What is a Nonprofit Organization?

A Nonprofit Organization (NPO), It has several names such as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution. It is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or social benefit, in contract with an entity that operates as a business aiming to generate a profit for its owners. It is subject to the non-distribution constraint: any revenues that exceed expenses must be committed to the organization’s purpose, not taken by private parties. Provide assistance to a certain group, where their profits go to, not in their individual pockets. In short, they do not distribute their profits to the managing body and staff of the organization. They are one of the biggest contributors to the economy, as their purpose, to reach out to the community.

How Does a Nonprofit Organization Raise Money?

The influence of the public on the operations of nonprofit organizations is huge. It is an organization that seeks to finance itself through donations from the general public. They typically have to garner public trust as a source of their funding. They gain public trust through transparency on the activities they partake in as a contribution to the community. This typically shows how strong the morals and ethics the nonprofit practices. Once a NPO captivates the audience, the more willing they would be to shell out money to donate or extend themselves by volunteering due to a shared belief. They must have a steady mission that not only captures the attention of the masses but one they can find resonance in a shared belief as well, for them to reach out. People are more likely to help a cause that they have a shared belief with.

What is a Fact Sheet?

It is an extensive tool that is utilized by companies, businesses, organizations, to supply facts and figures about their cause, purpose, programs, products and services, etc. It is usually one or two pages long, with all the information laid out in a concise manner. It makes for easy-viewing and enhanced benefit for the reader because of the knowledge they gained quickly. Fact sheets are inexpensive to produce but yield excessive results. It can also be employed as a Marketing tool due to its purpose of information dissemination and spreading the word about whichever establishment or organizing body they are.

What is the Importance of a Fact Sheet?

Employing the use of a Fact Sheet is a great way to introduce your organization to the general public. As more people get educated on your cause, it will snowball into gaining contact with potential partners, sponsors, volunteers, and donors. As a people-funded organization that has a belief of developing the community that will help the public, you must put your nonprofit organization within earshot of potential collaborators.

Visibility

For an organization that has a strong belief in a greater change, you want to get your message out in the world, no matter what. You would want to properly introduce your nonprofit organization to the public, especially if you are just starting out. There will be people who want to help and are interested in your cause. You want to position your nonprofit information sheet in their vicinity. Providing them with the tools of what you are about, who you are, where you can be found, and how you can be contacted will do just that. The nonprofit fact sheet can be posted on your website, social media, as email attachments. You basically have to call out for your targeted audience and wait for them to give you a hand.

Accessible

A fact sheet is an important source of information of whichever company, business, or organization you belong to. Having a copy of your nonprofit organization information sheet provides you with an outline of what your organization is about, what it stands for at its core. While there are visitors in your office, the fact sheet will keep them hooked as they learn what you are about. Think of promotional materials such as fliers and brochures handed out in the mall. When a business or an organization makes the effort to reach out, it gives customers the chance to do their own part by taking action. They will also be able to spread the information with other people and maybe hand them their second copy if they were interested enough to get one. You can also disseminate them through email, no need to print it. It can also be posted on your website for easy-viewing, as well as your social media accounts.

Readability

The nonprofit fact sheet provides your readers with a simple document and easy understanding of your organization. If created with tact and conciseness, it will be able to represent your organization in its entirety. The presence of visual aids will make it easier for them to grasp the information.

Marketing Material

Fact Sheets provide your organization with exposure. Nonprofit organization fact sheets are important to introduce your organization to the general public and have your name marketed by word-of-mouth as people who get a hold of the fact sheet will be able to gain more knowledge on your organization and influence others about your cause. A Nonprofit Fact Sheet represents everything your organization is from your beliefs and mission, who you aim to target, and information on how the masses can extend themselves to the organization.

Types of Nonprofit Organizations

There are several types of nonprofit organizations across all niches. There is an abundance of 27 nonprofit organization types, according to the IRS. This includes political organizations, schools, business associations, churches, social clubs, and consumer cooperatives

Charitable Organizations

When nonprofits are mentioned, people usually mean charitable organizations or true nonprofits. These organizations are labeled 501(c)(3), with 1.5 million charitable organizations in the United States alone, making it the most common type of nonprofit organization.

