had online events with 1-2 people. I understand since it’s the first year it will take time to build Mindful Founders Inc., but I’m not giving up. I also understand that I need to track the small amounts of data in spreadsheets (I use Google Sheets), so that if any grants or major donors come along I have that information. I also understand that we probably won’t be compelling to grant funders for another 2-3 years.
Goal: Clear mission + committed board + validated program concept
Months 4-6: Plan & Build!
Create your “theory of change.” How exactly will your programs create impact? Map the journey from activities to outcomes to long-term change. Don’t know this term? Google it and you’ll find tons of templates. We can also help you at The Funding & Strategy Collaborative if you get stuck.
Design 1-3 focused programs. Resist solving everything. Choose what you can execute exceptionally well. For Mindful Founders, I began with online, virtual programming that I could commit to monthly such as our guided meditations. I also added free resources to our website so beneficiaries can get on-demand help.
Build your funding strategy. Start with your network (board, friends, family), research 5+ local foundations, explore earned revenue. Never rely on one source for more than 40% of budget!!! As a new founder myself, I really focused on keeping expenses as low as possible (thank you TechSoup and Google for Nonprofits!), and decided to launch an earned revenue coaching program this summer (which directly supports our mission of helping entrepreneurs). Since this year is volatile politically, economically, and socially (2025), I wanted to explore earned income / fee-for-service models, since I believe that will be the most sustainable.
Find strategic partners. Who serves similar populations? How can you collaborate instead of compete? For Mindful Founders Inc, I have been sending emails to local incubators, online therapy providers for discounts, and more.
Goal: Strategic plan + funding pipeline + key partnerships
Months 7-9: Launch & Learn!
Start your pilot program. Begin small, focus on exceptional results for those receiving your services, not large numbers.
Launch grassroots fundraising. House parties, personal asks, community presentations. Build your donor base one relationship at a time. I tried the Double Good Popcorn fundraiser (lost money) and Chipotle (made $135), and need to personally do more of this.
Track everything. What's working? What's not? Be willing to pivot quickly based on results.
Tell compelling stories. Share impact through newsletters, social media, presentations. People give to stories, not statistics.
Goal: Program launched + initial funding secured + impact measured
A Social Entrepreneur's Mindset:
✅ Test assumptions, measure results, iterate quickly
✅ Focus on impact AND sustainability
✅ Start narrow, go deep
✅ Build relationships BEFORE you need them
✅ Launch at 80% ready, not 100% perfect (Pareto Principle)
Success Metrics: 9-Month Checkpoint
By month 9, you should have:
5-7 committed board members
Clear, tested program model
Initial funding secured
10+ engaged community supporters
Systems for tracking impact
Common Pitfalls
❌ Trying to do everything → Start narrow, expand later
❌ Perfectionism paralysis → Launch and learn
❌ Ignoring sustainability → Build funding from day one (stop using your own money solely!)
❌ Working in isolation behind a computer screen → Collaborate with others
Your Impact Starts Now
Stop planning and start doing! The people you'll serve and the change you'll create are waiting for you to take action.
The world needs what you're building.
Need help with a business or strategic plan? Give us a call and we can brainstorm for 30-minutes. We also provide strategic planning services at an affordable rate for new and small nonprofits! https://calendly.com/fundingstrategycollab-info/intro-call
