A non-profit organization is essential for the growth and betterment of the community. Part of the creed of a non-profit organization is to act as a mediator between the government and its citizens. With that, one of the most important things you need to consider about your non-profit organization is visibility. You have to place your office in an established area, accessible to its constituents.
Moving out of your established set-up can be a significant change on your part and other organization members. But to be “closer to the people,” so to say, such a decision has to be made. Now that your organization has decided to take the giant leap, it’s time to work out a plan.
There are three questions to this plan that you must take into consideration:
- What are the needs of your non-profit organization that must be addressed?
- What is the prime location that is beneficial to your organization and the community?
- Just how feasible are these locations?
Determine how much space you need
Before everything else, you must decide how much space your organization needs. It would help if you considered many factors, such as how many employees you might have and what equipment your new area requires. You will also take into consideration the number of clients you will be catering to in a day.
In an article, it is said that shopping for your organization’s space is a serious matter that you will need to decipher which features would be of great importance to you and the company and which aren’t. In the end, it all comes down to breaking down all these features by the functions and their importance.
The Right Location is Vital
As a non-profit organization choosing the right location for your establishment is vital, as it will affect your organization’s overall health. For one thing, the site must ideally allow you to be “visible” to the community and easily accessible. The location must also bring an element of safety for both your clients and your employees.
It’s advised that you talk to the residents of your proposed site and ask for any feedback that they have about the place. It’s also recommended that you observe the location at different times of the day to verify foot traffic or whatever concerns you may see that you will need to deal with. Also, you should check the zoning for your location.
Should you rent, or should you own a place?
Once you have established the question on location, NJ Non-Profits says you have to consider whether you should have your own place or apply for a lease. Both options have their own set of pros and cons.
If you are considering acquiring your own space, the move can dramatically benefit your organization and improve the overall health of its performance. For one thing, owning a building can be considered an asset on the organization’s part. However, since non-profit organizations are exempted from paying most business taxes, a mortgage payment is not considered to be a deductible expense but just a cost.
Owning a building may help you stabilize costs since there isn’t any rent to pay, and you would not have to adjust your expenses on rising rental prices. It will also be an advantage on your organization’s part to own your own space because it will improve the company’s perception. They will see your organization as well-established and stable, which will significantly increase your chances of more new funding.
Should you decide to take the plunge into acquiring your own building, shop around your local financial institutions for the best mortgage rates that they can offer you and your organization.
However, if you decide to take out a lease, there might be other expenses to take into account besides your rental of the place. For one thing, there will always be issues on repairs and maintenance, so you will have to discuss things with your prospective landlord as to who will shoulder these expenses on the occasion that you will need to have a repair or maintenance job done.
Making a move into your own office is considered to be a significant shift. It comes with risks and benefits like anything does when a major change happens. Before your organization decides to take the plunge into all-new territory, consider all aspects first and if you are ready to live with all these changes. Make sure that everything is prepared, including your workers, before you take that giant step to a better future.