Private Charitable Organizations

Is a nonprofit that is privately owned and established by a philanthropist or business whose purpose is to grant money to smaller nonprofits to address pressing global concerns on education, medicine, the environment, etc. Their funds are not publicly driven.

Social Welfare Organizations 501(c)(4)

These are organizations that are involved with politics and are allowed to participate in lobbying for legislations for the greater good and welfare of others.

Social Advocacy Groups

They seek to promote social or political change through education and fundraising. Their primary focus is to advocate for causes through public awareness, not lobbying, unlike Social Welfare Organizations. There is a great similarity with Social Welfare Organizations, as both of them are 501(c)(4) organizations.

What is included in the Nonprofit Fact Sheet?

Include a mission statement on what your nonprofit does; What do you do? What is your cause? What do you aim to accomplish in society, and who is it for?

Outline what programs you offer that benefit a certain group

Include who you serve and how many; Who are your target audiences?

In addition to your budget, let interested parties know where donations can be sent

Include a statement on your status like “ABC Nonprofit is a Texas nonprofit corporation; it is tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3)”

Let individuals know how they can help your nonprofit accomplish its mission whether its donating, volunteering, or fundraising

Include available information of contact persons names, numbers, email addresses, mailing address, and website address.

How To Create a Non-Profit Fact Sheet

Describe the scope of your organization

Give them the scope of who you are; what are you about; what do you believe in; what do you do this for; and what is your impact on the community at large. If you want to get their spirits up to extend their help to you, you want to be honest with them and be real about who you are. It’s the human aspect that gets people to reach out. Be transparent about the statistics and demographics of the group of people you are helping. 

Organized Information

With the limited space in your Fact Sheet, you want to lend them only the most crucial information possible. By showing them only the crucial information, it will get them interested in your cause easier. Supply the reader with information that would impact them the most. It isn’t only providing the reader with facts, but also how your project’s milestones and your biggest achievements are transferred on print. It makes it easier once you list down everything your organization is known for. Provide them enough information that would sustain their knowledge of you in their minds.

Visual appeal

In order for the information you provided to be sustained in their mind, the use of bullet points will help organize the information. Organize your Fact Sheet in a way that will reflect your organization and what it stands for. You would want to make it visually appealing not only for it to catch people’s eyes, but also to capture your organization’s cause in a single sheet.

Updated

For your trusted and loyal organization’s partners, receiving a copy of your Nonprofit Fact Sheet will keep them updated on the latest ventures and charitable programs. It will keep their knowledge of your organization updates, therefore sustaining their connection to your organization.

FAQs

What are the aspects of a non-profit organization?

Non-profit organizations that are funded by the public are accountable to those who reach out to their cause and collaborate with them in order to continue their operations. These collaborators pertain to donors and volunteers. A non-profit should have the aspect of accountability, trustworthiness, honesty, and openness to the public.

What are the types of non-profit fact sheets?

Just as information sheets distribute information of all kinds about several industries, there are a variety of fact sheets to be used to convey your cause such as an Organizational Background fact sheet that gives background information about your organization. How To fact sheets teach the reader a valuable lesson. Statistical fact sheets lay out all of the numbers related to your cause. Advocacy fact sheets discuss the social issues that are important to your organization. And the Position Statement fact sheet, which outlines where you stand pertaining to an issue important to your cause.

What are the most common reasons people reach out to nonprofit organizations?

People have a myriad of reasons on why to extend their efforts to organizations and reach out. Relating to the human aspect of it, the act of donating and giving back has a benefit on its own. When we receive something out of goodwill, we naturally appreciate the effort. When it comes to the time that we have to give back, it makes us feel good. Another reason to donate to nonprofit organizations is the importance of belonging to a community. Whenever we find a problem in our area, we seek it to be resolved and contribute our own individual efforts. Other people have also been raised in humble families that made it a habit to give back, no matter how small. Most religious practices also teach people to be humble and contribute to causes when possible.