The initial vision of 501(c)(3) Press

1. J. SCOTT OATES
NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP – PSC
540
PROFESSOR TAMAKI ONISHI
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015
1
501(c)(3) Press

2. Contents
2
I. Market Analysis ………………………………………………..3
II. Identification of “Unmet Social Needs”………………..4
III. Vision, Values, and Mission ………………………………..5
IV. Incorporation ……………………………………………………6
V. Human Resources………………………………………………7
VI. First Program Initiative………………………………………9
VII. Resource Development Plans……………………………..11
VIII.Marketing and Promotion …………………………………14
IX. Potential Collaboration ……………………………………..16
X. Evaluation Plans ……………………………………………….17
XI. Conclusion ……………………………………………………….18
XII. References………………………………………………………..19

3. I. Market Analysis
3
● 501(c)(3) Press’s books are marketable to the general
reading public, but may “target” mental health consumers
and professionals
● Comparable ideas from “competitors:”
○ Hazelden Publishing - mission “is to provide products and services
to help people recognize, understand, and overcome addiction and
closely related problems” (“About Hazelden Publishing”- Hazelden)
• Hazelden’s books, products and website are more focused on assisting
people with recovery from addiction, instead of mental health diagnoses
• 501(c)(3) Press will concentrate on creative nonfiction
○ NAMI’s In Our Own Voice Program - provides “an opportunity for
those who have struggled with mental illness to gain confidence and to
share their individual experiences of recovery and transformation”
(NAMI).
• 501(c)(3) Press seeks to incorporate the personal story-telling of living with
mental illness with the public education goals of IOOV into book format,
allowing for the creative expression of the “consumer” to be emphasized in
the writing

4. II. “Unmet Social Needs”
4
● A nonprofit outlet for creative nonfiction written by “the
disabled” in order to humanize them to others and
empower themselves as individuals
○ Note: multitudes of studies exist that cite therapeutic advantages of writing
by those who may be touched by a mental condition. (For example, please
see Advances in Psychiatric Treatment (2005), vol. 11, 338–346, article by
Karen A. Baikie & Kay Wilhelm entitled “Emotional and physical health
benefits of expressive writing” (can be accessed here:
http://apt.rcpsych.org/content/11/5/338 ).
● An organization devoted to fostering understanding
among the general public regarding those touched with a
mental condition, hopefully contributing to less social
stigma surrounding such persons

5. III. Values, Vision, and Mission
5
● VALUES - understanding, compassion, altruism,
freedom of speech
● VISIONS -
○ (Internal) publishing books of artistic merit and literary value while
offering a publishing outlet for those affected by a “disability” or
similar condition
○ (External) a world where many more people choose to act with
compassion towards others
● MISSION STATEMENT (working) - “to publish
narratives that demonstrate potential social value and
literary merit, that promote public awareness,
understanding and compassion, and to donate a portion
of profits to other worthy nonprofit organizations”

6. IV. Incorporation
6
● 501(c)(3) Charitable Nonprofit/Public Charity
● Meets “charitable purpose” requirement as “literary”
organization under Arts, Culture, and Humanities
● Will meet non-distributive and limits to political activity
requirements
● Will become tax exempt and able to receive tax
deductible contributions (with certain limits)
● Mission-driven and public-serving
● 501(c)(3) Incorporation presents itself as better option
than a for-profit, L3C, B-Corp or other form of nonprofit

7. V. Human Resources
7
● Staff consists solely of Founder/Director
○ Skills and background - nonprofits, administration,
bookkeeping, literature, and knowledge and experience with
mental health disability
○ Only compensated if enough profit is earned
● Open to volunteer(s) and/or unpaid intern(s)
○ To share the functions of reviewing and editing potential
narratives for publication, along with any other non-financial
tasks the Director may assign, such as updating the
organization’s website

8. V. Human Resources
8
● Board of Directors
○ Self-perpetuating, consisting of 5-12 members, recruited from
Director’s social network
○ Seeking background and skills in nonprofit management, financial
management, publishing, writing, editing, and mental health
consumers/advocates
○ Director to serve as first Board Chair and appoints Vice Chair,
Secretary, and Treasurer
○ Functional responsibilities of Board include supporting and
evaluating the Director, working with the Director to establish a
clear organizational mission and purpose, approving programs,
ensuring sound financial management and the organization’s
financial stability, and establishing standards for organizational
performance and holding the Press accountable to those standards
○ Duties of care, loyalty, and obedience

9. VI. First Program Initiative
9
● Through its first book, 501(c)(3) Press will offer readers a
glimpse into the life of the Press’s Founder, who has been
diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder
● The book will cover a period before the actual diagnosis, when
the Founder was unaware that he was “quite ill,” from 1995 until
his official diagnosis in 2000, sharing his journal writings at that
time with retrospective commentary/footnotes.
● The Founder plans to follow-up with another book (volume two)
covering the period of 2001-2005, when his illness was at its
most acute.

