Seven Steps to Starting a Nonprofit [Stories of a Nonprofit CEO, pt.04]

On June 2009, Rock for Hunger kicked off it’s third year as a nonprofit organization. It is incredible to think how long we have been working on strengthening and building the foundations of the organization. Since 2006 we all have learned a lot about starting, organizing, and running a nonprofit organization.

Always wanted to start a nonprofit organizaton?


Ask yourself these questions:
Are you looking to duplicate efforts that already exist, or are your programs unique?
Can you make a bigger impact joining an existing organization?
Are you ready to take on a second full time job?
Are you ready to make a lifetime commitment?

It is inspiring to see how many individuals now days want to start their own nonprofit, and make a difference in the world. However, it is also very important to not just start a nonprofit, because you always wanted to start one. There are so many organizations out there competing for every dollar for the exact same mission. Be sure to either have a unique idea on how you can best make an impact, otherwise it may be better for you to put all of your energy and efforts into an existing organization. The only way we can truly change the world, and change make a bigger impact on our causes is to partner with others. Only by building a community/network of groups, can we truly put an end to hunger, poverty, cancer, diabetes, disease, and any other cause that we are fighting for. One individual can only do so much, but together we can change the world.

Seven key steps to starting a nonprofit organization:

1. Develop your Mission & Vision

Develop a clear mission of what you want to accomplish, and what your long term objective is. For example, here is the mission and vision of Rock for Hunger:

Mission: Rock for Hunger exists to inspire individuals of all cultures to join
together through music, education and peaceful solutions in order to end the
cycle of hunger and poverty.

Vision: To end the cycle of hunger and
poverty through education, life style design and career development solutions,
beginning with our local community and expanding to reach those in need across
the globe.

2. Compose your ByLaws

When writing your ByLaws make sure to state very clear all the responsibilities of Board Members, rules of the board, length of terms, when meetings take place, and any other important organizational information. I highly recommend you taking a class on writing your nonprofit ByLaws, and also read the Best Guide for Nonprofits by Aretha Olivarez.

3. Set Specific Goals to accomplish your Mission & Vision

These will be variable as the organization grows, but when starting a nonprofit be clear to state the goals you wish to accomplish in a given year, half year, or quarter. For example, for the second half of 2009, Rock for Hunger has four specific goals: Fundraising, Obtaining a facility, building jobs for the needy, and strengthening our programs.

4. Assemble your Board of Directors

I will write more on your Board of Directors later. It is recommended to have an odd number of Board Memebrs, and it is frowned upon if family makes up a majority of the Board. The general textbook definition of good Board Members is someone who Gives and Asks. That’s all. They must be a donor, and need to build new donors. In Rock for Hunger we added two more things to their job description to make them great ambassadors. Our Board Members must: Give, Ask, Recruit, and Participate.

5. File Articles of Incorporation

The Articles of Incorporation is a very easy application that you need to file with the states department of corporations. Save the legal fees and look at some sample applications from businesses in your state. You can pretty much search any business that filed in your state, and see how they filled out their application.

6. Obtain an EIN

Another extremely easy step! Once your Articles of Incorporations have been filled, and returned by the state, call the IRS, and get a EIN number for your nonprofit Organization. EIN stands for Employer Identification Number. You will need this to open a bank account, and to file for our 501(c)3 status.

7. Fill out the BEAST: the 501(c)3 Application

Here comes the monster! I will write more on this later, because this can’t be explained in a few sentences. Read through the entire application first, and start gathering materials as you read. Then there are many ways to go towards filling out this application. If you decide to do this by yourself, I highly recommend that you take a course, or read some book on filling your 501(c)3 application. This is not something you want to screw up. It can take anywhere from three months to one year to receive your 501(c)3 status. I have some organization obtain it in one month. 501(c)3 information to be continued….

Chris Goyzueta - Executive Director of Rock for Hunger

Stories of a Nonprofit CEO, pt. 004

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The Beginning of Helping Others [Stories of a Nonprofit CEO, pt.3]

Being able to teach something useful to someone is one of the most appreciated things I have ever done in life. It always brings joy to my face to see an individual grow and succeed based on the skills I have been able to pass along to them. I’m really looking forward to getting our financial training, and lifestyle design program started for Rock for Hunger this summer/fall. My first experience in really teaching others a useful skill was when I became a certified personal trainer. I know what you are thinking, I do not look like a personal trainer, or like I have ever been fit.

I actually ran my first triathlon about four years ago now. It’s amazing how fast time can go by when you are doing something you love. Be sure to appreciate every day of your life. Also, I trained a girl who turned pro in bodybuilding. Got her from 29% body fat, all the way to 12%. That is sick for a girl! (see the photo below).



I trained bodybuilders, professional athletes (trained a professional female soccer player who was offered to play for the Canadian Olympic team), rehabilitating clients from injuries, and the average every day person looking to loose weight. I’ve always been overweight and took an interest in fitness while I was working on becoming fit. It became so interesting to me that I started teaching others on how to loose weight and get in shape, and loved working with all the problem clients who had anything from knee surgeries to fibromyalgia, etc.

