not for profit business plan template australia

• Business plans

Develop your business plan

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Why you need a business plan

Download a business plan template.

Whether you've just started out or have been running your business for years, business planning can be the key to your success. Having a business plan:

• helps you to prioritise – it gives your business direction, defines your objectives, maps out how you'll achieve your goals and helps you to manage possible bumps in the road
• gives you control over your business – the planning process helps you learn about the different things that could affect your success. If you're already in business, it helps you to step back and look at what's working and what you can improve on
• helps you seek finance – if you're seeking finance for your business, you'll need to show banks and investors why they should invest in your business.

Use our Business plan template for detailed business planning or seeking finance.

Choose the Lean business plan template to quickly focus your business and set some goals for the year ahead.

Business plan template

Lean business plan template

Our templates step you through the process of developing a business plan with links to extra information if you need it.

If you're developing a detailed business plan, you may want to check our tips below before you start.

1. Determine what your plan is for

Does your business plan have more than one purpose? Will you use it internally, or will you share it externally, for example with potential investors or banks?

Deciding what the purpose is, can help you develop your plan for the right audience. If the plan has been developed for third parties, you will need to determine what they’ll be most interested in.

2. Prepare your finances

If you're looking for finance, lenders and investors will want to know if your finances are in order and your business is in a strong financial position. They'll want to know how much money you currently have, how much money you need and how much you expect to make in the near future. While a bit of extra funding will help you ensure you’re covered for unexpected costs, be realistic and avoid asking for more than you need.

If you're starting out and don't have financial information yet, our business plan template provides resources to help you get your finances ready.

3. Write your summary last

Summarise the main points of your business plan using as few words as possible. You want to get to the point but not overlook important facts. This is your opportunity to sell yourself, but don't overdo it. The summary should include details about your business, market, goals and what makes you different from other businesses.

4. Get help

Don't leave your business plan to the last minute. It takes time, research and careful preparation to develop an effective business plan.

If you aren't confident in completing the plan yourself, consider getting a professional to look over it and provide advice.

There are a number of government services available to help you plan, start or grow your business. These services can provide general advice, workshops, seminars and networking events, and can even match you with a mentor or business coach.

Get expert help from a business adviser in your area .

5. Review your plan regularly

As your business changes, your plan will need to change to ensure your business is still heading in the right direction. Having your plan up-to-date can keep you focused on where you are heading.

It's a good idea to keep a record of each version of your business plan.

6. Protect your plan

Having an understanding with third parties when distributing a plan could be enough protection for some businesses. But if you have innovative business practices, products or services, you may want people to sign a confidentiality agreement to protect your innovations.

It may also be a good idea to include some words in your plan asking the reader not to disclose the details of your plan.

Start writing and developing your marketing strategy.

Find out what you need to register for when starting a business..

Our live chat service is open from 8am - 8pm, Monday to Friday, across Australia (excluding public holidays).

Learn about the other ways you can contact us .

Tools and Resources

Getting started, whether you need to know more about starting up a not-for-profit organisation, or have just landed your first role as a board member, our tools and resources on the right will help you get your head around the basics., not-for-profit 101, ten questions the board should be asking about... #.

Ten questions every board director needs to ask about the board’s director payment policy

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Ten questions every board director should ask about child safety

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Ten questions every board director needs to ask about climate change

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Ten questions every board director needs to ask about measuring outcomes

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Ten questions every board director needs to ask about ESG

ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance criteria, factors or issues, which are…

Ten questions every board director needs to ask about marketing

Marketing is key to the success of your organisation.

Ten questions every board director needs to ask about funding

An organisation’s financial viability is a crucial responsibility for every board director, so your…

Ten questions every board director needs to ask about cyber security

Not-for-profits routinely collect highly sensitive personal information, including information on…

Ten questions every board director needs to ask about succession planning

Succession planning is about much more than just replacing board members when they leave. It is…

Ten questions every board director needs to ask about diversity

In simple terms, "diversity" refers to the degree to which an organisation’s board, staff,…

What can we help you with?

Board basics, climate change, human resources, translations, planning, policies and reporting, skills and technology, outcome measurement, community directors intelligence #.

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Four easy things to do now to boost your not-for-profit’s cybersecurity

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How to perfect your policies with the Policy Bank

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If you believe you’ve got rights, you’re wrong

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How to communicate with clout

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Books for Not-for-profit Boards

Step In, Step Up: Everything a new community board director needs to know

Joining a community organisation is good for you and good for the world. And you've carried that to…

Revitalise Your Community Board: A makeover for community groups that want to lift their game

As not-for-profit boards go, you're competent. You get the job done. Under your benign supervision…

The Glutton's Guide to Nourishing Your Not-for-Profit Organisation

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Recruiting for Your Not-for-Profit

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The Minutes Handbook: A Complete Guide for Not-for-profit Boards

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Making Meetings Work: Conquering the challenges and getting great results

Get on a Board (Even better - Become the Chair) - Advancing Diversity & Women in Australia

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Fire Up Your Fundraising Events

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Great Fetes: Fundraising and fun - without the fuss

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Complete Community Fundraising Handbook

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Winning Grants Funding in Australia

How to find money fast.

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Simple Secrets of Successful Community Groups

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More than Money

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Building Stronger Communities, One Headline at a Time

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Valuable Advice Guides - FREE!

Developing Data Capability in Your Not-for-Profit

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Going Green: putting policies and procedures into practice

Damn Good Advice for Board Secretaries

Twenty-five questions every not-for-profit secretary needs to ask

Measuring What Matters - An introduction to project evaluation for not-for-profits (FREE!)

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Data Projects from Go to Whoa!

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Now You're a Board Member: A practical guide for Indigenous board members

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Damn Good Advice for Chairs

Twenty-five questions and answers for not-for-profit chairs.

Cyber Safety and Fraud Prevention A practical guide for Indigenous businesses, organisations and enterprises

Thinking Big: To Merge or Not to Merge

This guide looks at mergers in the not-for-profit sector: the advantages, the disadvantages, the…

Damn Good Advice on Cyber-safety and Fraud Prevention

A plain English guide to staying safe online.

Damn Good Advice for Board Members

Twenty-five questions a not-for-profit board member needs to ask about the finances.

Damn Good Advice for Treasurers

Twenty-five questions a not-for-profit Treasurer needs to ask.

Damn Good Advice for School Councils

Twenty-five questions a school councillor needs to ask.

Your Financial Health: Focusing on Your Financial Wellbeing

This workbook has been developed as part of Commonwealth Bank's ongoing commitment to supporting…

Become a member of ICDA – it's free!

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How to start a not-for-profit organisation in Australia

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In this guide

What is a not-for-profit organisation?

How to start a not-for-profit organisation, skills needed to start a not-for-profit organisation, courses or qualifications for non-profit organisations, equipment and software needed to start a not-for-profit organisation, loan options for a non-profit organisation, how to structure a not-for-profit organisation, do i need legal documents and advice, how to find donors for my non-profit organisation, frequently asked questions.

How to guides

Starting a not-for-profit organisation is not an easy task. It requires manoeuvring, creative thinking and the ability to create relationships, but the payoff will make all of the hard work worth it. If you have a burning desire to help a marginalised sector or encourage a community, this guide on how to start a non-profit organisation will guide you through the process. Read on to find out how you can get started.

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) defines a not-for-profit organisation as one that provides services to the community and does not operate to make a profit for its members. Any profit that the organisation makes has to be used for the organisation's services and must not be distributed to members.

Starting a non-profit organisation requires some additional planning compared to a regular business. Your organisation will need to carry out its activities effectively while in compliance with the law. As you will not be making any profit, your organisation must minimise the chance of running into legal difficulties as it grows or changes. Hence, it is essential to formulate a business plan . It should cover all of the organisation's bases, from its vision and mission to money and resources.

• Choose a legal structure. The structure you choose will determine the types of activities you can legally carry out, as well as the government bodies you will need to register with and report to.
• Pick a name. The name of your association should reflect the mission of your statement. Take into account the domain availability so you can set up your website.
• Decide on your objectives and write your constitution. When registering your organisation, you are required to present your organisation's objectives and purpose. To have a general outline of your goal, consider the activities that will be conducted, who will benefit from them and the need your organisation will fulfil. You will need to keep a written copy of your organisation's constitution with other records.
• Fulfil your legal requirements. You will need to apply for an Australian Business Number (ABN) and register with the ATO for tax obligations and an endorsement. In some cases, you may need a licence to undertake a charitable fundraising appeal.
• Consider loan options. Like any business, a not-for-profit organisation might need an investment to get off the ground. Several banks offer loans to the social sector to help with financial management, or you can apply for a grant.
• Market to your target customers. As a not-for-profit organisation, you will have a diverse group of people to reach out to. It's essential to establish connections early on, especially if your organisation relies on donors and fundraisers to keep running.

Starting a non-profit begins with the desire to make a difference. One has to be resilient and believe in the cause they are championing when working in a resource-constrained environment. You will also need the skills to translate data into emotional stories that will grab people's attention. Conveying your organisation's uniqueness and need is an essential marketing tool. You will rely on being empathetic and sensitive in communication as you work with stakeholders.

Starting a not-for-profit organisation requires a head for business management and marketing that effectively manages organisations with a social purpose. If you have the time and opportunity, you might benefit from investing in a qualification like the Graduate Diploma in Not-for-Profit and Social Enterprise Management offered at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). This course helps students with business management, fundraising and revenue streams for events and not-for-profit organisations, volunteer management and more. The course should take one year of full-time study or two years of part-time study. Other similar courses include:

• Graduate Certificate in Social Impact (University of New South Wales)
• Certificate in Governance for Not-for-Profits (Governance Institute of Australia)
• Diploma of Community Services (TAFE)
• Diploma of Counselling (TAFE)
• Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home and Community) (TAFE)
• Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) (TAFE)
• Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs (TAFE)
• Certificate IV in Youth Work (TAFE)
• Certificate IV in Mental Health (TAFE)

Additionally, you can also complement your diploma with a short course in business or marketing. Doing so will help you develop the skills for business management and an understanding of the sector.

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Once you have leased office space, you will need furniture for staff and volunteers, a meeting with donors and clients, and a refreshment area. Your office space will need the following:

• Desks and chairs
• Filing and storage cabinets
• Whiteboards
• Computers and computer accessories
• Phone access and fax machines
• Visitor seating like couches, coffee tables and ottomans
• Meeting tables

If your organisation has a small kitchen, you might want to have a coffee machine and kitchen essentials. If you have a waiting room, it might be nice to display some art.

As for software, you may want to consider setting up a website to introduce your not-for-profit organisation, your goals, upcoming events and what you have achieved so far.

Your not-for-profit should also have reliable software to facilitate easy donations such as:

• Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT

These tools can help with fundraising, event management, customer relationship management (CRM) to build and maintain relationships with donors, data collection and campaign analytics.

Of course, you will also need a bank account for your donations. When setting up one, it is vital to compare banks on interest rates, fees, accessibility and fund growth. Read our guide, which compares different bank accounts .

