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At Volunteer Center Orange County we
specialize in board development,
fundraising, philanthropy, operations and
nonprofit management. We hope this website
can be a useful tool to answering some of
your questions.
Starting a Nonprofit
Organization
1. Consider that
accomplishing all the steps to start a
nonprofit can take from two to nine months
or more
Status
depends on how long the IRS and California
Franchise Tax Board take to review your
application for tax exemption. The cost is $555 or more in
filing fees, not including any professional
fees for an attorney or accountant.
2.
Read "Get
Ready; Get Set"
(also available
in Spanish "En Sus Marcas, Listos")
This booklet answers many of your
questions about the process of starting a
nonprofit organization. This publication is
available at our library as well as online
for free and can be downloaded by clicking
on the following link:
Get Ready; Get Set
3. Attend the workshops at
Volunteer Center Orange County.
Training
Workshops:
-
Starting a New
Nonprofit: The Reality Checklist
Forming a nonprofit 501(c)(3) in California
is not as easy as you may think. Attend this
class and come away with an understanding of
the steps involved and
where the resources
are to help you make informed decisions.
(Generally offered every other month.)
4. Obtain a copy of How
to Form a Nonprofit Corporation in
California.
Manusco, Anthony. 10th
edition. Berkeley: Nolo Press, 2004. This
book comes with a CD that
includes all necessary forms and is
considered the bible for starting a
nonprofit in California.
5. Visit the
IRS-Tax and Information for Charities and
Other Nonprofits
website.
The IRS also
has a customer service department for
nonprofit organizations. Contact them and
request a start-up packet for a 501(c)(3)
organization. You will get the forms needed
to get tax exempt status. You can also pick
up an application at your local IRS office.
Reach their Tax Exempt specialists
by calling (877) 829-5500.
6. You
must register with the California
Secretary of State's office as a nonprofit
corporation.
Contact them and ask to be
mailed a start-up packet of information:
California Secretary of State
1500 11th Street, 3rd floor Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 653-2318 Fax:
(916) 657-5448 8am to 4:30pm,
Monday-Friday
Forms,
Samples, and Fees in the Business
Programs Division
For an overview of laws in
California applicable to tax exempt
organizations, including filing
requirements, see:
Exempt Organizations
For sample articles of
incorporation to be filed with the
California Secretary of State and other
information on starting a nonprofit
corporation in California, see:
Organization of California Nonprofit,
Nonstock Corporations
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Reference
Center
Volunteer Center Orange County offers many
informational resources on nonprofit
funding, management, board development and
volunteer management.
Our information center contains reference
books on the above topics and
more. We also offer free public
access to the
Foundation Center
search
online.
Online Resources
1. Volunteer
Center Orange County is a Cooperating
Collection of the
Foundation Center.
As a member of this nationwide network of
libraries, community foundations, and other
nonprofit agencies, the Volunteer Center
Orange County provides visitors
with free public access to grantmaker
directories, books on fundraising, and
nonprofit management and the Foundation
Center Directory Online.
The fully
searchable database includes
detailed profiles of all active U.S.
foundations, over 80,000 grants as well as an extensive file of
recent grants awarded by the nation's top funders.
Volunteer Center Orange County provides free access to this helpful
resource.
2 .
GuideStar
Basic:
This simple search is
for users who want to verify a nonprofit's
legitimacy, learn
whether a contribution
will be tax deductible, view a nonprofit's
recent 990 form, or find out more about its
mission, programs and finances.
3 . Attorney
General's Guide for Charities:
Download this
publication from the
California Attorney
General's website.
This is a good resource because
it is easy to use, and helpful to have
around to answer legal questions.
4 . Visit
PublicLawCenter.org
Public
Law Center offers pro bono legal services.
The Community Organizations Legal
Assistance Project (COLAP) provides transactional legal assistance to
local nonprofit organizations that face a
variety of different business law issues
such as contracts, employment and real
estate.
Public Law Center also provides
legal assistance to those interested in
starting new nonprofit organizations
designed to benefit Orange County's low
income residents.
