Starting a non profit is one of the most fulfilng things that you can do, however, it can often be very difficult to get all the steps done right. Because of the prevalence of money laundering and financial crimes, the government makes it very difficult to start non profits. I recently started a nonprofit called Scholarships for Africa, which provides scholarships for smart kids in Africa who cannot afford college. Here are the steps I went through.

The first step is to find a website that will quickly and easily file your documents and forms for you. I used Swyft filings.

Then, you will go through the process of applying for status as an NPO (501 c3). There are various forms you will have to fill out, and in order to do these steps you need two co-founders (three people including yourself).

After you are approved, you will have to get something called an EIN. This is an employee identification number, and it will be needed for taxes.

After you are approved, get the EIN, and fill out the various forms that the website will tell you you need to fill out, you will then be able to fundraise, an begin accomplishing the mission of your non profit organization.

Something else you may need to do is file for tax exempt status, if that is something you want.

For me, I am raising money for scholarships for Africa, and I am currently planning a swim-a-thon for fundraising. I swim competitively, so this is convenient for me. The most important thing is to find something convenient for you that you know about, so that you can easily do it.