Since you are starting a business from scratch and might need a sizeable investment, you could consider applying for a loan. There are several grants available that can help cover one quarter or two-thirds of your organisation's annual running costs. To apply for a grant, your organisation will need to first be endorsed by the ATO. Once you have received the endorsement, you can browse through the websites below to help you apply for grants:

• The Directory of Funders on Philanthropy.org.au
• GrantConnect

However, your not-for-profit organisation cannot rely forever on grants. Some other ways to get funding would be through fee-for-service work, community fundraising and corporate partnerships.

Depending on your organisation's mission, the legal structures to be aware of are:

• Unincorporated Association. This is one of the simplest structures for a not-for-profit organisation. These organisations are usually small or informal community organisations handled by a group that acts together because of a shared purpose. Generally, these types of organisations are free to establish with very few administrative or legal requirements. As such, these organisations do not have a legal identity, cannot hold assets or have legal protection for members. Each member is personally responsible for the actions or debts of the organisation or any contracts signed.
• Incorporated Association. An Incorporated Association is bound by the laws and regulations of its home state. However, it is considered a separate legal identity that will continue even when its founders retire. The association can also legally lease a property, hold assets in its name, protect its members and be sued. Because of this, an incorporated association carries additional legal and administrative obligations, such as accounting, auditing and annual reporting requirements.
• Company Limited by Guarantee. This legal structure is similar to an Incorporated Association. It can legally lease a property, hold assets in its name, enter into contracts, provide some protection to its members and directors, and face legal consequences. A company limited by guarantee is registered under the Corporations Act 2001 and complies with the Act's provisions. Each member's liability is limited to the amount they agree to contribute if the company is wound up. This structure might come with more requirements, but it is the best choice if your not-for-profit wishes to operate nationwide.
• Indigenous Corporations. An Indigenous Corporation is available only for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations. Generally, at least 51% of the organisation should be owned by people identifying as Indigenous. This organisation can be governed and supported by the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act of 2006. Registration for Indigenous Corporations are free. The rules can take into account Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander customs and traditions.
• Cooperative. This type of organisation is often controlled and used by members. A cooperative can carry out some for-profit ventures. In some cases, the constitution allows the distribution of profit between members. Like an incorporated association, a cooperative is bound by the laws and regulations of its home state.

The documents you will need for starting a not-for-profit organisation are:

• The Governing Document. This outlines the organisation's objectives, the organisation's power, management of the organisation, internal arrangement for meetings, a non-distribution of profits provision, an amendment provision and a dissolution provision.
• By-laws. These are like an operating manual that determines the running of the not-for-profit organisation. For example, this document includes information on the length of time a board member is permitted to hold their position or the number of people required to reach a quorum. Generally, the by-laws should include the governing structure, the director's role, the not-for-profit officers, the voting rules, the committee formation and conflict resolution.
• Meeting minutes. This refers to the formal recording of meeting proceedings and the consequent actions taken. A meeting minutes should have notes on setting up accounts and tax years, memberships approvals, authorisation and establishment of the board and other committees, the appointment of officers, the approval of by-laws, decisions on the tax exemption status, and its commencement and approval for the first transactions of the non-profit.
• Volunteer Agreement. If your not-for-profit organisation relies on volunteers, there should be a written agreement before commencing work. This agreement outlines the terms of the engagement, the volunteer's obligations, confidentiality, termination of the agreement and indemnity. Follow our guide on drafting your Volunteer Agreement and get access to free legal templates.

If you set up a website, you will also need a Privacy Policy , a Cookie Policy and the Terms and Conditions.

Get access to legal services and documents online

One good way to find your target audience is to read up on case studies from similar not-for-profit organisations. Find out their methods and services, and then consider how you can adapt this to your locality. It is important to run your products and services through volunteers from your target audience. Their feedback will provide invaluable knowledge on the core issue and how you can respond to them. Remember that your resources are limited, so you will need to be efficient and smart with how you provide your services. Speak to prospective donors to get an idea of their motivation to donate, causes they are interested in and some background information.

Take to social media to spread your message and mission statement. Having an online record also communicates that you are transparent. Gaining more exposure can help you reach out to more people and donors. Collaborate with different companies and corporations that would help give your not-for-profit a boost.

Allocating a small budget for promoting content can go a long way. Consider advertising on Facebook or Google Ads, which are generally affordable. If you have a Facebook page, you can add a call-to-action or Donate Now button on any of your posts.

What is the difference between a not-for-profit and an NGO?

A not-for-profit organisation is one that uses any profits it makes into pursuing its missions. Though these organisations can make profits, founders or members cannot claim the profits. A not-for-profit is smaller than an NGO and is run by paid staff and volunteers. Some examples are CARE Australia, Save the Children and more.

An NGO, or non-government organisation, is set up and operated independently from local, state or international governments. Generally, NGOs address more extensive and widespread issues like natural disasters, famine and so on. Some examples of NGOs in Australia are the Australian Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity and more.

What challenges do non-profit organisations face?

The biggest challenge for a non-profit organisation is the unpredictability of fundraising and operational costs. Other challenges include changes to government policy, uncertain economic environment, escalating demands and regulatory changes.

Patricia Camille

Patricia Camille is a writer at Finder. She regularly writes about books and her literary insights at Camillea Reads where she has gained experience in SEO and digital marketing. Patricia has a Masters in Sociology and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication. When she is not reading, you’ll find her playing Animal Crossing or out on a long walk.

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Free Nonprofit Business Plan Templates

By Joe Weller | September 18, 2020

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In this article, we’ve rounded up the most useful list of nonprofit business plan templates, all free to download in Word, PDF, and Excel formats.

Included on this page, you’ll find a one-page nonprofit business plan template , a fill-in-the-blank nonprofit business plan template , a startup nonprofit business planning timeline template , and more. Plus, we provide helpful tips for creating your nonprofit business plan .

Nonprofit Business Plan Template

Use this customizable nonprofit business plan template to organize your nonprofit organization’s mission and goals and convey them to stakeholders. This template includes space for information about your nonprofit’s background, objectives, management team, program offerings, market analysis, promotional activities, funding sources, fundraising methods, and much more. 

Download Nonprofit Business Plan Template

One-Page Business Plan for Nonprofit Template

This one-page nonprofit business plan template has a simple and scannable design to outline the key details of your organization’s strategy. This template includes space to detail your mission, vision, and purpose statements, as well as the problems you aim to solve in your community, the people who benefit from your program offerings, your key marketing activities, your financial goals, and more.

Download One-Page Business Plan for Nonprofit Template

Excel | Word | PDF

For additional resources, including an example of a one-page business plan , visit “ One-Page Business Plan Templates with a Quick How-To Guide .”

Fill-In-the-Blank Nonprofit Business Plan Template

Use this fill-in-the-blank template as the basis for building a thorough business plan for a nonprofit organization. This template includes space to describe your organization’s background, purpose, and main objectives, as well as key personnel, program and service offerings, market analysis, promotional activities, fundraising methods, and more. 

Download Fill-In-the-Blank Nonprofit Business Plan Template

For additional resources that cater to a wide variety of organizations, visit “ Free Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan Templates .”

Startup Nonprofit Business Planning Template with Timeline

Use this business planning template to organize and schedule key activities for your business. Fill in the cells according to the due dates, and color-code the cells by phase, owner, or category to provide a visual timeline of progress.

Download Startup Nonprofit Business Planning Template with Timeline

Excel | Smartsheet

Nonprofit Business Plan Template for Youth Program

Use this template as a foundation for building a powerful and attractive nonprofit business plan for youth programs and services. This template has all the core components of a nonprofit business plan. It includes room to detail the organization’s background, management team key personnel, current and future youth program offerings, promotional activities, operations plan, financial statements, and much more.

Download Nonprofit Business Plan Template for Youth Program

Word | PDF  | Google Doc

Sample Nonprofit Business Plan Outline Template

You can customize this sample nonprofit business plan outline to fit the specific needs of your organization. To ensure that you don’t miss any essential details, use this outline to help you prepare and organize the elements of your plan before filling in each section.

Download Sample Nonprofit Business Plan Outline Template

Nonprofit Startup Business Planning Checklist Template

Use this customizable business planning checklist as the basis for outlining the necessary steps to get your nonprofit organization up and running. You can customize this checklist to fit your individual needs. It includes essential steps, such as conducting a SWOT analysis , fulfilling the research requirements specific to your state, conducting a risk assessment , defining roles and responsibilities, creating a portal for board members, and other tasks to keep your plan on track.

Download Nonprofit Startup Business Planning Checklist Template

Tips to Create Your Nonprofit Business Plan

Your nonprofit business plan should provide your donors, volunteers, and other key stakeholders with a clear picture of your overarching mission and objectives. Below, we share our top tips for ensuring that your plan is attractive and thorough.

• Develop a Strategy First: You must aim before you fire if you want to be effective. In other words, develop a strategic plan for your nonprofit in order to provide your team with direction and a roadmap before you build your business plan.
• Save Time with a Template: No need to start from scratch when you can use a customizable nonprofit business plan template to get started. (Download one of the options above.)
• Start with What You Have: With the exception of completing the executive summary, which you must do last, you aren’t obligated to fill in each section of the plan in order. Use the information you have on hand to begin filling in the various parts of your business plan, then conduct additional research to fill in the gaps.
• Ensure Your Information Is Credible: Back up all the details in your plan with reputable sources that stakeholders can easily reference.
• Be Realistic: Use realistic assumptions and numbers in your financial statements and forecasts. Avoid the use of overly lofty or low-lying projections, so stakeholders feel more confident about your plan. 
• Strive for Scannability: Keep each section clear and concise. Use bullet points where appropriate, and avoid large walls of text. 
• Use Visuals: Add tables, charts, and other graphics to draw the eye and support key points in the plan.
• Be Consistent: Keep the voice and formatting (e.g., font style and size) consistent throughout the plan to maintain a sense of continuity.
• Stay True to Your Brand: Make sure that the tone, colors, and overall style of the business plan are a true reflection of your organization’s brand.
• Proofread Before Distribution: Prior to distributing the plan to stakeholders, have a colleague proofread the rough version to check for errors and ensure that the plan is polished.
• Don’t Set It and Forget It: You should treat your nonprofit business plan as a living document that you need to review and update on a regular basis — as objectives change and your organization grows.
• Use an Effective Collaboration Tool: Use an online tool to accomplish the following: collaborate with key personnel on all components of the business plan; enable version control for all documents; and keep resources in one accessible place.

Improve Your Nonprofit Business Planning Efforts with Smartsheet

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When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time.  Try Smartsheet for free, today.

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Writing a business plan

A business plan documents your objectives and the strategies and structures you have in place for achieving them.

Your business plan should explain how you will manage all the important aspects of your business, from products and services to operational plans and finances.

Video: Writing a business plan

Watch our video on why you should write a business plan for your new or current business.

Topics include:

• why it's important to create and review a business plan
• the information to include in your business plan
• using a business plan to achieve your business goals
• downloading and completing our business plan template.

Use a business plan to:

• help you start a new business
• help you improve the performance of an existing business
• attract funding for an investment
• communicate business progress to stakeholders
• communicate business goals and objectives to internal staff members
• attract potential buyers for the business.

