Anyone on here have any experience starting or helping to start a non-profit in the U.S?

If so, I would love to chat

Is this part of a 'Wife's new couch' tax scam?

You didn't write "no more couch jokes" in this thread.

I work for a non-profit, and while I wasn't there at the beginning when it was being set up, I can tell you this - Getting an official 501(c)(3) non-profit designation from the government is SUPER hard.

I'm looking to open a non-profit print house / gallery here in Long Beach. I want to open it to professional artist/printers, but also host classes for the local kids and youth as an alternative out there. However, I am sick and tired of dumping all of my own money into the arts here in LBC and getting little to no support. I have been working with my councilman's office and they are (obviously) on board with it. Hell, they'd rather have this than the various dispensaries in the area, though I think that would def be a more profitable route for me to go. Ha!

I also sat on the board of an arts non-profit in the past that offered programs to the retarded citizens in the LA area. Great program (ASD for those who are interested). The woman who started the program has been helpful, as much as she can without doing it for me.

I'm just looking for direction here in the business plan. I can write a normal plan, but (as James sort of pointed out) starting a 501 (c) is a tad more in depth with regard to the numbers, etc.

As for the couch jokes, a-hem, I'm sure I'll have to buy one or two for the space now as well. So goddamnit, buy my shit in the for sale thread already so this can all end.

nice project 666doll, i can't help but all the best in getting it up and going.

I had a hand in starting/running a non-profit food bank and I can say it is much harder to do then any of us involved thought it would be. The logistics were easy and getting volunteers was quick as well. The specific laws can be very different from state to state. Our plan was solid and we had many local businesses signed up but getting the paperwork pushed through seemed impossible. What ended up happening was a friend who liked the idea got his local church involved and his pastor or whatever he was talked to the mayor and got everything certified in one weekend. Apparently most decent size churches have a lot of pull with the city offices. Not sure if that is a direction you'd want to go though. I would hate getting a church involved with anything art related but all we were doing was trying to feed people.