Launching your charity

You've done the hard groundwork. Now it's time to tell people you exist, ask for their help and show them what their help achieves. This is the part most founders look forward to, and it's where your mission starts to feel real.

Launching doesn't need a big event or a big budget. It needs a clear message, a simple place online where people can find you, a plan for raising your first year's money, and a habit of thanking people well. Small charities that do these four things steadily often outgrow ones that started with more money.

What to do

Branding basics

Your brand is how people recognize and remember you: your name, logo, colors and the way you talk about your work. Keep it simple:

• A one-line description anyone can repeat: "We deliver weekend meals to schoolchildren in Clark County."
• A simple logo: your name in a clean font is fine to start. If a volunteer designer helps, make sure the charity owns the files and the rights.
• Two or three colors and one font used everywhere.
• A few real photos of your work, taken with permission. Ask before photographing anyone, and get written permission from a parent or guardian for children.

Check your logo and name don't look like someone else's. A search of the USPTO Trademark Search (opens another site) system is a good start.

A simple website

You don't need a complex site. One to five pages is plenty:

• Home: who you are, who you help and one clear button to donate or get involved.
• About: your mission, your board and how to contact you.
• Our work: what you do, with a story or two and simple numbers.
• Donate: a secure online way to give, plus a mailing address for checks.
• Get involved: volunteer sign-ups and upcoming events.

Show your charity's legal name and say that you're a 501(c)(3) once you have your IRS letter. Donors can look you up in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search (opens another site), so make sure your legal name matches your IRS records.

Before you add a "Donate" button, check your state's charitable solicitation rules. Many states require registration before you ask the public for money, and the rules vary. NASCO, the association of state charity regulators, links to state offices.

A first fundraising plan

A fundraising plan is a short list of where the money will come from and when you'll ask. Your first money will most likely come from people who already know you. A simple plan might mix:

• Personal asks: board members and founders each ask friends, family and colleagues directly. A personal ask is hard to say no to.
• A small event: a dinner, walk or open house. Keep costs low. If attendees receive something of value for a gift over $75, such as a meal, you must tell them in writing how much of their payment is deductible.
• Online giving: a donation page you share by email and social media, with a clear goal ("$3,000 buys weekend meals for 50 children for a semester").
• Local businesses: ask for small sponsorships or in-kind gifts, meaning donated goods or services instead of cash.
• Your faith community, clubs and civic groups: many give small grants or take up collections for local causes.

Write the plan on a page: each source, the goal, who's responsible and the month you'll ask. Review it at every board meeting.

Thank donors well

Stewardship means looking after donors so they feel valued and give again. It's the most underrated part of fundraising.

• Thank every donor quickly, ideally within a few days.
• Make it personal. A handwritten note or a phone call from a board member means more than a form letter.
• For any single gift of $250 or more, the donor needs a written acknowledgment from you to claim a deduction. It must give your charity's name, the amount (or a description of a non-cash gift), and say whether you gave anything in return. Our thank-you letter template includes this wording.
• Report back. A few months later, tell donors what their gift did, with a short story or photo.

First grant applications

Grants are gifts of money from foundations, companies or governments, usually for a specific purpose. Start local, where your chances are best:

• Community foundations: charities that pool donations from local people and give grants to local groups. Look for the one that serves your town or county. Some offer small grants suited to new or volunteer-led charities.
• Local businesses and banks: many have giving programs for their own communities.
• Service clubs: groups like Rotary, Lions and Kiwanis often give small grants to local projects.
• Your local government: city or county offices sometimes fund community programs.

Read each funder's guidelines first and apply only if you fit. Call or email the program officer, the staff person who manages grants, to ask whether your project is a good match. Keep a simple calendar of deadlines.

Find more help

The Golden Hint resources library has guides on fundraising, grant writing and communications. If you need hands-on help, ask a skilled volunteer on the Golden Hint Exchange, where charities trade skills.

Your checklist

• Write a one-line description of your work that anyone can repeat.
• Choose a simple logo, two or three colors and one font.
• Make sure the charity owns its logo files, domain name and social media accounts.
• Build a simple website with a clear way to donate.
• Check state charitable solicitation registration before asking the public for money.
• Write a one-page fundraising plan with sources, goals, owners and dates.
• Ask each board member to personally ask at least five people to give.
• Set up thank-you letters that meet the IRS $250 acknowledgment rule.
• Contact your local community foundation about its grants.
• Make a calendar of grant deadlines for the next 12 months.
• Report back to donors on what their gifts achieved.