A business plan is a 'living' document, so it should evolve and change—think of it as an operating guide for your business throughout the start-up, operations and succession phases.

Download and write a full business plan

Download our free full business plan template and use the guidelines below to write a plan for your business.

There are also other templates available that may better meet your needs—visit business.gov.au .

You should customise your chosen template to suit your business and industry.

We explain below how you can start with a 1-page business plan to ease you into the process of completing the full business plan.

Business plan elements

The elements of your business plan will vary depending on:

• what phase your business is in (starting, running, selling)
• the industry your business is in
• how you choose to use the plan (e.g. for internal development purposes).

Every business plan will be different, but they will generally include similar elements. The sections of our business plan template are listed below—use these as a guide when completing it or as a reference when creating your own.

At the start of your business plan, include the following business details:

• business name
• date registered
• Australian Business Number (ABN)
• Australian Company Number (ACN) – if applicable
• tax file number (TFN)
• business address
• contact details
• website details
• social media details.

Read about choosing a business structure and getting the right licences and registrations .

This section provides an overview of the business concept. It should be attention-grabbing and succinct—the content will be covered in more detail in future sections.

While this is the first section of the plan, it can often help to write it last after the other sections have been finalised.

This helps to ensure that the executive summary covers all the key information within the plan.

It should define:

• what your business vision is
• what your legal structure is
• what products and services you offer
• who your customers are
• what sets you apart from your competitors
• how you will create a market for your products and services
• how you will operate
• what your financial projections are
• how your business or industry will evolve
• who owns or manages your business
• what your short-term and long-term goals are.

Refer to the corresponding sections in our free business plan template:

• 2.1 Products and services
• 2.2 Market analysis
• 2.3 Industry description and outlook
• 2.4 SWOT analysis

In this section, you should highlight your business products and services and describe what makes them unique, such as their:

• limitations
• cost and sale price.

You can also include details of any plans your business has to introduce new products and services.

Your market analysis should describe your target market (e.g. local, international) and target customers.

Add in the research you have done about your industry and the market trends.

In this section, you will also complete a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats).

Find out more about researching your market:

• planning and conducting market and customer research
• market research kit .
• 3.1 Current situation
• 3.2 Marketing objectives
• 3.3 Target segments
• 3.4 Competitor analysis
• 3.5 Brand positioning
• 3.6 Marketing programs
• 3.7 Marketing tactics
• 3.8 Key actions
• 3.9 Business controls

A business plan should include a high-level summary of your market research and analysis.

Starting with your current situation, complete your marketing objectives and analysis around your target market and your competitiveness.

Complete your customer and competitor profiles and develop a 1-page brand strategy .

These will help you prepare your marketing plan in section 3 of the template.

Your plan will include marketing tactics and an action plan. You will identify how you will set KPIs and report on your marketing effectiveness.

Learn about:

• branding your business
• writing a marketing strategy and plan .
• 4.1 Sales strategies
• 4.2 Sales analysis and forecast
• 4.3 Customer management

Explain your sales forecasts and targets in this section, and how you will manage customer records and payments. You should understand what sales strategies will work for you and the best channels to market your products or services .

You will also need to know what your current sales, volume and market share are and what you expect them to be for the next 2 years.

Learn about cash flow, invoices and payments and how to collect and store customer information for help with managing customers.

Regardless of your business or industry, you will need to prepare for operating some of your business online.

Note your digital and customer and data-protection strategies in your business plan. You could also include:

• the digital tools and resources that will be used in your business
• the people responsible for overseeing the digital strategy within the business
• details of any security considerations.

Complete a digital health check and learn how to create a digital strategy for your business .

• 6.1 Business structure
• 6.2 Contracts, licences and agreements
• 6.3 Intellectual property
• 6.4 Insurance
• 6.6 Employees
• 6.7 Financial
• 6.8 Legal and ethical trading
• 6.9 Risk management
• 6.10 Business continuity

In this section, record the legal and risk management considerations for your business.

Describe your business structure and the contracts you have now or could have in the future.

If you have a lease or are considering leasing premises, add the terms and conditions of the lease and any actions you need to take to your plan.

To complete the other legal section, learn about:

• legal requirements for businesses
• selecting the right business location
• business insurance
• intellectual property: the basics
• legal and ethical selling
• your responsibilities as an employer .

Search the Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS) if you need information about licences that relate to your business.

To identify the risks to your business, your business plan should also:

• outline and demonstrate that you have considered the risks to your business (a business risk analysis) and the possible consequences
• summarise the plans you have in place for overcoming these risks.

A risk matrix tool or risk management plan can be developed to help you analyse your business risks—read more about identifying and managing business risk .

You will also need to consider business continuity planning to prepare for unexpected situations.

• 7.1 Location
• 7.2 Production
• 7.3 Current performance
• 7.4 Plant and equipment
• 7.6 List of major suppliers
• 7.7 Stock and inventory

This section will cover all you know about how you do things in your business—for example, your standard operating procedures and how to ensure the quality of your products and services.

To better understand your business operations, read about:

• business processes, procedures and standards
• choosing the right business location
• stock control: the basics .
• 8.1 Management and key personnel
• 8.3 Training
• 8.4 Recruitment
• 8.5 Succession planning

This section helps you note your current workforce structure and plan for the workforce you will have in the future as you grow, and for potentially passing the business to a successor.

Your business plan will detail your business's organisational structure (proposed or actual)—this is often shown as a diagram representing the business hierarchy, different roles within the business and how they relate to one another.

You should also consider succession planning, even if you haven't thought about how you would sell or pass on the business.

• workforce planning for small business
• training and developing staff
• passing a business to a successor .
• 9.1 Start-up costs
• 9.2 Profit and loss forecast
• 9.3 Cash flow forecast
• 9.4 Balance sheet
• 9.5 Financial ratios

Your business plan should include your business finance details—there is a separate business finance template you can also complete.

Summarise your key financial details, including:

• costs for establishing or operating the business
• sales needed to break even
• projected cash flow
• funding arrangements
• payment plans.

You can assess the financial performance of your business using financial ratios .

• 10.1 Review and update business goals
• 10.2 Make a schedule to review your actions

The final section of the business plan should include a set of actions to take before you review your business plan next, and check your progress. This should be over a 6–12 month period, based on the business goals outlined in your plan.

Set a regular review date for the actions and the business plan. Assess which actions have been completed, which remain outstanding and which require updating to help your business plan remain relevant.

Read about skills for running a business to consider ways to improve your time management and leadership.

Optional business plan elements

While not essential, the following can supplement your business plan.

Business vision statement and business values

A comprehensive business vision statement defines what your business does and why it is important.

This could be added in more detail in your business plan and referred to in your executive summary. Find out how to create a business vision .

Business values are the principles, beliefs, and standards of behaviour that guide your business. Including this in your plan will better reflect your goals for the business.

Customer journey strategy

This section could include details of your business's key customer service strategies.

Consider mapping out the intended customer journey—the intended path customers will follow when interacting with your business.

Start with a short business plan

A 1-page business plan can be a good place to start your business planning.

It can cover only high-level information about your business value proposition (i.e. why a customer would want to buy your products and services) and business model.

A one-page plan can include details about:

• your business vision and values
• projected income and expenses
• identified business risks
• the customer segments you intend to target
• the value proposition of your business
• channels that could be used to reach your target customers (e.g. direct or online marketing)
• your customer service plan
• how you will receive payment for products and services
• the activities needed to achieve your outcomes
• the resources you will need
• details of any partners you will use to provide goods and services
• the cost structure for your products and services (based on all items as listed in the plan).

You can search online for tools that can help you create this plan—for example, a value proposition canvas or business model canvas .

Once you are satisfied with this short business plan, you can use it as the basis for your full business plan.

Communicating your business plan

Communicating your business plan to your staff and stakeholders is essential for implementing it and achieving your business goals, even when starting out with a small team.

Some practical tips for communicating the plan include:

• being mindful of your audience—different communication styles will suit different audiences (e.g. you may be able to communicate more informally with your staff than with your stakeholders, board members or investors)
• choosing an appropriate format, time and place—you could hold a staff meeting, schedule a business plan review session and invite all staff and stakeholders to attend, or create an online presentation
• using clear, concise and simple language
• making time to get feedback from your staff and stakeholders.

Read about skills for running a business for tips on developing your communication skills.

Learn about managing people through change .

Review and update your business plan

You will need to regularly review your business plan to ensure that it is relevant, achievable and up to date with any changes in your business.

Consider reviewing your business plan:

• at regular intervals (e.g. quarterly or annually)
• after a business SWOT analysis has been completed
• when raising capital (e.g. approaching the bank for a loan or pitching to an investor)
• before implementing growth strategies or new products
• when new staff members are added to the team
• when implementing a new organisational structure
• before changes in the industry or to legislation
• when preparing to sell the business .

To help you review your own plan, ask yourself the following questions:

• What will the review schedule be?
• Is the plan up to date?
• Have the business goals changed?
• Is the plan still matched to the business goals?
• Are market trends changing?
• Have there been major political, environmental, social or technological changes that affect your business?
• Have there been significant changes in your finances or need for capital?
• Is the plan still 'fit for purpose'?

Business planning resources and tools

The following planning resources and tools below can help you compile and update your business plan to ensure your business is on track to meet its goals.

• Small business planning webinar recording
• Writing a marketing strategy and plan
• Identifying and managing business risk
• Business processes, procedures and standards
• Plan your business finances
• Market and customer research
• Choosing and working with business advisers
• Networking in business
• Ask a mentor – business planning

Learn more about business planning with free, online courses .

Resources for finding licences, permits and codes of conduct

Use the Business Launchpad to discover all your licensing needs, compiled in your own customised guide.

You can also search for licences, permits and codes of practice using the Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS).

Learn about codes of conduct and codes of practices from:

• the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
• WorkCover Queensland .
• Last reviewed: 8 Dec 2022
• Last updated: 1 Jun 2023

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Business plan template

Create a comprehensive business plan with this easy to use business plan template.

Businesses need a strong plan that outlines what you aim to achieve and gives you a roadmap to get there. Creating your own business plan doesn’t have to be difficult, simply set aside some time to work through the various elements.

What does the business plan template do?

The template walks you through each stage of a business plan. It will help ensure that nothing gets missed, including essential elements such as:

• your profile
• your marketing strategy
• your business structure.

When you’re writing your business plan , it’s important to:

• be clear and focused about what you want to achieve – and stay realistic
• avoid using long words or sentences. Keep your writing clear, simple and easy to understand.

When you’re writing a business plan, use the process to think carefully though every step of your business start-up carefully. You’ll pinpoint weaknesses, identify your strengths, and spot opportunities you might not have thought of.

Writing a plan can be enjoyable. It will help you highlight the ideas and activities at the core of your business, and force you to get your priorities in order too. It could also show you what success will look like, so you can begin measuring it. Each section of the template comes with brief instructions, so that you get the structure right.

When you’re finished, one of our small business bankers will be happy to go over the plan and provide advice and guidance. You can request a call back online to discuss this further.

Download our  business plan template (DOC, 158KB) , opens in new window  and read our detailed article on writing your business plan to get started.

