An Introduction
As of this August, I am in my final semester in undergrad at Loyola University Chicago of which I will be receiving a BA International Studies and minors in Spanish and Latin American Studies. In order to graduate a semester early, I will be taking part in an Independent Study under the supervision of Dina Berger (no relation) who is the Director of Loyola's Department of Latin American and Latino Studies. For this Independent Study, I will be creating a framework/business proposal of a nonprofit organization focusing on Latin America- specifically Zacapa, Guatemala. The goal of completing an Independent Study is to conduct research and acquire skills that can be used in post-graduation life, and Professor Berger suggested that I do a study that will help my career life after 2014.
The Idea
(and how it came about)
For quite a few years now I have been involved in international missions at Crossroads Community Church. Beginning with six trips to Juarez, Mexico to build houses with Casas por Cristo, and jump starting trips to West Liberty, Kentucky, and organizing the very first trip to Zacapa, Guatemala with C.A.L.M.S. all of which directed me to attend Loyola University and study international regions at the maco and micro level. With having gone on so many mission trips and starting up missions to Guatemala, I want to create my own organization that does God's work in Latin America. The problem that I have been encountering is that after going to the same area for consecutive years, the relationships have been formed between the international community and the churches stateside, thus there is not really a need for a third party organization to provide connections and trips. What my idea is is to create a nonprofit organization that helps connect churches in the U.S., that want to commit to long term missions, with the communities in Zacapa, Guatemala. Each mission will be projects that the community specifies with me such as: medical/dental, natural disaster relief, clothing drives, ESL, teaching training, general workshops, construction/building projects, etc. Instead of making a plan by the churches on what they think has to be done in the community, the churches will be informed on what needs have to be addresses by the local community. Once the churches and communities have built their direct relationships (which may take 3-5 years) then my organization will step away and allow the church and community to work together in Christ without full assistance. That is my idea in a nutshell.
The Plan
Starting a nonprofit organization is by itself difficult, to do it internationally is even harder (in my opinion). I have never started an organization before so this is a completely unfamiliar process. Just from basic Google searches, I have found the very general steps in how to create a nonprofit:
1. Make sure your idea/nonprofit does not already exist
2. Make a business outline
3. Hire a lawyer for 501c3 for all federal/state/local regulations
For Step 1- I have not found an organization yet that builds long term relationships then "steps back". Creating a name has been a struggle because the ones that I have though of are already taken.
For Step 2- that is where I am now with creating the business plan.
For Step 3- I do know a lot of lawyers and CPA's so when it comes to launching the nonprofit, I got that covered.
Another avenue I could go is to work/volunteer for a similar kind of nonprofit organization and have my project be sponsored by that organization. Just a thought...
I will be continuously blogging my Independent Study through 2014 and will create a new blog and/or website once the organization is fully formed. Until then, please keep me and my close friends (who are helping me in this journey) in your prayers. God does amazing things!
