<p>The summer of my junior year I interned for a large non-profit that builds wells in Central America, the team I worked with was struggling because of lack of funds ( they focused on repair wells and general economic development which was harder to sell than giving clean water to communities for the first time which is what many of the other teams did). </p>
<p>Ok, fast forward to my HS senior career day where I talked to a lawyer who told me about starting a non-profit sort of off a larger non-profit (does that make sense? it was almost a year ago and so I'm shaky on the details). So, essentially, one could create a non-profit that helps fund a larger non-profit.</p>
<p>Would it be feasible to start a non-profit that specifically funds the repairing of wells for teams like the one I worked with? What would I need to do?</p>
<p>Its totally just an idea right now. I just wanted to get some feedback. Funny how sometimes things just click and one has an idea.</p>
<p>About a year ago (maybe two) we had a poster who was determined to start his own nonprofit as a way to impress colleges.</p>
<p>A number of us who have significant experience in nonprofits struggled to convince him that it would be a lot of hard work.</p>
<p>He was quite stubborn but finally decided to scale down his ambitions and hold an event for a more established organization.</p>
<p>See if you can find that thread. Our advice still holds.</p>
<p>But if you really want to start a nonprofit, find a nonprofit management center at a local college. (I know where they are in Philly and Pittsburgh but not in the rest of the country.) Be ready to take their introductory courses, so have some money available. Also be prepared to pay costs for incorporation, IRS exemption, and possible state sales tax exemption on the things you buy. You also will need to register with your state’s department of state (or something similar), which will cost. If there are local regulations in the city you’re in, you also will need to meet them (and probably pay some more money). Writing bylaws doesn’t require an attorney, but one should review your work. You have to do all of this before you can legally raise a penny through your own organization.</p>
<p>I’m already in college. I do things because I have a real interest in them not to impress an admissions office anyway. I just have a cause I really want to help out. I get that its complicated, and I get I can help out in other ways (I mean I interned for this non-profit). This is more of an idea than a plan I am determined to carry out I’m curious if anyone had real experience starting a non-profit specifically a non-profit that helps fund a larger non-profit (yeah again I’m not sure about the technical terms/logistics here). Again, this is more for curiosities sake.</p>