Use our business plan template to guide you through writing your business plan.

Other business moments

Find out if you’re suited to running a business

Use our checklist to help you determine if you have what it takes.

How to write a business plan

Follow our helpful guide to writing a comprehensive plan.

What are business drivers and how do I identify them?

Boost profitability by identifying your key business drivers.

Related products and services

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Starting a business or looking to expand? Our range of business loans, overdrafts, equipment and trade finance options can help you achieve your goals.

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Get in touch

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The information contained in this article is correct as of July 2018 and is intended to be of a general nature only. It has been prepared without taking into account any person’s objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on this information, NAB recommends that you consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances. NAB recommends that you seek independent legal, financial, and taxation advice before acting on any information in this article.

• Insights & Analysis
• Nonprofit Jobs

Business Planning for Nonprofits

Business planning is a way of systematically answering questions such as, “What problem(s) are we trying to solve?” or “What are we trying to achieve?” and also, “Who will get us there, by when, and how much money and other resources will it take?”

The business planning process takes into account the nonprofit’s mission and vision, the role of the board, and external environmental factors, such as the climate for fundraising.

Ideally, the business planning process also critically examines basic assumptions about the nonprofit’s operating environment. What if the sources of income that exist today change in the future? Is the nonprofit too reliant on one foundation for revenue? What happens if there’s an economic downturn?

A business plan can help the nonprofit and its board be prepared for future risks. What is the likelihood that the planned activities will continue as usual, and that revenue will continue at current levels – and what is Plan B if they don't?

Narrative of a business plan

You can think of a business plan as a narrative or story explaining how the nonprofit will operate given its activities, its sources of revenue, its expenses, and the inevitable changes in its internal and external environments over time. Ideally, your plan will tell the story in a way that will make sense to someone not intimately familiar with the nonprofit’s operations.

According to  Propel Nonprofits , business plans usually should have four components that identify revenue sources/mix; operations costs; program costs; and capital structure.

A business plan outlines the expected income sources to support the charitable nonprofit's activities. What types of revenue will the nonprofit rely on to keep its engine running – how much will be earned, how much from government grants or contracts, how much will be contributed? Within each of those broad categories, how much diversification exists, and should they be further diversified? Are there certain factors that need to be in place in order for today’s income streams to continue flowing?

The plan should address the everyday costs needed to operate the organization, as well as costs of specific programs and activities.

The plan may include details about the need for the organization's services (a needs assessment), the likelihood that certain funding will be available (a feasibility study), or changes to the organization's technology or staffing that will be needed in the future.

Another aspect of a business plan could be a "competitive analysis" describing what other entities may be providing similar services in the nonprofit's service and mission areas. What are their sources of revenue and staffing structures? How do their services and capacities differ from those of your nonprofit?

Finally, the business plan should name important assumptions, such as the organization's reserve policies. Do your nonprofit’s policies require it to have at least six months of operating cash on hand? Do you have different types of cash reserves that require different levels of board approval to release?

The idea is to identify the known, and take into consideration the unknown, realities of the nonprofit's operations, and propose how the nonprofit will continue to be financially healthy.  If the underlying assumptions or current conditions change, then having a plan can be useful to help identify adjustments that must be made to respond to changes in the nonprofit's operating environment.

Basic format of a business plan

The format may vary depending on the audience. A business plan prepared for a bank to support a loan application may be different than a business plan that board members use as the basis for budgeting. Here is a typical outline of the format for a business plan:

• Table of contents
• Executive summary - Name the problem the nonprofit is trying to solve: its mission, and how it accomplishes its mission.
• People: overview of the nonprofit’s board, staffing, and volunteer structure and who makes what happen
• Market opportunities/competitive analysis
• Programs and services: overview of implementation
• Contingencies: what could change?
• Financial health: what is the current status, and what are the sources of revenue to operate programs and advance the mission over time?
• Assumptions and proposed changes: What needs to be in place for this nonprofit to continue on sound financial footing?

More About Business Planning

Budgeting for Nonprofits

Strategic Planning

Contact your state association of nonprofits  for support and resources related to business planning, strategic planning, and other fundamentals of nonprofit leadership. 

Additional Resources

• Components of transforming nonprofit business models  (Propel Nonprofits)
• The matrix map: a powerful tool for nonprofit sustainability  (Nonprofit Quarterly)
• The Nonprofit Business Plan: A Leader's Guide to Creating a Successful Business Model  (David La Piana, Heather Gowdy, Lester Olmstead-Rose, and Brent Copen, Turner Publishing)
• Nonprofit Earned Income: Critical Business Model Considerations for Nonprofits (Nonprofit Financial Commons)
• Nonprofit Sustainability: Making Strategic Decisions for Financial Viability  (Jan Masaoka, Steve Zimmerman, and Jeanne Bell)

Disclaimer: Information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is neither intended to be nor should be construed as legal, accounting, tax, investment, or financial advice. Please consult a professional (attorney, accountant, tax advisor) for the latest and most accurate information. The National Council of Nonprofits makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy or timeliness of the information contained herein.

How To Write Your Not-For-Profit Strategic Plan

• Managing Indigenous Organisations

There is broad agreement among not-for-profit leaders and experts that planning is a critical component of good management and governance. Planning helps ensure that an organisation remains relevant and responsive to the needs of its community, and contributes to organisational stability and growth. It provides a basis for monitoring progress, and for assessing results and impact. It facilitates new program development. It enables an organisation to look into the future in an orderly and systematic way. From a governance perspective, it enables the Board to set policies and goals to guide the organisation and provides a clear focus to the Executive Director and staff for program implementation and agency management.

Most organisations understand the need for annual program objectives and a program-focused work plan. Funders require them, and they provide a basis for setting priorities, organizing work, and assessing progress. A growing number of community-based organisations go beyond funder requirements to develop annual objectives and operating plans which also include a systematic plan for resource development, organisational development, and in some cases Board development. Most groups find it practical to define objectives for a 12-month period, and to design strategies and programs to meet them.

Longer-range planning – planning beyond the next year or two – often seems more difficult and less rewarding.  With the external environment changing so rapidly, Board members and senior staff ask, how can we expect to develop plans that will remain relevant? With so little control over external events, how can we hope to influence them in a way that benefits our community?

  In fact, planning is no less important in a changing environment; it may well be more important.  Most community-based organisations exist to serve a specific community. To do that, they need to be very clear on their community needs and then work to address them through similarly clear organisational missions, priorities, target groups, and objectives. If the external environment – funding, the economy in general, government legislation, etc. – is changing, then organisations must be that much more effective in defining needs and marshalling internal and external resources to meet them. It is here that strategic planning can be the most helpful. Planning is designed to help an organisation define its vision for the future and then determine systematically how it will get there, understanding obstacles and figuring out ways to overcome them.

Planning that focuses on a period of three years or more requires an organized, serious effort which takes time and energy. There may need to be a formal community needs assessment as input to planning. This is extremely valuable, but also demanding. Moreover, planning is not a one-time effort; any plan needs to be reviewed, monitored, and updated. The benefits to an organisation can be significant -- a clear focus, a sense of joint purpose and agreed-upon priorities, consensus on strategies, and a basis for measuring progress and impact.

There are many different models and action steps for strategic planning. One approach is summarised below. It assumes a cooperative effort between Board and staff, perhaps with a special strategic planning committee of Board members and staff taking responsibility for the effort. Some of the work can be done in committee, while Board and staff planning sessions or retreats are also likely to be required, both early and late in the planning process. Typical steps are described below.

Frequently, Steps 1-3 occur before a strategic planning retreat, Steps 4-7 during the retreat, and Steps 8-10 after the retreat.

Step 1: Agree on a strategic planning process.

This may be done at a Board meeting with key staff present or may require a special meeting or retreat, including Board, key staff, and some external stakeholders. The critical issue is to have leaders and opinion-makers in the organisation agreed about the value and need for the process. At the session, also consider the costs of doing strategic planning, in terms of staff and Board time and other resources.

Agree upon a process and establish responsibilities for the various steps in the process, including at least one day (or several half-days or evenings) devoted to a Board and (all or senior) staff planning retreat or a series of planning meetings.

Except for a very small organisation, it will probably be desirable to set up a strategic planning committee or task force. Choose participants carefully, assuring their commitment to the process and their willingness to devote significant time to the planning effort. The organisation may also want to include an outside facilitator or consultant who will assist with the process and with the preparation of the strategic planning document.

Step 2: Carry out an environmental scan.

This helps provide an understanding of how the organisation relates to its external environment. The scan usually includes an external component -- identifying and assessing opportunities and threats in the external environment -- and an internal component -- assessing organisational strengths and weaknesses. This process is often referred to as "SWOT": strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

The external component of the environmental scan should include a review of the target or service community and the broader environment in which the organisation operates, to identify the opportunities and threats facing the organisation. This process may involve something as extensive as a community needs assessment with interviews, focus groups, and surveys conducted by a consultant or may be limited to a small number of informal discussions with clients and other community residents, heads of other organisations, public servants, funder representatives, and other appropriate individuals.

The internal component of the environmental scan includes an assessment of the organisation's strengths and weaknesses.

You may want to assess current organisational performance in terms of financial and human resources (inputs), operating methods or strategies (processes), and results or outcomes (outputs) otherwise referred to as the “IPO Assessment”. Try to understand how key players or stakeholders in the broader community -- as well as constituents or clients -- view the organisation. Once you have this information, be sure to further analyse the reasons -- in terms of inputs and processes -- for perceived weaknesses in outcomes.

It is often valuable to identify critical success factors for the organisation. Try to understand what factors are necessary to the future and continued success of the organisation.

The result of the environmental scan should be an analysis of organisational strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats. This may be oral or written and requires careful review and discussion by the strategic planning committee. The Board and staff should be familiar with the findings before strategic planning decisions are made.

Step 3: Identify key issues, questions, and choices to be addressed as part of the strategic planning effort.

This may mean specifying "strategic issues" or questions that the organisation should address, and setting priorities in terms of time or importance. If there is little disagreement about issues and priorities, it may be possible to move immediately to the organisational vision and then goals. If there is no agreement on general directions and organisational goals, it may be important to explore issue priorities and identify critical choices.

Whatever the method used, the discussion of the issues should generate some level of agreement about issues or choices to be considered and decisions to be made as part of the strategic planning process.

Once Steps 1-3 have been completed, you are ready to develop a strategic planning retreat agenda and schedule a one- to two-day retreat or a series of shorter meetings.

Step 4: Define or review the organisation's values, community vision, and mission.

Be sure there is consensus on why the organisation exists, what goals or outcomes it seeks to achieve, what it stands for, and whom it serves. If it has specific mandates –things it must do or not do based on its articles of incorporation or bylaws, or long-term contracts or grants – then these should be clearly defined. Consider beginning your strategic planning by agreeing on organisational core values or operating principles, community Vision (this is your vision for the community, not your vision of what the organisation will look like in three to five years or more), and your Mission – the stated purpose for your organisation’s existence.

Step 5: Develop a shared vision for the organisation.