As my passion for helping individuals feel better about them, I went to being a pre-med student at UCF, which then eventually led to Rock for Hunger. More on the pre-med journey next week. It is so crazy how so many Americans love their jobs, and what they do, but one needs to be really careful not to let their job consume their life, and loose focus on one of the most important things: YOUR HEALTH!!! It was one of my greatest achievements to go from 235 lbs down to 185 lbs and being able to run a triathlon, and having abs! Now I’m up to close to 250 lbs, because of not taking time for myself, and not watching what I eat. Let’s make a commitment together to not only have fun and work hard at what we do, but to also work hard on eating well and keeping ourselves in shape. The healthier and fitter we are, the happier we can make others, and the even more successful we can be at what we love to do. Let’s get fit together, and let’s ROCK FOR HUNGER together!!!

Note: On Thursday I’ll post a basic fitness plan for the average person, and basic eating guidelines. You think what does this have to do with Rock for Hunger, everything! It’s these stories that have made us who we are today!

Chris Goyzueta, Executive Director of Rock for Hunger
Stories of a Nonprofit CEO, pt.003

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Living with Tourette's [Stories of a Nonprofit CEO pt.2]

People always ask where the passion of helping other came from. I’ve always told them the story of me becoming a personal trainer. But I think it goes a lot further back then that. Since I was a little kid, I always had the desire of coming up with a natural cure for a neurological disorder I have called Tourette Syndrome (TS). The stereotype with TS is that we all curse and have vocal outbursts. Sometimes a foul word does slip from my mouth, but I assure it’s not the TS. Actually only 15% of individuals diagnosed with TS have vocal outbursts. As many as 10 per 1,000 children have TS or some kind of tic disorder. Some of the symptoms of TS include: throat clearing, coughing, eye blinking, facial movements, shoulder jerking, biting the inside of the cheek (that one can hurt!), lip smacking, neck jerking, and other body movements.

In my search for a cure for TS, I found out there are lots of powerful (and very scary) medications one can take, or many natural remedies. Either way, the symptoms of TS can not be cured. Symptoms can be diminished but never really disappear regardless of taking the method of medication or natural remedies. My philosophy always was to go with the natural remedies, rather than putting powerful chemicals in my body with many damaging side effects.

Instead of taking these powerful drugs here are some natural remedies one can take for TS: Meditation, Thai Chi, Yoga, Reading, acupuncture, massage, and other types of relaxation therapies.

The ticks and twitches from TS never really bothered me very much. What always bothered me was that other kids would pick on me, and make fun of my symptoms. Ever since, I wanted to be able to help other kids to not have to deal with these bullies by finding a cure for TS. Looks like life had a different plan for me. As my good friend Rae Rae Eddins always said, me going to medical school to find a cure for TS sounded to selfish and was totally not like me. So, here I am still trying to find a cure, but not to TS. Instead I’m battling each day of finding a peaceful solution to an even bigger problem: Hunger, Poverty, and Homelessness. Some say there is no cure for this one either, but I think those people have not yet seen what one person can do. Imagine what many people together can do. Together we can change the world! That is why it is important for us to “Be the change we want to see in the world (Ghandi).”

Chris Goyzueta, Executive Director of Rock for Hunger
“Stories of a Nonprofit CEO” pt. 002

- Check out the Tourette Syndrome Association of USA for more info

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The Paths of Life - Stories of a Nonprofit CEO

Isn’t it incredible how many different paths life can take you? Every choice we make changes the course of time forever. Even if we choose not to pick a way, we are going down a new road. Many of us go through life changing careers, relationships, course of study in college, and many other aspects of life. Then there are some that know exactly what they want to do, go for it, and never look the other way. Regardless of the path we take in life, we must make the choice to make the best of it. As I always say, “just say yes, and figure out how later.”

It’s crazy to think about the path I choose just three years ago when deciding to take on Rock for Hunger full time. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I choose the other road. Right now I could be sitting in a cadaver lab in my first year of medical school, learning about medicine and the different part of the human body, or I could be on the road full time shredding my guitar 250 days out of the year, or who knows what other possible roads of opportunities there were ahead of me. But instead I’m know the Executive Director of a grassroots nonprofit organization, and booking live music for the Plaza Theatre.

Some days I feel like I should be further along in life. But when I look at it this way, I could either be a struggling entrepreneur, studying 50+ hours a week, or be living life on the road trying to get my big break. Looks like either way I’m exactly in the right place and on my way up to something great. Wherever you are in life right now, it is important to always focus on your strengths, spend as much time with our loved ones as we can, and realize that today really is a great day. Because today is another new day for us to be able to accomplish anything we want. I can’t be a rock star, doctor, and nonprofit entrepreneur all at the same time, but today I can be the best nonprofit entrepreneur in the world. As one of my former great professors always said, there are three important things in life:

1.) Something to Do - “Focus on your passion and strengths in life”
2.) Someone to Love - “Always make time for those we love”
3.) Something to look forward to – “Stay focused on our goals every day, bad or good”

This is the start of a weekly column to take you through the Stories of a Nonprofit CEO. These are the stories of how Rock for Hunger came about and got to where we are now, and going to be week to week. Along the way I’ll teach you about some pretty cool and absolute random things I’ve experienced in life to make me who I am today. Hope you enjoy!

::Chris Goyzueta, Executive Director of Rock for Hunger::
“Stories of a Nonprofit CEO” pt. 1

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