CREATING A STRONG ECONOMY
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Here are some examples of mission statements from existing charities: • ASPCA: “To provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States.”
• The name of the nonprofit can’t be the same as (or confusingly similar to) the name of another corporation on file.
• The name will typically be required to end with “Inc.”, “Incorporated”, “Corp.”, “Corporation”, or “Ltd.” • The name can’t include certain prohibited words such as “Bank”, “Insurance”, “Federal”, or “United States.”
• American Diabetes Foundation: “To prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.“ • Save the Children: “To inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.” • Make-A-Wish: “To grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy.”
Check out the state’s corporate filing website to see if the name is available.
A few more naming tips:
• Do a trademark search on the name at uspto.gov to make sure you aren’t potentially violating someone else’s trademark or service mark. • See if you can get the “.com” or “.org” domain name by doing a check at godaddy.com. • Se e the article 12 Tips for Naming Your Startup Business. • Check out your proposed name on CharityNavigator. org and GuideStar.org to see what other charities are operating with similar missions or perhaps confusingly similar names. 4. Establish a Mission Statement for Your Charity For multiple reasons, you want to establish a clear and compelling mission statement for your nonprofit. The mission statement in one or two sentences should sum up the essence and purpose of your charity. The mission statement: • Assists in your solicitation for donations • Explains why the charity exists • Describes who the charity serves and how it serves them • Is helpful for describing the purpose of the charity in your IRS and state filings
• American Red Cross: “To provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare, and respond to emergencies.” • National Multiple Sclerosis Society: “People affected by MS can live their best lives as we stop MS in its tracks, restore what has been lost, and end MS forever.” • Doctors Without Borders: “We help people worldwide where the need is greatest, delivering emergency
medical aid to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from health care.” • Animal Rescue Flights: “Has
been transporting animals to safety since 2008 with
the help of volunteer pilots, cabin crews, planners, drivers, rescue, and shelter volunteers.” n
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The Business Review | December 2020
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