In some strategic planning efforts, a vision for the organisation is developed after a vision for the community has been discussed -- with the assumption that a shared organisational vision may be dependent upon a shared vision of what society should become. Whenever this is done, it is important to agree on where the organisation wants to be in three to five years (It is often helpful to focus on where you want to be at the end of the period covered by the strategic plan).

The development of a shared vision is usually best done with both Board and staff involvement. For a small organisation, a joint Board-staff process may be practical. For a large organisation, a two-stage process might be useful, with staff first working together on a vision, then having the Board and key staff participate in a similar process, in which they review and incorporate the staff vision with their own.

Step 6: Develop a series of goals or organisational status statements which describe the organisation in a specified number of years – assuming it is successful in addressing its mission.

It is usually a short step from the vision to goals – sometimes the statements describing the vision are essentially goal statements. It is extremely valuable to transform the vision into a series of key goals for the organisation, preferably in the form of status statements describing the organisation. For example, goals might cover a variety of categories, such as goals for programs, Resources, Status, Relationships, Organisational development, and Governance.

During the development of goals, it is always important to ask two questions of every goal submitted for consideration:-

• Vision, Mission, Values - Does the goal help the organisation achieve its vision, is it within the definition of the organisation’s mission, will achieving it subscribe to the organisations core values?
• Is the goal, and the phrasing of it, SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Result-based, Time-defined)?

If the answer to both is not an unequivocal “yes” then the goal must be discarded.

Step 7: Agree upon key strategies to reach the goals and address key issues identified through the environmental scan.

The major emphasis should be on broad high-level strategies (not lower-level action steps), including current and new program, advocacy, collaborative, or other approaches. These strategies should be related to specific goals or address several goals. The process requires looking at where the organisation is now and where its vision and goals indicate it wants to be, and identifying strategies to get there. The Board needs to provide a broad view to guide this effort, while the planning group or staff can do much of the detailed analysis.

Whatever the specific approach used, specific criteria for evaluating and choosing among strategies should be agreed upon. They might include such criteria as the following:

???? Value – Will the strategy contribute to meeting agreed-upon goals?

???? Appropriateness – Is the strategy consistent with the organisation's vision, mission, values, and operating principles?

???? Feasibility – Is the strategy practical, given personnel and financial resources and capacity?

???? Acceptability – Is the strategy acceptable to the Board, key staff, and other stakeholders?

???? Cost-benefit – Is the strategy likely to lead to sufficient benefits to justify the costs in time and other resources?

???? Timing – Can and should the organisation implement this strategy at this time, given external factors and competing demands?

You are likely to complete Steps 4-7 during a strategic planning retreat. Someone, a consultant, the Strategic Planning committee or task force, or a staff member will need to take the notes from the retreat, the results of the environmental scan, and other relevant materials and begin to draft a written strategic plan. Once this draft has been prepared, the next step can begin.

Step 8: Develop an operational business plan that addresses goals and specifies objectives and work plans on an annual basis.

Once the longer-term elements of a strategic plan have been developed, it is time to ensure a specific operational plan to begin implementation. Strategic planning recognises that strategies must reflect current conditions within the organisation and its environment. Thus it is rare to attempt to develop detailed annual objectives except for the first or perhaps the first and second year covered by the strategic plan. However, annual operational business plans are needed. Annual program objectives should be time-based and measurable. The annual plan may be a part of the strategic plan or, preferably, may be an annual addendum to it.

However the annual plan is viewed, it is important that any work or workshops relating to the annual plan is conducted totally separately from those of the strategic plan – it is important two distinct paradigms are maintained, being a long-term strategic focus and a shorter-term details focus.

Step 9: Finalise a written strategic plan that summarizes the results and decisions of the strategic planning process.

There is no set format, but be sure to include the outputs of each major step. The addendum at the end of this article provides a suggested format, but it is only one possibility.

Step 10: Build in procedures for monitoring, and for modifying strategies based on changes in the external environment or the organisation.

Be sure progress towards goals and objectives and use of strategies is monitored regularly, with strategies revised and annual objectives developed yearly, based on the progress made, obstacles encountered, and the changing environment. Have procedures for taking advantage of unexpected changes such as more sympathetic government policies or appointed officials, improvements in the economy, changes in local funder priorities, or changes in the target population. Define annual objectives at the start of each year. Look back to see what progress has been made in critical success factors. Use the plan as a compass, but not an inflexible blueprint for action.

If you want to know more about writing your Not-For-Profit Strategic Plan, OTS Management has a free white paper available at www.otsmanagement.com.au

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Content summary.

CPAs working in the not-for-profit (NFP) sector face unprecedented change amidst a backdrop of tightening revenues, increasing demand for services and an expectation to “do more with less”. 

Whether your organisation considers itself to be a “not-for-profit”, “profit for purpose”, “non-government organisation” or a “charity”, CPA Australia is here to support members working in this sector and equipping their organisations for success.

Connect with your local General Manager/Country Head and Relationship Manager who can assist you with professional development and connect you with local NFP sector committees and discussion groups. Contact us

For the individual learner

My Capability Plan is a self-assessment tool provided exclusively to CPA Australia members that assesses capabilities against CPA Australia’s Accounting and Finance Capability Framework. By undertaking this assessment, members will identify capability strengths and areas for development to help guide future learning activities and career development.

A selection of relevant courses and resources

• Accounting for the Australian Private Not-for-Profit Sector 
• A Practical Guide to Organisational Budgeting 
• Governance Essentials: Finance Professionals Supporting Boards 
• Improving and Measuring Performance 
• Aligning Operations, KPIs and Strategy 
• Communicating with Impact 
• Effective Business Writing 

Information and resources for not-for-profit (NFP) organisations and advisers

This updated guide aims to help not-for-profits implement and maintain good financial management and governance practices, providing general guidance and practical tips and suggestions.

Provides a summary of financial reporting and audit/review requirements as set out in the Corporations Act 2001 (applicable to companies limited by guarantee) and each state and territory’s incorporated association legislation.

This guide informs charities and their advisers on their financial reporting and assurance obligations under Australian legislation and regulations.

A guide intended for the external users of financial statements prepared by NFP entities in Australia, such as members of NFPs, donors and funding providers. Management and employees of NFPs may also find the guide useful.

A guide for the external users of financial statements prepared by not-for-profit (NFP) entities in New Zealand.

Guidance for the valuation and depreciation of public sector assets in accordance with the requirements of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) or their jurisdictional equivalents, such as Australian Accounting Standards (AASB).

A guide designed for managers, board members, advisory boards and management committees of small, medium and large not-for-profit organisations (NFPs).

Although profitability is not the core purpose of an NFP, it is necessary to ensure that the NFP is sustainable and properly funded. This guide assists NFPs with the implementation of sound financial management practices to make certain that the social objectives of the community organisation are met.

A ready reference guide for not-for-profit organisations, and those working with not-for-profit organisations, on how to manage and acquit grants from government.

CPA Australia and RMIT: Mergers, amalgamations and acquisitions

This report identifies and assesses the key motivations, risks, barriers and opportunities associated with mergers and acquisitions in the Australian not-for-profit human services sector.

Mentor the Treasurer Program

If you are a small NFP with less than $250,000 in annual revenue and would benefit from a qualified CPA mentoring your treasurer, or if you are a CPA Australia member who would like to volunteer to ‘mentor the treasurer’, please view further information on this program.

Australian Scholarship Foundation Grants

CPA Australia and the Australian Scholarship Foundation (ASF) offer up to five scholarships each year.

The purpose of the scholarship is to enable managers and financial officers of registered charitable organisations to enhance their knowledge and skills, contributing to the management and accountability of charitable not-for-profit organisations.

The scholarship entitles recipients to exemption from all CPA Australia Program subject fees.

Read more about this scholarship here

Pro Bono Australia’s Salary Survey

Since 2013, the Pro Bono Salary Survey has been helping not-for-profits by mapping out trends and offering in-depth insight and analysis, allowing individuals and organisations to effectively benchmark their remuneration practices. CPA Australia members receive 20 per cent off the purchase price of the report by entering the code CPAMEMBER at checkout.

View survey

Pro Bono Australia: Guide to giving, 28th edition

A national directory of not-for-profit organisations and Australian charities. The definitive map of Australia’s not-for-profit, philanthropic and charity sectors.

Library resources

The following titles are available for members to borrow from the CPA Australia library. You’ll need an online account with us to access these resources.

Financial management for nonprofit organizations: policies and practices

From go to woe: how a not-for-profit managed the change to accrual accounting, streetsmart financial basics for nonprofit managers, the executive director's guide to thriving as a nonprofit leader (ebook), a solution for plastic waste, nonprofit management 101: a complete and practical guide for leaders and professionals, koda capital insights.

Koda Capital produce a number of reports relevant to the not-for-profit section, including:

An Effective Investment Policy Statement

Establishing an investment portfolio, investing for non-profits: essential questions for board and investment committee members, koda’s covid-19 investment lessons for non-profit committees, the principles of endowment style investing, top 10 mistakes of the australian non-profit investor…and how to avoid them.

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Steps for Building a Sustainable NFP Business Model

Xavier Smerdon | 25 February 2015 at 10:03 am

As Government purse strings continue to tighten and the competition for the philanthropic dollar intensifies, Not For Profit leaders are looking to sustainable business models to ensure their survival. Managing Director of Spark Strategy, George Liacos shares how Not for Profits can remain relevant and financially viable.

The key to picking the right funding model is not about the funding model at all. To get it right, leaders need to think beyond the funding model, and unearth the sustainable business model.

It’s no big secret that the key to nailing the business model is to nail the value proposition. The tricky bit is that value is not static. What stakeholders value today will most likely change tomorrow.

So, leaders must do two things:

1.      Anticipate the long term future value demanded by their communities; and

2.      Generate ideas for adaptive business models to deliver this future value better than anyone else.

The funding model will follow.

Sustainability is not a year-to-year proposition, but by its very nature it is a long­?term pursuit with short?term actions. Not for Profit leaders need to “think long, act short”.

There is a simple and universal truth that gets covered in intellectual complexity – organisations stay relevant by delivering more value than their competitors. Let’s not be coy either, competition is strong in the social sector. In order to be sustainable, organisations must focus on what value will be demanded in the future and deliver better value than anyone else. And note that “better than anyone else” does not mean delivering value alone. This constantly shifting value demand landscape will call for the collaboration of different skills at different times, which is another shift that will (and indeed, already is) fundamentally changing how the sector operates.

Not for Profit strategic and funding planning is often based on the premise that “We need what we have to deliver what we do.” So the question to be answered by the strategy or planning process becomes “How do we fund what we have for longer?”  Unhappily, many organisations respond to this question by trying to bolt on new income streams to existing business models in a bid to plug funding gaps.

Conversely, sustainable logic asks “What mission will make sense tomorrow, what will be needed to meet this mission and where is the best place to get each part of what’s needed?” And then (and only then), once the approach for meeting demand in the future starts to take shape, “What funding model will support this?”

The challenge is in being able to track current, emerging and future value demands on an ongoing basis and in fundamentally adapting business models to deliver this value better than anyone else can.

