Ch 4 Your Board of Directors Starting and Building a Non Profit

I am faced with the task of starting a board of directors. This board plays a legal and practical role at any organization, which my book Starting and Building a Nonprofit reminds me of. A non-profit like mine which strives to help people escape medically abusive families is going to rely on donations. But I also want my own money so I can buy property with it so as to build a network of safe houses that keep people away from their abusers. I need an executive director with more experience than I have. My ideas for fundraising efforts include a dry bar/dry club where people buy non-alcoholic beverages, and the fee is a donation. Fundraising ideas include community dances, auctions, and bake sales. I have baking companies in my head after all and I could use the practice despite my anxiety.

I need to find a local Munchausen by Proxy survivor who lives in California somewhere or at least in the Bay Area. I can’t afford to pay people until I do fundraisers. If I could find retired doctors to become a trustee or board member, that would be fabulous. I mean I go to Foothill, have been going to school since 2022 that is, and I have a group of people from whom I can recruit. I’ve thought about volunteering at a non-profit but one that isn’t emotionally charged like a non-profit that works with animals. I’d have meetings on Zoom if we are all far away from each other since many of the people on the Munchausen by proxy support group live in different states.

It’d be nice to have a handle on board members who want to discuss how to raise enough money to buy out my family’s house as the first property I need to buy. I need to recruit a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. I’m clueless as to how large my board needs to be. Although I can’t pay people yet as I’m clueless about how to set up a board, let alone a non-profit and need help from someone experienced. I need to write the bylaws. I’m reading about the non-profit guidebook containing a legal basics section, board affairs section, directory section, committees’ section, programs section, background. My first goal is to buy out my own house and make me the legal owner. I also have to buy other properties in the Bay Area and collect applications from people who need help escaping abusive families. I’d also establish a domestic violence/Munchausen by Proxy survivor hotline. That’s all the ideas I have for now, otherwise I’m stumped.