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Hiring Personnel for a Nonprofit By Alpa Patel
Hiring Personnel for
a Nonprofit
By Alpa Patel
Hiring personnel for a nonprofit is very different from hiring staff at a for-profit organizations. This primer on nonprofit HR and nonprofit hiring explains what you ought to consider as you recruit nonprofit employees.
If you started your nonprofit with hopes of supervising a large staff earning better than average salaries, prepare to be disappointed.
There is a world of difference between hiring workers for a business and staffing a nonprofit organization with quality personnel. Even so, thousands of other nonprofits have done it and you can do it, too - if you know what to look for.
The most significant hurdle that needs to be addressed in nonprofit staffing is cash. Nonprofits aren't known to pay high salaries and most can't afford to compete with their for-profit counterparts. That means you'll have to either find something else to entice staff recruits or get creative. Typically, nonprofits do a little bit of both.
Board Members
The first and most obvious place to look for people to staff your organization's programs and projects is your board of directors. Board members are unpaid, but committed individuals who probably expect to be asked to donate some of their time. However, be careful not to overload your board members. If you demand too much of them, you may lose them altogether.
Volunteers
Since you can't rely exclusively on your board members, you're going to need to find another source of cheap labor to get the job done. That's where volunteers come in. Believe it or not, there is a sizeable group of individuals in your community who are willing to work for your organization for free. Your job is to find them. The fact that volunteers tend to donate money as well as time is the icing on the cake.
Second Career People
Volunteers have limitations. Sometimes you need to bite the bullet and hire full-time, paid staff. A good place to begin your search is with retirees and second-career individuals. These types of recruits often possess skills and experience that easily transfer from the corporate world to a nonprofit setting. Also, salary level is less of an issue with these folks, making it easier for them to devote their time to a cause they truly care about.
Job Sharing
If thinking outside of the box interests you, you may want to consider staffing certain positions through job sharing. Sometimes nonprofits will share a full-time worker (like a bookkeeper) between their organizations. It might also be possible to convince a for-profit company to donate the time of one or more of their employees as a tax-deductible contribution.
Nonprofit Careerists
Last (but certainly not least) are the nonprofit careerists. Some individuals are perfectly content earning slightly less working for a nonprofit because they are passionate about the nonprofit's mission. In exchange for a respectable salary and benefits your organization will receive the knowledge and experience of a nonprofit professional. But more importantly, your organization will benefit from the passion and excitement they bring to the job.
Media Contact: Alpa Patel
Phone Number: (714) 634-1992
E-mail:
hello@weprint-oc.com
Website:non profits in california
16 Ways to Save Money on Print Jobs By Alpa Patel
16 Ways to Save Money on Print Jobs
By Alpa Patel
If buying print for your company is a brand new responsibility for you, you’re probably shell shocked. Who can blame you! You’re thinking, “Where do I go? Who can I trust? How do I know how much printing costs?”
Relax. We were all there once. I’ve put together some tips to help you s-t-r-e-t-c-h your printing dollars. Knowing some rules-of-thumb will definitely save you money. It’s a recession, so these tips are even more important.
Today, let’s just focus on paper. Did you know that paper accounts for one third to even one half of the cost of your print job? Choose your paper wisely and know why size does matter. Check it out …
1. Stick to multiples of 8-1/2 x 11. That’s the standard
size. Stray too much from a multiple of this size, and you could pay more.
2. Use a printer’s house sheet. Printers stock several types
of paper in their plant, and using what they have on hand often saves you
dough.
3. Reduce the weight of your paper (heavier = pricier).
4. Reduce trim size - even 1/4 inch matters for some jobs. Ask
your printer.
5. Consolidate jobs. By planning ahead, you can print multiple
jobs on the same sheet of paper. This is called ganging.
6. Print only what you need. Reduce waste. (File this tip
under “Duh.”)
7. Go digital. Digital printing lets you print exactly what
you need - even one copy! Most printers today have digital equipment or they
work with another printer who does.