10. VI. First Program Initiative
10
● Three purchasable versions of the first book available
○ Founder’s Copy, eleven of which will be available for $125 each
• Each customer will be considered a Founder of the Press and will
receive free copies of all subsequent books authored by the
Founder
○ Regular Print Version, 100 copies available for $20 each
• Prices include shipping, all hand-numbered, signed, and dedicated
to the purchaser.
○ Ebooks are priced at $12 each, and all versions will allow the
purchaser to donate in addition to buying the book or ebook.

11. VII. Resource Development Plans
11
● Resources Needed:
Item Cost Estimate
IRS Fee $400
NCCNP Membership $100
Misc. Consulting $400
Misc. Supplies, Services, Fees $300
Printing of 11 Founder’s Editions $50
Printing of 100 Perfect-bound Books $750
Postage and Handling $650
Marketing and Promotion $300
“Rainy Day Cash Cushion” $300
TOTAL FUNDING REQUIRED $3,250

12. VII. Resource Development Plans
12
● Use crowdfunding tool to “sell” books and finance
start-up costs: https://startsomegood.com/
● “Tipping Point Goal” (Breakeven Point) of $4,000
○ If $4,000 is not raised, all pledges return to clients
○ Any amount above $4,000 is considered profit
PRODUCT UNITS PRICE PER TOTALS
Founder’s Ed. 11 $125 $1375
Regular Book 100 $20 $2000
ebook unlimited $12 Ex. 50 $600
Total 111 $3975

13. VII. Resource Development Plans
13
● Whereas an estimated $3,250 in expenses is anticipated, the
amount of $4,000 will be designated as the tipping and
breakeven point, as a large measure of insurance
● 501(c)(3) Press will attempt to sell most or all of its initial
inventory before it is actually produced
● If pledges are received for all 111 physical book copies and 52
ebook orders are pledged, then 501(c)(3) Press will turn a
profit
● Any amounts earned from ebooks presold over 52 will go back
to the Press, which could be used for future programs (books)
and/or donations to other charities
● Again, in the scenario above through startsomegood.com, all
pledges go back to the original source if the tipping/breakeven
point of $4,000 is not reached

14. VIII. Marketing and Promotion
14
● Online
○ Establish youtube account, facebook page, twitter account, and
wordpress website in addition to startsomegood.com
campaign; website migration to www.grassroots.org once
501(c)(3) status is obtained
○ Create a video weblog promoting the Press, the book, and
offering readings from the book
● Offline
○ Founder to offer public readings from first book before
publication
○ Business cards with referrals to online media links

15. VIII. Marketing and Promotion
15
● Market Segmentation
○ The Press’s target audience, as examined through a
psychographic lens might include avid readers, casual readers
in the NC region, those who are affected by a mental condition
themselves, those employed in the mental health care field,
those interested in literary creative nonfiction, or simply those
who like a good story and wish to contribute to a worthy cause
○ As for social marketing, the general public is the target
audience, as the social change the works hope to bring about
include promotion of understanding, awareness, and the
reduction of stigmatization of those affected by a mental health
diagnosis

16. IX. Potential Collaboration
16
● Potential nonprofit collaboration
○ The NC Center for Nonprofits
○ The National Alliance on Mental Illness
○ Mental Health America
○ NC Writer’s Network
● Potential for-profit collaboration
○ A printing company who will offer book printing discounts to
nonprofits
● Potential collaboration with government
○ Department of Health and Human Services (in future projects)
○ National Institute for Health

17. X. Evaluation Plans
17
● Is the Press able to raise $4,000 in pledges?
● If yes, work with Board to create bylaws, perform SWOT
analysis and identify strategic issues, setting further goals and
establishing strategies to achieve objectives
● Social Impact Evaluation
○ Follow up with readers to see if any perspectives changed through reading
the book in a survey/questionnaire
• Ex. Statement:“I understand schizophrenia more after reading this book.”
• Ex. Answers : “Strongly agree” “Agree” “Neutral” “Disagree” “Strongly
Disagree”
● Potential follow-up projects may include
○ A second pressing of the Founder’s first book
○ An initial pressing of the Founder’s second book
○ A compilation written by persons with PTSD

18. XI. Conclusion
18
● 501(c)(3) Press’s Mission Statement: “to publish
narratives that demonstrate potential social value
and literary merit, that promote public awareness,
understanding and compassion, and to donate a
portion of profits to other worthy nonprofit
organizations” (open to revision)
● Human Resources: The Founder/Director,
potentially a volunteer/intern, and the first
(appointed) Board of Directors
● Primary Initial Organizational Objective – raise
$4,000 in book pledges through startsomegood.com

19. XII. References
19
About Hazelden Publishing -- Hazelden. (n.d.). Retrieved
October 25, 2015, from
https://www.hazelden.org/web/public/publishing.page
NAMI. (n.d.). NAMI - In Our Own Voice. Retrieved
October 25, 2015, from
http://www2.nami.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Find_
Support/Education_and_Training/Education_Training
_and_Peer_Support_Center/In_Our_Own_Voice/In_O
ur_Own_Voice1.htm
Worth, M. (2014). Nonprofit management: Principles and
practice (Third ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE
Publications.