I am asking for help about starting my own non-profit business.?

I may be coming into a considerate amount of money and I would like to start a non-profit business for elderly people. I would like to help them pay their bills (for those that are only receiving SSI or fixed income) and help them upgrade things in their homes that no longer work or are broken (windows, washer/dryer, etc). I have other ideas (that I wont go into) but I am curious what is the best way to start my non-profit. I haven't decided if I want to start it from my home office or lease an office building. Any suggestions? I know I will need investors to help the business continue for years to come, any suggestions about that? Please respond if you've started your own non-profit or know anything about non-profit organizations. Thank you, much appreciated.

I have found a website that compiles various resources on starting a non profit. I especially like the Minnesota Council of NonProfits because the site gives information on governance, developing strategic alliances, fund raising and other ingredients of successfully running a non profit.

http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/z...

As for funding your non profit, I suggest you check out Foundation Center to help you gain ideas on how to properly establish your organization and get support from private foundations. They have the most extensive database of private donors, and they publish a magazine that can be very helpful to your new non profit.

http://fdncenter.org/getstarted/tutorial...

I was previously involved in the setup of a non profit, and we were able to get a pro-bono lawyer who set up everything for us, including getting the 501c3 tax status. Contact other non profits in your area and check if there are lawyers willing to work for free to get you started.

For detailed information on how to start a non profit, I suggest you read the following books:

- Starting and Running a Nonprofit Organization -- by Joan M. Hummel
- Starting and Running a Non-Profit Made Easy by Entrepreneur Press, David H. Bangs
- Starting & Building A Nonprofit: A Practical Guide by Peri Pakroo

I have started my own non-profit. There is plenty of material you can get online to guide you through the process, but I would suggest first seeking a attorney who does probono work. That would be the best way to go. There are also ones who specialize in starting non-profits, but might come with a fee. I spent a lot of time on the paper work, developing the business plan, and the myriad of things you need to develop a successful 'business.' So my advice would be to first look for an attorney, and if it too costly or you can't find one, then go to www.nolo.com and try to do it from there. Hope this helps!