8. Reduce page counts.
9. Shift what you can to the Web. (Is this heresy? Sorry.)
10. Avoid bleeds. That’s when the ink “bleeds” all the way to
the trim edge of the finished piece. The printer has to print the job and then
trim off the edges to create that bleed. That can cost you more.
11. Change your sheet (go to a lower quality of paper).
12. Sabine also suggests that as an option you consider a #1 sheet
rather than a premium sheet, which can save you 12 percent. Moving to a #2
sheet? This saves you 24 percent.
13. Know where the price breaks are. The more paper you buy,
the better your pricing.
14. Don’t be so picky. Ask your printer what paper he has
available/running when your job will print. You’ll avoid make-ready, and save.
15. Know that broken cartons will cost you more. If you’re
ordering a special sheet and only need a small amount, the printer has to
“break a carton” to run your job. You’ll pay extra, since the printer has to
purchase that special sheet (in the whole carton) just for you.
Always talk about paper with your printer when you’re planning your job. Let him or her guide you. Please have an open mind and listen to your printer’s ideas. Together, you can create magnificent work.
Media Contact: Alpa Patel
Phone Number: (714) 634-1992
E-mail:
hello@weprint-oc.com
Website: Save money on printing
Launching a Nonprofit
Launching a Nonprofit
By: Alpa Patel
Launching a nonprofit? If you want to start a not-for-profit organization, this article on starting nonprofits is a must-read.
The decision to launch a nonprofit organization is an exciting step for an entrepreneur.
But taking your organization from the drawing board to your first board meeting takes more than a good idea. It requires knowledge, discipline, and a lot of hard work. Here's how to get started...
Right off the bat, you need to understand that nonprofits are subject to specific regulations governing their operation. Much of the startup process involves laying the groundwork to bring the organization into compliance and gain necessary approvals from state and federal government.
Define Your
Your organization's stated mission is the initial litmus test for qualification as a nonprofit entity. A legitimate nonprofit must be "organized and operate for some religious, educational, charitable, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, fostering of national or international amateur sports, or prevention of cruelty to animals or children". Additionally, your mission should be comprehensive enough to encompass the complete scope of your activities, but specific enough to differentiate yourself from other organizations.
Recruit a Nonprofit Board
Like for-profit corporations, incorporated nonprofits are governed by a board of directors. Carefully consider who you will invite to sit on your board since the initial board members will be instrumental in your organization's development and fundraising efforts. On the other hand, don't procrastinate in selecting board members, either, since your incorporation documents will require individual board members' names and addresses.
Nonprofit Incorporation
You don't need a lawyer to incorporate a nonprofit organization - but it helps. The incorporation process requires the completion of several forms and documents. The first step is to draft articles of incorporation and bylaws that have been approved by your board. With these documents you can then file for incorporation with the state in which the organization resides. But here's the catch . . . An experienced attorney knows the words and phrases that are most likely to gain swift approval. You don't. If you go it alone, there is a good chance the incorporation process will drag on for months without resolution. At a minimum, find an attorney or experienced nonprofit professional who is willing to examine your documents for any red flags.
Federal & State Tax Exemption
Tax-exempt status is one of the perks of nonprofit incorporation. But this exemption is not automatic. You will need to apply for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status with both the IRS and the appropriate state agency. Although it usually only involves board approval and filing a couple of forms, it's important to make sure you do this early in the process. Otherwise, you may be forced to waste very limited resources on taxes you didn't need to pay.
There are several other items you should also consider during the startup phase including insurance coverage, property tax exemption (if the nonprofit owns real estate), a federal employed ID number, and a bulk mail permit. Fortunately, many of these tasks can be accomplished after your organization is up and running. Just be aware of the fact that as a nonprofit you may be subject to different regulations than a typical business and don't hesitate to seek professional advice when you find yourself in unfamiliar territory.
Media Contact: Alpa Patel
Phone Number: (714) 634-1992
E-mail:
hello@weprint-oc.com
Website: Full Color Printing Company in California
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