A non-profit organization is a non-business entity exempted from tax in many countries. The Internal Revenue System in America grants non-profit organizations a status of business exempted from the tax.
Non-profit organizations are established for a cause. If a non-profit generates revenue, it is used for the exact reason the organization was created. Non-profits pay no income tax on the donations they receive or any money they make through fundraising movements.
Guide to Starting and Running a Non-profit Organization
Be clear on the purpose and mission statement
What is the mission statement?
The mission statement of a non-profit organization should be clear on the purpose of its creation. Mission statements become essential when you want to generate profit for your organization. Mission statements will also clarify where and for which the money generated will be used.
The mission statement describes the whole purpose of the non-profit organization. The statement can be of any length but must be concise, comprehensive, and easy to understand. Mission statements should include the benefits to its clients, services it will provide, the population it will focus upon, and how the non-profit organization will operate.
For example, if you run a charity show, you collect donations, and the public gives the donations based on the mission statement of that non-profit organization.
Plan the working of a non-profit organization and its members
Friends make some non-profit organizations with a shared vision to serve their common purpose. They manage the tasks per their schedule and feasibility. However, it is good to register their non-profit organization if they want to grow it further.
A non-profit can have a bank account and is a legally registered entity.
Avoiding fraud in a non-profit
If the non-profit organization also gets donations and funding by other means, that non-profit should always be audit-ready. Suppose the financial data is not current and the organization is not audit-ready. In that case, this clearly indicates discrepancies in the organization’s bookkeeping. Accounting statements must match.
Financial statements must be related to the balance sheet and cash flow statements. You can easily spot a financial fraud if the accounting statements do not match. When the directors know that there is enormous cash present in the account of a non-profit, but checks frequently bounce back, this may indicate fraud. An audit must be conducted to ensure transparency.
Consider fiscal support
You can initially get finance management support and sponsorship from another non-profit organization. It is called its fiscal sponsor. This fiscal sponsor can train the members of the new non-profit how to deal with financial management issues.
Proper documentation and bookkeeping
For example, if a natural disaster in your area and your non-profit organization comes in front to help people, you cannot just collect money and say it was used for that cause. There should be proper documentation and proper planning that goes into collecting money. Volunteers give their services free of cost. The money donated can be used to assist further in re-establishing the families of that area. There should be complete recording and data of your finances at all times. 
Find the right partners
You must find the right type of people to work for and with your non-profit organization. The directors, managers, volunteers, and doers should be working for a great cause and believe in your mission statement. You will most likely need accounting consultancies if your non-profit organization keeps a banking account and finances to support its cause.
Conclusion
If you want to build and run a non-profit organization, it is a great way to help ailing souls in any way. Non-profits are tax-exempt, and the money generated is solely used on the cause for which the non-profit was made. Follow the above guidelines to establish and successfully run a non-profit.
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