Sustainability comes from adopting flexible, adaptive business models, not from preserving and bending existing ones. Delivering the best value will require the best business model, and it’s the business model that will determine the appropriate funding model. Looking for ways to fill funding gaps must start with an examination of the mission and business model. Again, think long, act short.

•          There is no such thing as reaching perpetual sustainability.
•          Achieving sustainability is a dynamic and robust pursuit matching the business model to value demands at any given point.
•          Organisations need to be able to articulate their evolved purpose, and their value proposition, in a new and different future world and make sure they will be delivering value for the community and satisfying future demand.
•          The future value proposition will drive the organisation’s enterprise model, which will ultimately drive their funding model.
•          Funding models can require significant investment, so it makes sense that they ought to be developed in the context of an organisation’s long-term environment.
•          Leaders need to be able to articulate the evolved purpose of an organisation in a new and different future world.
•          The future will see faster changes in value demands and hence changes in value propositions from seekers of sustainability.
•          Sustainability is about constant adaptation.

The conversation about Not for Profit funding models has been largely focused on a journey that assumes tomorrow is an extension of today. That what the organisation does tomorrow is essentially the same as today and done in similar ways.

In order to secure the future of any Not for Profit, the traditional development model above needs to be discarded and a client centric approach must be adopted.

Here are 16 steps that will help a Not for Profit leaders start their organisations along the path to sustainability:

1.      Embrace the fact that this is a journey with the potential of a surprising outcome.

2.      Start to seed the view in the organisation that the mission is more important than the organisation and its structure.

3.      If there is not a laser clear focus on the current mission, value proposition and business model, get one.

4.      Clarify and distill target service recipients (the focus of the mission), their attributes, what drives their demand for your services, and how they consume the organisation’s services.

5.      Identify and analyse those that consume the services and resources who may not be target recipients and understand the cost of servicing them. Critically explore how serving them meets the mission and conversely discuss whether retiring these recipients would better equip the organisation to pursue the core mission. Explore potential revenue streams in switching models for these non-core recipients.

6.      Develop a clear view as to the future for target service recipients. Go longer rather than shorter. This is often the hard bit for executive teams and gets written off as speculation. Stick with it.

7.      Develop a view as to the optimal modes of interaction and service delivery for target segment in this future period.

8.      Construct the best pathways for how to reach the segment and how they will access services.

9.      Develop a future value proposition for the future core and the adjacent segments.

10.  Begin the development of income and revenue models. First, step away from funding and grants and explore other revenue modes. ?

11.  Turn to the value proposition and construct, from the ground up, a business that is focused on delivery of this value proposition. Flesh out the activities and resources the business will perform and need. Acknowledge that some of what is done today, won’t be done tomorrow.

12.  Critically assess activities and seek out networks, partnerships and alliances that could possibly do these activities really well, maybe even better than is currently done by the organisation. ?

13.  Develop up the cost model based on these activity, resource and partnership models.

14.  Now turn to funding and grants.

15.  Next, articulate the culture and leadership required to implement these models.

16.  Finally, create the program of work that is required to change the organisation from today’s structure and model to the one developed. Be open to some of the great thinking about incentives for executives and the open remuneration models that will encourage talent into the model.

In doing this, these design principles are being embedded to the new model:

•            Finance and funding models based on business models
•            Business models based on future value propositions
•            Value propositions based on future demand
•            Critical assessment of activities undertaken
•            Exploration of partnering and networks from the design stage
•            Development of revenue streams
•            Absolute alignment of activity to value proposition and mission
•            Paying well for talent

Leaders searching for sustainability must look long, be flexible and encourage creativity to have any hope of preparing their organisation for the future. It will take time and it will fundamentally change the organisation, but there is everything to be gained from engaging in this process. It will put the organisation on the path to true sustainability.

About the author: George Liacos is Managing Director of Spark Strategy.Spark Strategy works with Not for Profits and social enterprises to realise their social mission objectives and unearth ideas for sustainable business models.

If you would like to learn more about this approach to achieving sustainability, download the whitepaper ‘In Search of Sustainability: Thinking beyond funding models’ here: info.sparkstrategy.com.au/sustainability or contact Spark Strategy at [email protected] or on +61 3 8804 1731.

Xavier Smerdon  |  Journalist  |  @XavierSmerdon

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Not-for-profit

Commonwealth definition of charity.

The Charities Act 2013 (Cth) provides a statutory definition of charity. Read more about the legal meaning of charity .

What is a not-for-profit?

A not-for-profit is generally an organisation that does not operate for the profit, personal gain or other benefit of particular people (for example, its members, the people who run the organisation, or their friends or relatives).

The definition of not-for-profit applies both while the organisation is operating and if it closes down.

Benefits to members

An organisation can still be a not-for-profit if it provides a benefit to a member while genuinely carrying out its purpose.

For example, a self-help group for young disadvantaged parents can retain its not-for-profit status even while providing counselling services to a young parent who is also a member of the organisation.

This is because the member receiving the benefit is a genuine person in need, and the benefit being provided by the self-help group is in line with its purpose.

Types of benefits

A not-for-profit can provide direct benefits (such as distributing money or gifts) or indirect benefits (such as a member receiving help that is consistent with the organisation's purpose).

A staff member and, sometimes, a Responsible Person (a board or committee member, or trustee) can be paid for their work, but they cannot be paid an unreasonable amount.

A charity’s governing document may include clauses about reasonable payments and benefits.

Making a profit

A not-for-profit can in fact make a profit, but any profit it does make must be allocated towards its purposes.

Not-for-profits can also retain any profits they make, as long as there is a genuine reason to do so, and that reason is clearly linked to its purpose.

For example, an organisation may wish to retain profits it has made in order to save up for a new project, new infrastructure or building, or to help it accumulate a reserve so it remains sustainable.

If an organisation holds onto significant profits indefinitely – and without using them towards its charitable purpose – it may suggest the organisation is not working solely towards its stated charitable purpose. This, in turn, may mean it is not operating as a not-for-profit.

Demonstrating not-for-profit character

To be registered with the ACNC, an organisation must meet the requirement of being a not-for-profit.

An organisation can achieve this by having particular statements (clauses) in its governing document, and following them.

Sample clauses may be worded in line with these examples:

The not-for-profit clause

This clause sets out how the organisation’s assets and income are to be used and distributed.

'The assets and income of the organisation shall be applied solely to further its objects and no portion shall be distributed directly or indirectly to the members of the organisation except as genuine compensation for services rendered or expenses incurred on behalf of the organisation.'

The dissolution clause

This clause sets out what happens to the organisation’s assets if it dissolves or winds up. To satisfy the ACNC's requirements for being a charity, the clause must state the assets go to another charity.

'In the event of the organisation being dissolved, all assets that remain after such dissolution and the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities shall be transferred to another organisation with similar purposes, which is charitable at law and which has rules prohibiting the distribution of its assets and income to its members.'

The deductible gift recipient (DGR) revocation clause

This clause is used if the organisation has applied for deductible gift recipient (DGR) endorsement from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

‘If the organisation is wound up or its endorsement as a deductible gift recipient is revoked (whichever occurs first), any surplus of the following assets shall be transferred to another organisation with similar objects, which is charitable at law, to which income tax deductible gifts can be made:

• gifts of money or property for the principal purpose of the organisation
• contributions made in relation to an eligible fundraising event held for the principal purpose of the organisation
• money received by the organisation because of such gifts and contributions.’

Legal structure

The ACNC also accepts that some organisations can show their not-for-profit character through the operation of certain laws, such as state or territory incorporated associations legislation, and trust law.

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The best nonprofit business plan template in 2023

If you’re looking to start a new charity but don’t know where to start, a nonprofit business plan template can help. There are more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations registered in the US. While it’s awesome that there are so many charitable orgs, unfortunately, many of them struggle to keep their doors open.

Like any other business, a nonprofit needs to prepare for the unexpected. Even without a global pandemic, strategic planning is crucial for a nonprofit to succeed.

In this article, we’ll look at why a business plan is important for nonprofit organizations and what details to include in your business plan. To get you started, our versatile nonprofit business plan template is ready for you to download to turn your nonprofit dreams into a reality.

Get the template

What is a nonprofit business plan template?

A nonprofit business plan template is not that different from a regular, profit-oriented business plan template. It can even focus on financial gain — as long as it specifies how to use that excess for the greater good.

A nonprofit business plan template includes fields that cover the foundational elements of a business plan, including:

• The overarching purpose of your nonprofit
• Its long and short-term goals
• An outline of how you’ll achieve these goals

The template also controls the general layout of the business plan, like recommended headings, sub-headings, and questions. But what’s the point? Let’s dive into the benefits a business plan template offers nonprofits.

Download Excel template

Why use a nonprofit business plan template?

To get your nonprofit business plans in motion, templates can:

Provide direction

If you’ve decided to start a nonprofit, you’re likely driven by passion and purpose. Although nonprofits are generally mission-driven, they’re still businesses. And that means you need to have a working business model. A template will give your ideas direction and encourage you to put your strategic thinking cap on.

Help you secure funding

One of the biggest reasons for writing a nonprofit business plan is to attract investment. After all, without enough funding , it’s nearly impossible to get your business off the ground. There’s simply no business without capital investment, and that’s even more true for nonprofits that rarely sell products.

Stakeholders and potential investors will need to assess the feasibility of your nonprofit business. You can encourage them to invest by presenting them with a well-written, well-thought-out business plan with all the necessary details — and a template lays the right foundation.

Facilitate clear messaging

One of the essential characteristics of any business plan — nonprofits included — is transparency around what you want to achieve and how you are going to achieve it. A nebulous statement with grandiose aspirations but no practical plan won’t inspire confidence.

Instead, you should create a clear and concise purpose statement that sums up your goals and planned action steps. A good template will help you maintain a strong purpose statement and use clear messaging throughout.

Of course, there are different types of nonprofit plan templates you can use, depending on the kind of business plan you want to draw up.

What are some examples of a nonprofit business plan template?

From summary nonprofit plans to all encompassing strategies, check out a few sample business plan templates for different nonprofit use cases.

Summary nonprofit business plan template

New nonprofit ventures in the early stages of development can use this business plan template. It’s created to put out feelers to see if investors are interested in your idea. For example, you may want to start an animal shelter in your community, but aren’t sure if it’s a viable option due to a lack of funds. You’d use a summary business plan template to gauge interest in your nonprofit.

Full nonprofit business plan template

In this scenario, you have already laid the foundations for your nonprofit. You’re now at a point where you need financing to get your nonprofit off the ground.

This template is much longer than a summary and includes all the sections of a nonprofit business plan including the:

Executive summary

• Nonprofit description
• Needs analysis
• Product/service
• Marketing strategy
• Management team & board
• Human resource needs

It also typically includes a variety of documents that back up your market research and financial situation.

Operational nonprofit business plan template

This type of business plan template is extremely detail-oriented and outlines your nonprofit’s daily operations. It acts as an in-depth guide for who does what, how they should do it, and when they should do it.

An operational nonprofit business plan is written for your internal team rather than external parties like investors or board members.

