My husband and I have a really good friend who used to play professional baseball. Now that he has retired he is a private coach to other up and coming players. If you know anything about private coaching you know that it is largely available to those of financial means. Our friend doesn’t only want to coach players who come from families with financial resources. He wants to give back by offering private coaching to those who cannot typically afford such luxuries. Our friend said he wants to start a nonprofit organization to do just that.
Most people who form nonprofit organizations do so because they see a need that they would like to address. Do you need to be a nonprofit to fill a need? I told our friend no.
In this economy and given his busy coaching schedule, I gave him different advice. I suggested that he test the waters by reaching out to some existing nonprofit organizations to see if a community partnership can be formed. This would be the perfect place to learn about how to run a nonprofit organization and how to develop a community program.
As a person with a professional skill and well-to-do colleagues and clients, our friend has the opportunity to bring resources and expertise to young people already being served by an existing nonprofit organization. Starting a nonprofit organization takes time and money that quite honestly, our friend does not currently have.
After an initial conversation, my friend agreed to at least explore the partnership idea. He is going to take six months and try to partner. If my friend does not find the right partner or if he feels he will have greater impact by forming his own organization, then we will begin the nonprofit planning process.
Do I sound like a dream-killer or a community-builder? That my question!
VCG
