I had lunch yesterday with a Navajo couple that want to start a new non-profit for Native Americans. The meeting got me thinking about the hundreds of times throughout my career that people have come to me asking for advice and direction on starting a new non-profit organization.

There are 1.4 million non-profits across the United States -- and each year that number grows. But setting up a non-profit is no small task; it requires a lot of commitment, time, skill, and resources.

This week, I'd like to take you on a tour of the steps that are necessary to create a non-profit organization.

1. Start with the vision of what you want to develop. Be clear about where you are headed and write this down on a piece of paper.
2. Invite investors to be part of this vision. Invite six to 12 people to a meeting to see if they might be interested in your vision. Remember -- a leader is "someone with a following." If you can't convince others of the importance of your vision, it might not be worth proceeding.
3. Draft a mission statement with this initial group. The mission statement answers the following four questions: Who are you? What do you do? For whom? To what end? This statement will become the foundation of your non-profit.
4. Get commitments from a core group of leaders who will agree to be on an initial steering committee or board. Determine the roles and responsibilities for each member, how much time it will take, and how much money you want to raise.
5. Draft articles of incorporation for your state. These articles provide a legal description of your organization and are approved by your initial board of directors. Usually, they are kept at the Secretary of State's office.
6. Draft by-laws for the corporation that will specify how the organization will be run, how the officers will be elected, how committees will be appointed, etc.
7. Fill out the IRS federal 501 (c) (3) application (if you qualify) and mail it into the IRS. The filing of this document is a good thing for the board to do because it will help them focus on the organization's mission, programs and activities, and its long-term budgets and plans for financial self-sufficiency. Have a lawyer or a non-profit consultant review this application prior to mailing it into the IRS.
8. Apply for certain tax exemptions such as a bulk mail permit from your local post office, solicitation license, and a federal employer identification number (EIN).
9. Locate an accountant to set up a simple book-keeping system and open a bank account.
10. Create a board manual where you keep by-laws and all legal documents, policies/procedures, and the minutes of all board meetings.