Convinced to give a business plan template a go? Lucky for you, our team has created the perfect option for nonprofits.

monday.com’s nonprofit business plan template

At monday.com, we understand that starting a nonprofit business can feel overwhelming — scrambling to line up investors, arranging fundraising events, filing federal forms, and more. Because we want you and your nonprofit to succeed, we’ve created a customizable template to get you started. It’s right inside our Work OS , a digital platform that helps you effectively manage every aspect of your work — from budgets and high-level plans to individual to-do lists.

Here’s what you can do on our template:

Access all your documents from one central location

Besides a business plan, starting a nonprofit requires a lot of other documentation. Supporting documents include a cash flow statement or a general financial statement, resumes of founders, and letters of support.

monday.com’s Work OS lets you store all these essential documents in one centralized location. That means you don’t need to open several tabs or run multiple programs to view your information. On monday.com, you can quickly and easily access documents and share them with potential investors and donors. Security features also help you control access to any board or document, only letting invited people or employees view or edit them. By keeping everything in one place, you save time on tracking down rogue files or statements and can focus on what really matters, such as running your nonprofit.

Turn your business plan into action

With monday.com’s nonprofit business plan template, you can seamlessly transform your plan into actionable tasks. After all, it’s going to take more than some sound strategic planning to bring your nonprofit to life.

Based on your business plan, you have the power to create interactive vision boards, calendars, timelines, cards, charts, and more. Because delegation is key, assign tasks to any of your team members from your main board. You can even set up notification automations so that everyone stays up to date with their responsibilities. Plus, to make sure the team stays on track, you can use the Progress Tracking Column that shows you the percent to completion of tasks based on the different status columns of your board.

Keep your finger on the pulse

From budgets to customer satisfaction, you need to maintain a high-level overview of your nonprofit’s key metrics.

monday.com keeps you well-informed on the status of your nonprofit’s progress, all on one platform. With customizable dashboards — for example, a real-time overview of donations received and projects completed — and visually appealing views, you can make confident decisions on how to take your nonprofit business forward.

Now that you have the template, let’s cover each section and how to fill it out correctly.

Essential sections of a nonprofit business plan template

So what exactly goes into a nonprofit business plan? Let’s take a look at the different sections you’ll find in most templates.

This is a concise summary of your business at the beginning of your plan. It should be both inspired and to the point. The executive summary is typically two pages long and dedicates about two sentences to each section of the plan.

Organization overview

This section gives some background on your company and summarizes the goal of your business. At the same time, it should touch on other important factors like your action plan for attracting potential external stakeholders. You can think of an organization overview as a mission statement and company description rolled into one.

Products, programs, and services

Any business exists to provide products, programs, and services — perhaps with a focus on the latter two for nonprofits. Your business plan should outline what you are bringing to your community. This will influence your target market , potential investors, and marketing strategies.

Marketing plan

An effective marketing strategy is the cornerstone of any successful business. Your marketing plan will identify your target audience and how you plan to reach them. It deals with pricing structures while also assessing customer engagement levels.

Operational plan

The operational plan describes the steps a company will take over a certain period. It focuses on the day-to-day aspects of the business, like what tasks need to be done and who is responsible for what. The operational section of a business plan works closely with strategic planning.

Competitive analysis

Even nonprofits face competition from other nonprofits with similar business profiles. A market analysis looks at the strengths and weaknesses of competing businesses and where you fit in. This section should include a strategy to overtake competitors in the market. There are many formats and templates you can use here, for example, a SWOT analysis .

Financial plan

Your financial plan should be a holistic image of your company’s financial status and financial goals. As well as your fundraising plan , make sure to include details like cash flow, investments, insurance, debt, and savings.

Before we wrap up, we’ll address some commonly asked questions about nonprofit business plan templates.

FAQs about nonprofit business plan templates

How do you write a business plan for a nonprofit.

The best way to write a nonprofit business plan is with a template so that you don’t leave anything out. Our template has all the sections ready for you to fill in, combined with features of a cutting-edge Work OS.

For some extra tips, take a look at our advice on how to write a business plan . We’ve detailed the various elements involved in business planning processes and how these should be structured.

How many pages should a nonprofit business plan be?

Business plans don’t have to be excessively long. Remember that concise communication is optimal. As a rule of thumb — and this will vary depending on the complexity and size of your business plan — a nonprofit business plan is typically between seven and thirty pages long.

What is a nonprofit business plan called?

A nonprofit business plan is called just that — a ‘nonprofit business plan.’ You may think that its nonprofit element makes it very different from a profit-oriented plan. But it is essentially the same type of document.

What is the best business structure for a nonprofit?

The consensus is that a corporation is the most appropriate and effective structure for a nonprofit business.

How do you start a nonprofit with no money?

Creating a business plan and approaching potential investors, aka donators, is the best way to start a nonprofit business if you don’t have the funds yourself.

Try monday.com for nonprofits

Join the 150k+ customers who use monday.com.

FREE 23+ Non Profit Business Plan Templates in PDF | Google Docs | MS Word | Pages

Non-profit organizations solely work on causes that can help society. As the income they earn is used to further their goals, it is essential to outline their business plans in an organized way. If you are wondering how you can do that, you can browse through our collection of non-profit templates . They are designed and written by experts in such a way that you do not have to prepare one from scratch.

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Step 1: List Your Objectives to be Achieved

Step 2: application of strategies and tactics, step 3: decide your budget, step 4: plan to overcome difficulties, step 5: evaluate your plan.

• Executive summary
• Problem and a solution to the problem
• Market analysis
• Target Audience and competitors
• Future products and services
• Strategies for funding and promotion

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Nonprofit Business Plan Template [Updated 2023]

Nonprofit Business Plan Template

If you want to start a nonprofit business or expand your current nonprofit organization, you need a business plan.

The following non profit business plan template gives you the key elements to include in a winning nonprofit business plan.

You can download the nonprofit business plan template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.

I. Executive Summary

Organization overview.

[Organization Name], located at [insert location here] is a non-profit organization that provides assistance to at-risk youth in Westchester County, NY. For the past 10 years, [Organization Name] has helped over 10,000 teenagers learn valuable skills and become more education-focused in order to improve their ability to live fulfilling lives.

Services Offered

[Organization Name]offers group counseling services as well as one-on-one mentoring to youth. We also provide training, individualized coaching and support, and numerous group activities to supplement the one-to-one support.

Customer Focus

[Organization Name]primarily serves the at risk youth within a 5 mile radius of our Somers, NY. The demographics of these customers are as follows:

• 27,827 residents
• Average income of $34,700
• 58.9% married
• Unemployed: 23%
• Below Poverty Line: 8.3%
• Median age: 38 years

Management Team

[Organization Name]is led by [Director’s Name] who has been in the non-profit world for 20 years. [Director’s Name] has successfully led [Organization Name] for the past 5 years in serving over 10,000 at-risk youth.

[Director’s Name] is supported by a team which includes [individual 1] and [individual 2] that have experience running both for-profit and non-profit ventures. Specifically, our team has solid experience in organizing events, marketing to the local community and achieving key goals.

Success Factors

[Organization Name] is uniquely qualified to succeed due to the following reasons:

• There is a massive need to serve at-risk youth in our community. Doing so will increase the quality of life and decrease crime rates among numerous other benefits.
• There is no other organization supporting this critical need.
• The management team has a track record of success achieving the goals of our organization and other organizations for which we have worked.
• Members of our community fully support and believe in our mission.

Financial Highlights

[Organization Name] is currently seeking additional donations of $[X] in order to fulfill our mission. Specifically, these funds will be used as follows:

II. Organization Overview

You can download the Non Profit business plan template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.

Who is [Organization Name]?

[Organization Name], located at [insert location here] provides assistance to at-risk you in Westchester County, NY. Since inception, [Organization Name] has helped over 10,000 teenagers learn valuable skills and become more education-focused in order to improve their ability to live fulfilling lives .

[Organization Name]’s mission is to support 100% of at-risk youths in our community. We hope that through our training and support programs, that all youth in our community will have the opportunity to achieve success in their lives.

[Organization Name]’s History

[Organization Name] was founded by [Founder’s Name] because she felt nothing was being done to serve the at-risk youth in her community. [Founder’s Name] was unable to sit by and watch while her community “was being destroyed” by ignoring key problems.

[Organization Name] was founded in that year as a 501c3 non profit organization and has been growing ever since in terms of staff size and number of community members served

Since our founding, the Organization has achieved the following milestones:

• Staffed the organization
• Developed an outstanding Board of Directors and Board of Advisors
• Effectively impacted and improved the lives of over 10,000 at risk youths and their families
• Won several awards for outstanding community service

[Organization Name]’s Services

[Organization Name] has been dedicated to making a difference in the lives of at-risk youth since we began.

In order to achieve this, we offer many services including the following:

• Recruiting adult volunteers to be matched one-to-one with youth
• Training programs to teach job skills
• Individualized coaching and mentoring
• Individualized support sessions
• Group activities to build teamwork skills and self-confidence

Our child mentoring services are perhaps our program with the most impact.

In order to offer these services, we recruit adults from the community and surrounding areas who have achieved personal and professional success in their lives.

We have a training program for these volunteers to teach them how to teach the youth the skills and lessons they have learned in a highly nurturing environment.

III. Industry Analysis

[Organization Name] operates in the U.S. youth mentorship market.The following industry size facts and statistics define the U.S. youth mentorship market.

The US Census showed that the United States has over 35 million young people between the ages of 10 and 18.

While all youth can benefit from youth mentoring, it is obvious that some young people, as a result of life circumstances, could benefit more than others from quality mentorship.

There are a number of factors that put youth particularly at risk of not becoming successful adults. Those factors include:

• performing poorly in school and dropping out
• engaging in substance abuse
• having sex at an early age
• engaging in delinquent behavior

Youth are categorized by risk status:

• Very high risk (10 percent of young people) – young people with multiple problem behaviors who commit serious offenses, drop out of school; use heavy drugs and have sex without contraception, etc.
• High risk (15 percent) – youth who participate in two or three problem behaviors but at a slightly lower frequency and with less deleterious consequences;
• Moderate risk (25 percent) – youth who tend to experiment in committing minor delinquent offenses, using substances occasionally but not hard drugs, have sexual intercourse with contraception, etc.; and
• Low risk (50 percent) – young people who do not commit any serious delinquent acts, do not abuse substances and are not yet sexually active.

Based on recent US population estimate, the number of high and moderate risk youth exceeds 15 million.

Within our surrounding areas, based on similar statistical reasoning, we believe there are 115,000 at-risk youths currently and the number is growing each year.

IV. Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

[Company Name] will serve the residents and businesses operating in [company location] holding special events and meetings.

The area we serve is affluent and has the disposable income/profits required to demand off-premises catering services.

The precise demographics of the town in which our business is based are as follows:

Customer Segmentation

We primarily target the following three“customer” segments:

• Very high risk youths.
• As mentioned previously, these youth generally have committed serious offenses or dropped out of school.
• For these youth, we offer intensive one-on-one counseling, mentorship and training.
• As mentioned above, these youth participate some problem behaviors but at a lower frequency.
• These youth are also offered intensive one-on-one counseling, mentorship and training
• These youth tend to experiment in committing minor delinquent offenses
• [Organization name] offers these youth training programs and mentoring to improve their life skills and train them to achieve success.

