It’s a little known truth that anything that’s in excess, is not yours to keep. Therefore, if you had too many earthly possessions (or could afford getting anything you wish for, anytime), it’s about time you thought about giving what you don’t need, to folks who are less fortunate. One can easily participate in any of the several institutions with charitable endeavors, but why do that, when you can start your own? Here are some points to think about when starting your own charity:
- Know your mission. Who would you want to reach out to? There are several communities that need charitable endeavors, but which one would you like to be an advocate of? For instance, would you like a charity for children? Single moms? Handicapped individuals? Unschooled kids? War-torn communities? This will help you put more focus on your purpose and later on allow you to choose charitable partners who have similar advocacies.
- Be honest about your financial conditions. Although you are a charity, you must know the extent at which you can support your mission. How much money do you have on hand, and what are you going to spend it on? Lack of planning in any charitable endeavor leads to disorganized missions, so in effect, you will have not helped anyone and will have wasted yoru resources.
- Form your management. Although it’s an individual thought, be honest about your need for people to manage the institution. You will need a chairman and board members who will all collaborate in decision-making. Also, choose your employees carefully, making sure that their purpose in life is synonymous to yours, and that’s to help others, and not particularly yourselves.
- Establish legality. This ensures that the money that goes into the foundation, will be used for the right purposes. You may even have to seek permission to operate an NGO (non-government organization), and obtain a Federal Employer Identification number for tax concerns. Before everything gets started, be sure you’ve organized the legalities beforehand.