Writing a Nonprofit Business Plan in 6 Steps

As a nonprofit organization, you may feel a business plan is redundant and couldn’t serve you any good. Even though your organization isn’t a business per se, it still needs people to run it professionally and with clear goals. This is why a business plan is a great tool for leading your organization forward and clarifying what you want to achieve and how.

The only question is can you write a high-performing business plan for your nonprofit? If you want to write one, but aren't sure how, we've got you covered. This article provides all the information and guidance you'll need to create a strong business plan for a nonprofit and use it to upgrade your organization. 

Here’s everything you need to know.

source: Pexels 

• What is a Nonprofit Business Plan?

Let’s begin by defining what a nonprofit business plan is. 

It’s a written document that sums up what the current situation with your organization is and where you plan on going with it in the future. 

It’s supposed to define your goals and milestones for achieving those goals.

It answers the following questions:

• What is your organization about?
• What are you currently doing with it?
• Where do you see it in X years?
• What are your next steps?
• What makes you stand out from the rest?

The goal of writing a business plan is more than impressing potential investors or volunteers. It should also help you run the organization better, by clearly defining its path and where you want it to go.

• Why Your Nonprofit Needs a Business Plan?

If you’re still questioning whether you need a business plan for your nonprofit or not, we're here to point out the benefits of writing one. A business plan will help your organization grow and improve on so many levels. 

Here's what you gain by writing a well-researched plan for your nonprofit:

• gaining fresh information and data through research
• defining your organization’s short-term and long-term goals
• setting goals
• developing plans on how to reach them
• gaining a better understanding of your donors, beneficiaries, and partners
• attracting investors and volunteers 

You can achieve all of this and more by writing a well-researched and informative business plan for your nonprofit. 

• 6 Steps to Writing a Nonprofit Business Plan

Now that you understand the importance and power of a business plan, it’s time to learn how to write one. Here are 6 ultimate steps to follow.

1. Organization Overview

The first section of your nonprofit's business plan should be an overview of the organization. It should introduce the reader to it as if they've never heard of it before. 

But, the section should be brief and only contain information that is relevant and important to the reader. Here’s what to cover:

• a brief history of the organization (when was it founded, where, by whom)
• who are your volunteers
• who are the people you’re helping
• what causes are you standing up for

This is to set the grounds for the rest of the business plan and introduce your organization properly.

2. Mission Statement

Next, you’ll need to define the main mission of your organization. Your mission statement should be concise and no longer than a couple of sentences. 

The goal is to summarize the entire story behind your organization and raise the interest of the reader. It'll motivate them to read the rest of your business plan.

Here are some examples to help you get the idea:

• Doctors Without Borders: Our mission is to provide lifesaving medical care to those most in need.
• American Red Cross: The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.
• World Wildlife Fund: Our mission is to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.

You get the idea.

3. Your Activities

Writing about your organization's activities is important, so make sure to cover the most important aspects of what you do. Although you mentioned it in the introductory section, this section provides more details.

Here’s what you should focus on:

• the problems in the community you’re solving
• your local and global impact
• the people you’re serving or helping
• the needs you’re meeting
• the programs you carry out regularly
• fundraising events you’re throwing 

Cover your main activities and your regular program. 

4. Future Programs

Innovation is key for a nonprofit. Talk about the things you plan on doing in the future. To make it meaningful, provide the following information for each program:

• the opportunities you’ll seize
• the impact you’ll make 
• the changes you’ll start
• the people or communities you’ll help

Justify each activity you plan on carrying out and help the reader imagine the positive changes you’ll be making.

5. Marketing Plan

How are you raising awareness about your nonprofit? What are you doing to reach out to people?

Write about your current marketing efforts. Also, talk about your plans for improving this segment of your nonprofit’s activity:

• social media marketing
• email marketing 
• blogging
• making videos
• storytelling

Write down your ideas and marketing plans to show your creativity and expertise in this field. 

6. Budget Plan

Your nonprofit business plan needs to discuss finances. Your budget plan has to provide the numbers and data on how you’ll finance your projects. Cover details including:

• cost of each separate activity
• regular fees you’re paying
• the income from donors 
• monthly or yearly budget projections

Talk about how much money you need, why, and how you plan on getting it.

7. Proofread

Finally, your business plan needs to be professionally written. Edit and proofread several times before sending it out.

We know that this type of writing assignment can be a challenge. You could get assistance from a writing service that hires professional writers doing thesis writing help. Since academic writing is highly demanding in terms, you can be sure that your business plan will be edited to perfection.

• Final Thoughts

As a nonprofit, you need to be able to reach out to people, show them who you are, and get their support. A business plan is one of the best ways to do it.

We hope you’ll use the 6 steps for writing a nonprofit business plan that we’ve shared above. Start writing your business plan today.

Author’s bio. Jessica Fender is a copywriter and blogger at Papersheaven with a background in marketing and sales. She enjoys sharing her experience with like-minded professionals who aim to provide customers with high-quality services.