V.Competitive Analysis

Direct & indirect competitors.

The following organizations provide related services either nationwide or locally to our customers:

Boys & Girls Club of America

Boys & Girls Clubs of America (or BGCA) is a national organization whose mission is to “enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.”

Boys & Girls Clubs of America has a lineup of tested and proven nationally recognized programs that address today’s most pressing youth issues, teaching young people the skills they need to succeed in life.

National programs are available in the areas of education, the environment, health, the arts, careers, alcohol/drug and pregnancy prevention, gang prevention, leadership development and athletics.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America has more than 4,000 autonomous local Clubs which are affiliates of the national organization. Clubs serve some 4.8 million young people – generally between the ages of 6 and 18 – through membership and community outreach, and are located in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and on U.S. military bases in America and around the world. Professional Club staff total some 49,000 worldwide.

The 2,686 US-based YMCAs make the organization one of the largest not-for-profit community service organizations in the United States.

Today’s YMCAs serve thousands of U.S. communities, uniting 21 million children and adults of all ages, races, faiths, backgrounds, abilities and income levels. YMCAs are committed to helping:

• Children and youth deepen positive values, their commitment to service and their motivation to learn
• Families build stronger bonds, spend time together and become more engaged with their communities
• Individuals strengthen their spiritual, mental and physical well-being

At every stage of life, YMCAs strive to help children, families and individuals reach their full potential.

YMCAs are the nation’s largest provider of child care, with nearly 10,000 child care sites across the country that provide high-quality, affordable care to more than 500,000 children.

Competitive Advantage/Differentiation

Boys & Girls Club of America and YMCA are excellent organizations. However neither organization provides the level of youth mentoring depth that is provided by [Organization Name]. Specifically, [Organization Name] offer the following advantages to our community:

• Location: [Organization Name]’s location is near the center of town, giving members of our community easy access. The nearest YMCA and/or Boys & Girls Club is 15 miles away. This makes them highly inconvenient for the at-risk youth who have no transportation.
• One-on-one mentorship: Neither the YMCA nor Boys & Girls Club offers one-on-one mentorship to at risk youth. While both programs provide meaningful interaction, at-risk youth need one-on-one help from volunteers who are trained and focused. [Organization name] provides this critical benefit.
• Recruitment: [Organization name] has recruited hundreds of adult volunteers in our surrounding community areas to help our youth. These volunteers have been recruited, checked and trained and only work for our organization.

VI.Marketing Plan

The Marketing Plan describes the type of brand [Organization Name] seeks to create and the Organization’s planned promotions and pricing strategies.

The [Organization Name] Brand

The [Organization Name] brand will focus on the Organization’s unique value proposition:

• Providing assistance to at-risk youth.
• Offering one-on-one mentorship and training programs.
• Providing a safe haven for youth

Promotions Strategy

[Organization Name]promotes itself to the community in order to reach at-risk youth and potential donors. The Organization’s promotions strategy to reach these individuals includes:

Direct Mail

[Organization Name] blanket neighborhoods with direct mail pieces. These pieces will provide general information on [Organization Name], and discusses program offerings and donation and volunteer opportunities.

Public Relations

We frequently contact local and area newspapers and television stations to tell them about the unique value proposition of [Organization Name].

Advertising

[Organization Name] does low-cost advertise in local newspapers and sponsors community events in order to gain awareness.

Ongoing Customer Communications

[Organization Name]maintains a website and publishes a monthly email newsletter to tell constituents about new events, accomplishments and more.

VII.Operations Plan

Functional roles.

In order to execute on [Organization Name]’s business model, the Organization needs to perform many functions including the following:

Executive Functions

• General management of the organization
• Meeting with key constituents including local government officials
• Hiring and training staff
• Maintaining the vision of the organization

Administrative Functions

• General & Administrative functions such as bookkeeping, etc.
• Tactical functions such as legal, marketing

Service Functions

• Recruiting and training volunteers
• Scheduling activities for youth

Special Functions

• Putting on our annual fundraising events

[Organization Name] expects to achieve the following milestones in the following [] months:

VIII. Management Team

Management team members.

[Founder’s Name]currently serves as Executive Director for [Organization Name].

Prior to joining [Organization Name], [Founder’s Name] managed GE’s East Coast philanthropic and volunteer initiatives for more than ten years. She has served in the field as an educator, program manager, grant maker, and advisor for nonprofits and corporate philanthropy programs for the past 20 years.

[Founder’s Name] has directed partnerships with a diverse group of education based community organizations including The National Literacy Program, and the At-Risk Technology Grant Initiative.

[Founder’s Name] has also been involved in the National Philanthropy Day Steering Committee, and the Orange County Community Relations Consortium.

[Founder’s Name] graduated from the University of ABC where she majored in Communications.

Hiring Plan

In addition to our current team, upon successfully getting more donations, we plan to hire the following personnel:

• Public relations director
• Volunteer coordinator
• Finance director

IX. Financial Plan

Revenue and cost drivers.

[Organization Name]’s “revenues” come from donations and the solicitation of donations from both individuals and corporations.

Capital Requirements and Use of Funds

[Organization Name] is currently seeking donations totally $300,000 in order to hire new staff and expand its program offerings.

Specifically, these funds will be used as follows:

• Salaries: $X,000
• Administrative Expenses: $X,000 to pay for lease costs and ongoing operational expenses

Key Assumptions & Forecasts

Below please find the key assumptions that went into the financial forecast and a summary of the financial projections over the next five years.

5 Year Annual Income Statement

5 Year Annual Balance Sheet

5 Year Annual Cash Flow Statement

Nonprofit Business Plan FAQs

What is a nonprofit business plan, do i need a nonprofit business plan, how often should i update my nonprofit business plan, what should be in a nonprofit business plan, how many pages should a nonprofit business plan be.

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• International edition
• Australia edition

As China’s economy stalls, Australia braces for the impact on its currency and tourism market

The plan was to profit from Chinese pandemic recovery, before signs emerged that all was not well

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With strong financial ties to China , Australia is bracing for impact as the country’s deepening economic woes threaten its trading partners.

Growth has stalled in China, as has foreign investment, at the same time as a property crisis worsens, with developers Evergrande and Country Garden facing severe financial difficulties.

Youth unemployment had surged to 21.3% before Beijing abruptly suspended the data series, setting alarm bells ringing.

Australia was planning to profit from China’s pandemic recovery, before signs emerged that all was not well with the major iron ore customer and sender of tourists.

A sharp downturn in China would depress economic growth in Australia, through lower exports and investment, notably in the resources and tourism markets.

Unemployment would rise, and the surging company and personal tax revenues currently swelling the Albanese government’s budget would dramatically slow.

The pursuit of future surpluses, delivered in 2022-23 for the first time in 15 years, would also become a much more difficult assignment.

Veteran Perth-based mining analyst Peter Strachan says that, after decades of strong economic growth, a sharp economic pullback in China might be due.

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“I can’t see why China, after having 30 years of extraordinary growth, won’t come up against some sort of economic or social crisis,” Strachan says.

“This could be it.”

Deteriorating iron ore prices

China is Australia’s largest trading partner, accounting for nearly one-third of its overseas trade, according to government data, underpinned by significant amounts of iron ore, coal, gas and numerous minerals.

Strachan says China’s slowdown will have an immediate impact on Australia’s exports and commodity prices, given its outsized role as a buyer.

“If the Chinese are buying less, they’ll be building less, and therefore buying less iron ore,” he says.

“As the economy slows, they’ll be buying less liquefied natural gas from us as well. I suspect we’re not going to be rushed off our feet supplying iron ore or liquified natural gas to China over the next 12 months.”

Iron ore prices have already fallen heavily from high prices struck over the past two years amid a global slowdown.

“China’s beleaguered property sector shows no signs of improving,” says ANZ, noting the sector consumes more than one-third of the country’s steel output.

“The subsequent weakness in steel demand is likely to put downward pressure on iron ore prices.”

The impact of a mining slowdown on Australia is hotly debated, given there is a high foreign ownership component of large miners and profits don’t necessarily fuel other parts of the economy.

While resources towns can become more affordable during a mining pullback, deteriorating iron ore prices would, however, lead to a reduced tax take. There are also numerous companies that are set up to service miners.

The Western Australia government’s iron ore royalty income also falls when prices and export volumes pull back, which reverberates around the country due to the way GST revenue is shared between the states.

Chinese tourism cratering

As pandemic travel doors reopened, there were hopes China’s high-spending tourists would flood back to Australia – but it turned out to be a trickle.

More people came for short-term stays from the island country of Singapore in 2022-23 than from all of China, according to the Bureau of Statistics.

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The heavily reduced number of Chinese visitors, representing just 17% of pre-pandemic levels, has been linked to a shortage of flights, high air fares and a government ban on group tours; the latter only having just been lifted after Beijing eased travel restrictions.

Grant Wilckens, chief executive of holiday park owner G’day Group, says the property downturn came at a difficult time.

“They’re a massive population base, they were here in droves, and now this is another reason for them not to come, or put off their trip,” Wilckens says.

“The property downtown in China is certainly a concern.”

He says Chinese traveller numbers are down about 60% from pre-pandemic levels at his operations.

Internal travel and overseas tourist numbers are closely linked to wider financial factors, with any weakness in an economy typically leading to a drop in travel. This then affects employment numbers in the tourism sector.

The international student market is similarly affected.

Chinese travel has also been hampered by a series of product bans and tariffs the country started to impose on Australia in late 2020 after bilateral relations deteriorated.

Wilckens says a further easing of trade restrictions could help generate more flights to and from China.

“That actually puts freight into the bellies of aircraft, creating more demand for flights in and out of Australia, with tourists on them,” he says.

A weakening Aussie dollar

The Australian dollar is heavily influenced by iron ore price movements, which means that price weakness in the resources sector usually depresses the local currency, which is seen as a commodity currency and proxy for the Chinese economy.

Last week, the Australian dollar sank to US63.63c , the lowest since last November. The plunge against the greenback is starting to resemble levels last hit in the global financial crisis.

Carlo Pruscino, senior sales trader at CMC Markets, says given currencies act as a barometer of health for their economies, a sustained slowdown in China would probably negatively affect the yuan and Australian dollar.

“If the Chinese slowdown continues, then it could lead to a sustained drop in demand for Australian exports, meaning decreased revenues for Australia,” says Pruscino.

“Offshore investors could shy away from the Australian dollar in favour of less export-dependent countries.

A weaker Australian dollar can help exporters, because their goods are less expensive than rival products from countries with stronger currencies. It’s also a drawcard for international tourists, who benefit from exchange rates.

On the flip side, importers and Australians heading abroad have less purchasing power.

China could still try to stimulate itself out of its economic problems, which would typically lift resource prices, along with the Australian dollar, although some economists believe that runs the risk of Beijing taking on too much debt.

Its trusted model of investing in roads, homes, factories and bridges now makes less sense given how much infrastructure is already underused or vacant.

So far Chinese officials have announced numerous small measures, leaving the market underwhelmed, and iron ore prices and the Australian dollar depressed.

• Australian economy
• Asia Pacific
• Unemployment

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