I am planning to start a nonprofit with a friend and think it can become prominent. Is doing something like starting a nonprofit more appealing to colleges than doing something like starting a club?
I’m a former tax lawyer. I have set up not-for-profits. Setting up a not-for-profit is complicated and time consuming, as are the required ongoing state and federal requirements. There are companies that will do it for you, but it’s going to cost a good chunk of money. Also, while I haven’t looked, I’d be surprised if minors are allowed to incorporate or be board members or officers of a corporation, even a not-for-profit corporation.
Further, what are you, a sophomore or a junior? What are your plans for this entity once you leave for college?
Start a club.
WHY do you want to start a nonprofit? Where will your funding come from? How will you be sure you meet at the federal and state rules and refs, keep appropriate insurance (which is expensive), handle bookkeeping, etc.
I started and run a nonprofit and work with a lot of nonprofits. It’s important to do it right and well. I’ve been running my org for 12 years now.
Exploring existing orgs or starting a club would make a lot more sense to me. I agree you may not even be old enough to be able to serve on a nonprofit board.
I can see how a high school student wouldn’t know that starting a legally recognized nonprofit is a complicated legal and accounting undertaking. But maybe that’s not what he was looking to do.
OP: You can still do worthwhile and “prominent” things in your community in a way that isn’t tied to the school or any other established group (but you lose the leverage and connections that go with building from an existing platform). Find a need, figure out what you can do on the micro-local level to address that need. And do it. Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t be afraid to learn from others. And be aware that colleges can smell a fabricated-for-college-apps organization a mile away.
A lot of people will tell you it’s difficult, time consuming, and expensive to start a nonprofit corporation, and many will also suggest that you locate an existing organization and work with them.
My son was told this too, but started a nonprofit anyway, with significant help from me. The paperwork and time commitments were minimal and it wasn’t expensive to do, although I believe it’s recently become more expensive.
He started his own corporation because his objectives were so specialized that no existing organization fit the bill.
The results were phenomenal and, although the corporation only lasted about ten years, the work it started has continued beyond that.
His project was nationally recognized and it certainly didn’t hurt with college admissions.
Good luck!
Neither is s tip. That’s what OP asked.
I do say, why not go work with an existing organization, learn from the adults there, hit the ground running, in terms of your own efforts? You could do good starting next week or next month, locally, rather than spend the time drawing up paperwork. And just founding a club, no. These things need to be thought through, viable.
That’s not to diminish others’ NPs. But few are a tip. On CC, we’ve seen the gamut.
In most cases students are better off joining an existing group but if you’re serious about starting a nonprofit ask yourself these questions:
Is there a clear need for the work?
Am I filling a need or finding a need to fill? Is this something the community needs? Is someone already doing the work? If not why not?
Am I the best person to do this?
What expertise do I have that will make me successful? Is there an existing organization that I can help instead of starting my own 501©3?
Do I have the resources?
Starting a nonprofit isn’t cheap. For a small nonprofit the IRS application fee alone is $400. Add to that state filing fees, money for a domain name/website, supplies, accounting software, and other costs. You may be able to get some services, such as law and accounting services pro bono but that will cost the other valuable resource - time. It’s possible to do all the work of starting a nonprofit yourself but you’ll still need to spend time meeting with people, researching state and federal regulations, and writing up articles of incorporation, bylaws and other documents.
Are there other people who want to do this with me?
You’ll need a board of directors to even apply for nonprofit status. In most but not all states board members need to be over 18. In addition to the legal requirements, in the long term it gets lonely working on something alone. You’ll want people around you to bounce ideas off of.
Am I willing to make a long-term commitment?
There’s no point in starting a nonprofit if you’re going to abandon it when you head off to college or when the work gets boring. Starting a nonprofit takes stamina. That’s why most successful nonprofits started by teens are the products of a genuine passion for a cause.
You can start a club whose aim is to turn into a nonprofit, then you have the best of both worlds. Develop a website and then you can provide a link for college apps.
Contact your local United Way office. They work with students all the time to help them get the ball rolling. My S had an idea that matched one of their community objectives (they are very broad and simply having a student led initiative would have fit). That meant money he raised could go straight to the project and no effort was wasted setting up a formal organization, and next year’s student leaders have an outreach coordinator to guide them. Donors knew they could deduct donations and were familiar with the United Way brand. Even if you don’t have a strong United Way office in your area, you probably have a non profit you could collaborate with that works in the same area that can lend its clout to the project. He actually went to the United Way office to find out who he could work with in the area, since they have so many non profit contacts in the area. So they may be able to recommend an organization to work with.
My son started a club with a couple of his friends in 8th grade and turned it into nonprofit org in freshman year . There is no restriction on minors. It is easier to have donations with a 501c3 status. It is a lengthy process and there is ongoing documents you have to maintain. He has the patience to keep at it but it is cumbersome. Don’t do it for college applications. Do it if you have a plan to make a significant contribution to the community.
@SCMHAALUM, It depends on the state, as each has different restrictions. While in every state minors can run a nonprofit in many states minors cannot be directors (members of the official board). In addition some states require a separate application and fee in order to solicit donations.
Otherwise I agree!
@Sue22 I see. Thanks for the info. We are in CA.
I agree. Start a club, and then turn it into a non-profit if it is working well.
A good and well experienced admission officer will easily pick up either the non-profit org is set up for a good cause or just a prop to help the student filling out the EC list; if it is the later, it could be a big turn off.
^ Have to agree. What’s truly the point here? To form a non profit or to do the work? When it’s the latter, you go work with existing organizations. You don’t need to “own” your own. There’s much to be learned and experienced- and that’s not about a hs kid being the founder.