Starting a Nonprofit Organization

1. How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation (8th Edition, Paperback with CD-Rom). Anthony Mancuso; NOLO: Berkeley, CA; 2007; 368 pages. Straightforward step-by-step guide on how to form a nonprofit corporation, complete an IRS tax-exempt application, prepare articles of incorporation, write bylaws, and understand state requirements by an attorney. The CD-Rom contains useful documents, federal tax forms, sample letters, articles of incorporation, and bylaws.
2. Starting and Building a Nonprofit: A Practical Guide. Peri Pakroo; NOLO: Berkeley: CA; 2007; 317 pages. This guide to forming a nonprofit organization describes picking the right name, structuring to achieve goals, choosing tax-exempt status, creating a mission statement, developing a strategic plan, budgeting, recruiting board members and volunteers, hiring staff, obtaining insurance, marketing, and more.
3. Create Your Own Employee Handbook: A Legal and Practical Guide (3rd edition, Paperback with CD-Rom). Lisa Guerin & Amy Delpo; NOLO: Berkeley, CA.; 2007; 393 pages. This comprehensive handbook, written by two attorneys, covers hiring, payroll, performance evaluations, benefits, discrimination, harassment, complaints, leave, health and safety, substance abuse, privacy, discipline, and more, with policies included on CD.
4. Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time. Greg Mortenson; Penguin: New York; 2007; 349 pages. Inspirational humanitarian adventure story about how one man spent seven weeks recovering in a poor Pakistani village after failing in his attempt to climb the world’s 2nd tallest mountain. In return, he promised to return and build a school. The author founded a charitable institution that built not one, but fifty-five schools, especially for girls, in rural Pakistan and Afghanistan. Provides a blueprint on how to make a difference.
5. Non Profits Made Easy. David H. Bangs; Entrepreneur Press: Madison, WS.; 2006; 288 pages. This book shows how to stay financially solvent through applying traditional business planning and cash-flow management strategies to the unique challenges of a nonprofit. Chapters include: before startup, starting a nonprofit, managing people, financial management, strategic planning, business planning, raising money and resources.
6. Complete Nonprofit Corporation Kit (Paperback +CD-Rom). Mark Warda; Sphinx Publishing; 2006; 304 pages. This book and CD with forms is written by an attorney who has published over 40 self-help books. It provides a blueprint to successfully preparing your documents, receiving tax exempt status, and managing your organization.
7. Building Powerful Community Organizations: A Personal Guide to Creating Groups That Can Solve Problems and Change the World (Paperback). Michael Jacoby Brown; Long Haul Press: Arlington, MA; 2006; 424 pages. Instructs and inspires the reader with information, stories and exercises from grassroots organizing. This guidebook describes how to launch or revitalize a group, provide leadership, run meetings, recruit and motivate members, channel participants’ energy, raise money, and build a sense of caring and community within an organization.
8. The Nonprofit Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Start and Run Your Nonprofit Organization. Gary M Grobman; White Hat Communications: Harrisburg, PA; 2005; 380 pages. Provides an overview of starting and running a nonprofit with details on the federal laws, regulations and court decisions that apply to nonprofits, as well as staffing, grant-writing, advocacy, strategic planning, bookkeeping, incorporating, registering to lobby, applying for tax exemptions, and complying with charitable solicitation laws.
9. Nonprofit Law Made Easy. Bruce R. Hopkins; John Wiley and Sons, Inc.: New York; 2005; 288 pages. Written by a lawyer for executives, board members, officers, accountants, fundraisers, and others who handle legal issues that affect the way nonprofit organizations are formed and operated. Provides a legal guide related to starting a nonprofit with information on tax-exempt status, fundraising, reporting, liability, disclosure and more.
10. Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Your Nonprofit Corporation (Paperback). The Unknown Attorney Ms. Cellaneous; Bellissima Publishing: Jamul, CA; 2005; 232 pages. Everything you never wanted to know, and everything you need to know about nonprofits including articles of incorporation, bylaws, employee contracts, insurance waivers, tax information, rights, and resources. The Unknown Attorney has been practicing law for over twenty years and is widely published in business law.
11. Nonprofit Kit for Dummies (Paperback). Stan Hutton & Frances Phillips; Hungry Minds, Inc.: New York; 2005; 384 pages. Basic information which covers obtaining and retaining non-profit status, incorporating, writing a mission statement, recruiting paid and volunteer staff, budgeting, raising money and writing tax reports. The CD includes checklists, tips and examples.
12. The Art of the Start: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything. Guy Kawasaki; Portfolio Hardcover: New York; 2004; 240 pages. The guide describes how to launch products, services, and companies, including writing a business plan, recruiting, raising capital, branding, networking, building buzz, managing a board, and fostering a community. Provides steps to turn your ideas into action.
13. Why Nonprofits Fail: Overcoming Founder’s Syndrome, Fundphobia and Other Obstacles to Success. Stephen R. Block; Jossey-Bass; 2003; 208 pages. This book offers advice on how to be more effective and overcome the seven most common stumbling blocks, including the two mentioned in the title, financial misfortune, recruitment disorientation, cultural depression on nonprofit organizations, self-serving political performance, and role confusion between the board and executive director.
14. The Five Life Stages of Nonprofit Organizations: Where You Are, Where You're Going, and What to Expect When You Get There; Judith Sharken Simon & J. Terence Donovan; Amherst H. Wilder Foundation: St. Paul, MN; 2001; 102 pages. Assess strengths and weaknesses and learn how to gauge progress in organizational development (governance, staff leadership, finance, administrative systems, staffing, products/services, and marketing). Describes five life stages and how an organization moves through the stages. Case studies, resources, advice and a bibliography included.

Return to CIL NET Wiki Resources Home Page