Public Law Center
601 Civic Center Drive West
Santa Ana, CA 92701-4002
(714)541-1010
5 . Review
Help with IRS Form
1023
This website gives expert help on how
to fill out the IRS 1023 form, which is the
application for recognition of the exemption
under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code. It was developed by an
ex-IRS employee and includes a list of red
flags that the agency looks for.
6 .
About.com: Nonprofit
Charitable Organizations
Lots of
sample bylaws, articles of
incorporation, applications, etc.
7 .
Nonprofit FAQs:
The
Nonprofit FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
from
Idealists.org is based on questions and
answers about nonprofit organizations
exchanged on the Internet since 1994.
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Page
VCOC Reference Center
Come join us!
Hours:
Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm
Location:
Volunteer Center Orange County
1901 E. 4th Street
Suite 100
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Phone: (714) 953-5757
Directions:
Click
Here
Reference Collection
Copy Policy: First ten
copies are free and everything after is 25
cents a copy. There is limited use of the
copier (cannot interfere with staff use)
Categories of Books:
- Nonprofit Start Up
- Leadership / Management
- Strategic Planning
- Boards
- Volunteer Management
- Community Building
- Marketing
- Resources
- Outcomes
- Evaluations
- Social Entrepreneurs
- Fundraising
- Foundation Center Core Collection
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Page
Useful Websites for Volunteer Management
Information
Associations and
Organizations :
The Association for
Research on
Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary
Action.
Orange County DOVIA :
Local DOVIA
(Directors of Volunteers in Agencies)
website.
Volunteer Recognition:
:
The fast track to a successful
incentive program.
www.volunteergifts.com :
Features gift items specially made for
nonprofits and associations.
www.thankem.com:
Thank Em promotions specializes in creative
products for recognition.
www.voluncheer.com:
Offers unique products for recognition and
resources.
www.hallmarkbusiness.com:
Purchase
volunteer appreciation cards.
www.baudville.com :
Software,
certificates, and other items to promote
recognition.
www.thankscompany.com:
Specializes in greeting card, recognition
gifts and engraving awards. (Hit cancel when user name and password come
up.)
Special Awards Related to Volunteerism
The Points of
Lights Foundation recognizes
volunteers across the U.S.
www.giraffe.org :
The Giraffe Heroes
Project issues commendations for community
services.
www.dosomething.com:
Honors outstanding young leaders with BRICK
awards and $5,000 grants.
Tools and Resources: :
list of frequently requested federal 800
numbers
www.ditto.com:
search engine for images.
www.independentsector.org:
a national source for resources and data on
volunteerism and private sector giving and
support.
www.nationalserviceresources.org:
EpiCenter is sponsored by the
Corporation for National and Community
Service; this site collects and presents
effective replicable program practices of
what has been proven to work in community
service and volunteering.
www.evite.com:
Send invitations for your special
get-together via e-mail. Allows guest
to RSVP and you can poll those on the list
for best time for everyone.
www.searchsystems.net:
link to free
public record databases. Allows you to
search the sex offender registry, court
decisions and most lists of public nature.
www.energizeinc.com:
Energize, Inc. is perhaps the best
online resource library for leaders
of volunteers, providing volunteer
management books, articles, free
resources, and an innovative online
training plan.
www.volunteertoday.com:
An
e-newsletter for those who manage the work
of volunteers in nonprofit, government or
corporate programs. Its aim is two-fold:
www.e-volunteerism.com:
The Electronic Journal of the
Volunteer Community, providing
leaders of volunteer efforts with
cutting-edge information from around
the world about the field of
volunteer management.
www.charityvillage.com:
had a great
"creating a volunteer handbook" guide.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cybervpm/:
Another great resource you can sign up for
is this Yahoo Group CyberVPM. This is an
international discussion group for volunteer
managers. Debate the topic of the moment,
share resources, get answers to your
volunteer questions.
Fundraising &
Tax Law
Nonprofit
Integrity Act
Applies too:
Article:
Fundraising
in the New Year and Beyond
By Public Law Center's
Newsletter "Nonprofit Matters"
Tax Tips for
Nonprofit Organizations
-
Special
Exemptions for certain charitable
organizations
-
Organizations whose sales are generally
not taxable
-
Organizations working with fundraising
companies
-
General
sales and use tax requirements
-
Food and
meals
-
Donations
and loans
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