Starting a Nonprofit in Dallas

1) What does it take to start a nonprofit organization?

Generally, starting a nonprofit involves taking some or all of the following steps:

• File articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State;
• Convene a meeting of the board at which by-laws are adopted;
• Apply to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for Federal, tax-exempt status;
• Obtain any required municipal or State operating permits / licenses;
• Register a DBA (Doing Business As) name with the County;
• Register with the State Comptroller's Office to receive exemption from State taxes;

It is important to have your application for tax-exempt status and other legal documents reviewed by an attorney with appropriate expertise.  Reading the nonprofit Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, online at the Office of the Texas Secretary of State, is also recommended. Here are some additional resources:

• Assumed Names Registration (Dallas County Clerk)
• Charities & Nonprofits (Internal Revenue Service)
• Exempt Organizations [note: scroll down] (Texas State Comptroller)
• Federal Trademarks (US Patent & Trademark Office)
• FirstGov for Nonprofits (US Federal Government)
• Nonprofits (Texas Secretary of State)
• Occupational & Professional Licenses (State of Texas)
• One Stop Permit Center (City of Dallas)
• State Trademark (Texas Secretary of State)
• Texas Dept. of Licensing & Regulation (State of Texas)
• US Patent & Trademark Office (US Federal Government)

Note that Dallas's Center for Nonprofit Management regularly offers a free seminar called, "Before Starting a Nonprofit Organization."

Online publications

• Becoming a Nonprofit in the State of Texas (Austin Community College)
• Guidelines to Texas Tax Exemptions (Texas State Comptroller)
• How Do I Establish a Nonprofit Organization? (Foundation Center)
• IRS Publication 557: Tax Exempt status for your organization (Internal Revenue Service)
• IRS Publication 4220: Applying for 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Status (Internal Revenue Service)
• Nonprofit Management: Establishing a Nonprofit Organization (Foundation Center)
• Texas Nonprofit Corporation Act 
• Texas Uniform Unincorporated Nonprofit Association Act 

books

The following are just a sample of the many books on law, nonprofit management, grantsmanship, foundations, proposal writing and related subjects that can be found at the Dallas Public Library. Most are located on either the Government Information Center (6th floor), where the Library's Grants Information Service is located, or in the History & Social Sciences  (8th floor).

• Budgeting and financial management handbook for not-for-profit organizations by Edward J. McMillan (658.15 M167B 2000)
• How to form a nonprofit corporation by Anthony Mancuso (346.73064 M269H 2002) 
• How to form your own profit or non-profit corporation without a lawyer by Benji O. Anosike (346.73066 A615H 1999)
• Legal answer book for nonprofit organizations by Bruce R. Hopkins (346.73064 H793L)
• Nonprofit enterprises : corporations, trusts, and associations  by Marilyn E. Phelan. (346.73064 P538N 2000)
• Nonprofit Kit for Dummies (658.048 H985N 2001) 
• Not-for-profit accounting made easy by Warren Ruppel (657.98 R946N 2002) 
• Starting & managing a nonprofit organization: a legal guide by Bruce R. Hopkins. (346.73064 H793 2001)
• Streetsmart financial basics for nonprofit managers by Thomas A. McLaughlin (658.15 M161S 2002)
• West's Texas Forms (346.764 W541 / 8th floor only)  

NOTE: The foregoing is provided for information only and are not meant to be comprehensive or to convey legal advice. Other laws and regulations may apply, and you are advised to seek the assistance of a competent legal attorney.

2) Where can I turn for training or technical assistance?

There are several organizations in the Dallas / Fort Worth area that provide training and technical assistance to non-profit organizations.  Courses are offered in nonprofit and volunteer management, including workshops and programs leading to an academic certificate.

nonprofit agencies

• Center for Nonprofit Management (Downtown Dallas)
• Funding Information Center (Fort Worth)
• Volunteer Center of North Texas (DFW)
• Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations
• Texas Accountants & Lawyers for the Arts

colleges

• American Humanics at UNT (Univ. of North Texas / Denton)
• COMM 3461 / 5466: Writing Grants & Research Proposals (Amberton Univ. / Garland)
• Certificate in Nonprofit Management (Brookhaven College / Center for Nonprofit Management)
• Nonprofit Leadership Certificate (SMU @ Legacy / Center for Nonprofit Management)
• Nonprofit Series (Richland Community College /  Dallas )
• Urban Nonprofit Management (UT Arlington)
• Volunteer Management (Univ. of North Texas / Denton)
• Youth & Human Services Management (Univ. of North Texas / Denton)

Useful Websites

These websites provide information and advice on practical and legal issues.

• Charity Channel
• Clearinghouse For Volunteer Accounting Services
• FirstGov
• Foundation Center
• Give.org (Better Business Bureau)
• Internet Nonprofit Center
• NPower
• Network for Good
• Power of Attorney
• Pro Bono Partnership
• Techsoup

MAGAZINES

The Grants Information Center subscribes to a number of magazines and journals of interest to the nonprofit community.  These and other titles are available on the 6th floor of the Central Library:

• The Chronicle of Philanthropy
• The Grassroots Fundraising Journal
• Journal of Volunteer Administration
• Nonprofit Times
• Nonprofit World
• Philanthropy Magazine
• Volunteer Leadership

3) Funding your organization.

The J. Erik Jonsson Central Library hosts a Foundation Center Cooperating Collection on the 6th floor.  See these web pages for details: 

• Grants Information Service (Dallas Public Library)
• Government Grants: A Resource Guide (Dallas Public Library)
• Proposal Writing Short Course (Foundation Center)

Databases at the Library

These databases, together with many printed directories available on the 6th floor of the Central Library, can help to research foundations that are interested in funding organizations like yours. 

• FC Search (The Foundation Center): "A comprehensive listing of active U.S. foundations and corporate giving programs and their associated grants. It includes a Grantmaker File of more than 72,000 records, and a Grants File with more than 300,000 grants of $10,000 or more awarded by the nation's largest funders. You may also link directly to the Web sites of approximately 3,700 of the nation's top foundations, as well as more than 1,900 corporate Web sites."

• Foundation Grants to Individuals (The Foundation Center): "Foundation Grants to Individuals on CD-ROM is an electronic version of the Foundation Center's classic print publication. Its fast-speed format allows you to quickly search through a comprehensive database of over 4,000 foundations and public charities that fund a wide range of needs for individuals."

NOTE: To access these databases, you must come to the Central Library's Grants Information Service; there is no access available from other Library Branches.

4) Staffing your organization.

The following sites provide nonprofit job seekers and/or volunteers access to nonprofit organizations and employers:

• Community Career Center (National)
• Clearinghouse For Volunteer Accounting Services
• Foundation Center Job Corner (National)
• Junior League of Dallas - Annual Volunteer Fair
• Opportunity NOCs (Dallas)
• Philanthropy Staffing (National)
• SMU Office of Leadership & Community Involvement (Dallas)
• Texas Accountants & Lawyers for the Arts
• Volunteer Center of North Texas (North Texas)
• Volunteer Match (National) 

The Library's Community Information Database includes local agencies that provide volunteer opportunities. We would be happy to list your organization as well.

If you have comments or questions, call the Grants Information Service at 214-670-1468 or send us an email.  The J. Erik Jonsson Central Library is located at 1515 Young St. in downtown Dallas. Our hours are Mon.-Thur. 9am-9pm, Fri.-Sat. 9am-5pm and Sun. 1-5pm.