Nonprofit Consulting & Services

Your mission matters.
Let’s move the work forward.

Nonprofit leaders balance community needs, limited resources, board expectations, and daily operations. Joel M. Winston & Company helps nonprofits and community organizations clarify priorities, strengthen operations, and complete the work needed to serve their communities.

For startup and early stage nonprofits, we help prepare the full formation documentation package, including 501(c)(3) application materials and applicable state requirements. We also support established organizations through defined projects and ongoing strategic and operational leadership.

Discuss Your Organization’s Needs →

Startup & Early Stage Nonprofits

Build your nonprofit’s foundation.

From the initial idea to an organized formation package, Joel M. Winston & Company helps founders prepare the documents needed to establish a nonprofit, apply for federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, and address applicable state requirements.

Our work brings the formation documents together with the governance, planning, and operating materials a new organization needs to get started.

Formation & State Requirements

Preparation and organization of state incorporation documents, articles of incorporation, initial organizational records, and applicable state registration and exemption materials. We identify the documentation needed for the organization’s state and planned activities.

501(c)(3) Application Documentation

Preparation and organization of the federal tax-exemption application package, including supporting documents, descriptions of planned activities, financial information, and required attachments appropriate to the organization.

Board & Governance Documents

Bylaws, conflict-of-interest policies and disclosure forms, founding board responsibilities, initial meeting agendas, minutes, resolutions, and an organized governance record.

The Starting Operating Framework

Mission and purpose statements, startup plans, initial budgets, program outlines, volunteer materials, and a practical calendar for filing, reporting, and organizational responsibilities.

A defined formation documentation package. We review what you already have, identify the remaining documents, and agree on scope, responsibilities, fees, and timing. The package is tailored to your organization and applicable federal and state requirements; filing steps and any professional review are identified as part of the engagement.

Discuss Your Nonprofit Startup →

A Clear Starting Point

Nonprofit Startup Package — $1,000

Introductory service fee for a straightforward nonprofit forming in one state and eligible for IRS Form 1023-EZ. Government filing fees are additional and paid by the client.

Startup consultation and Form 1023-EZ eligibility review.
Preparation and submission of state incorporation documents and EIN application.
Bylaws, conflict-of-interest policy, and director disclosure forms.
Initial board meeting agenda, minutes template, organizational resolutions, and board/officer records.
Preparation and submission of the Form 1023-EZ application.
Applicable initial state exemption and registration filings identified in the written scope.
Organized digital documents, submission confirmations, filing checklist, and an initial compliance calendar.
Two revision rounds and a document handoff meeting.

We submit agreed filings after receiving the client’s approval, required signatures, authorization, and filing fees. The client supplies and confirms organizational information. Government agencies determine approval and processing times.

Full Form 1023 applications, additional states, specialized structures, ongoing compliance, and extended agency follow-up are quoted separately. Board recruitment, orientation, and facilitated meetings are available as separate engagements.

Optional Texas Registered Agent Service — $125 per year

Available by separate annual agreement for eligible Texas organizations, subject to acceptance and registered-office availability. Includes receipt and prompt forwarding of official notices and legal documents to the designated organizational contact. Annual reports, tax returns, responses to notices, and ongoing compliance work are separately priced.

Discuss Your Startup Package →

Beyond Formation

Build your board. Get your organization moving.

Formation is the beginning. Add practical support to recruit and organize your board, run your first meetings, and put your initial plans into action.

These introductory service fees apply to defined remote engagements. Each service has its own deliverables and scope, so you can choose the support you need.

Board Organization & Orientation

$500

Build a skills matrix, clarify board member expectations and officer/committee structure, and prepare orientation materials. Includes one remote orientation session of up to 90 minutes.

Builds on the formation documents already included in the startup package.

Board Recruitment Support

$1,000

A recruitment plan, role descriptions, up to 10 researched prospects, outreach materials, and candidate tracking. Includes up to 10 hours of research and coordination over 30 days.

Outreach is coordinated with your organization and requires authorization. Your organization selects its directors; candidate acceptance and filled seats are not guaranteed.

First Board Meeting Setup & Facilitation

$350

Scheduling coordination, a tailored agenda and board packet, remote facilitation for up to 90 minutes, draft minutes for board approval, and a follow-up action list.

For one meeting. The initial agenda and minutes templates remain included in the startup package.

First Three Board Meetings

$900

Preparation, remote facilitation for up to 90 minutes per meeting, draft minutes for board approval, and action tracking for each of your first three meetings.

An alternative to the single-meeting service. Includes three meetings completed within 90 days.

First-Year Action Plan & Budget

$750

One remote planning session, a first-year operating budget, and a practical plan identifying priorities, responsibilities, and milestones.

Developed from your organization’s information and assumptions; includes two revision rounds.

Donor & Sponsor Starter Materials

$650

A short case for support, a sponsor overview, and two outreach templates to help explain your mission and funding needs.

Includes two revision rounds. Campaign management and grant applications are separately scoped.

Volunteer Program Setup

$500

Volunteer role descriptions, an application, onboarding checklist, orientation materials, and a tracking sheet.

For one initial volunteer program; includes two revision rounds.

Ongoing Administrative Support

$500/month

Up to five hours monthly for organizational records, meeting coordination, trackers, and follow-through.

Additional hours are $100 per hour with advance approval. Monthly scope and renewal terms are set in the engagement agreement.

Clear scope before work begins. Each engagement confirms deliverables, client responsibilities, payment schedule, revision limits, and completion milestones. Government fees, outside services, and additional work are separately priced. Work beyond the agreed scope is $100 per hour only with advance approval, or covered by a separate fixed-price quote.

Discuss Board & Startup Support →

Strategy. Operations. Growth.

Practical support for mission-driven organizations.

Mission, Strategy & Action Planning

Turn your mission and organizational priorities into a workable plan. Support can include planning discussions, program priorities, partnership research, and action plans that identify next steps, responsibilities, and measures of progress.

Possible deliverables: a focused action plan, program outline, or partnership research brief.

Operations & Organizational Support

Make everyday work easier to manage. We help organize workflows, document procedures, clarify responsibilities, and improve how information moves between staff, volunteers, and leadership.

Possible deliverables: operating procedures, volunteer onboarding materials, project trackers, or reporting templates.

Funding Research & Development Support

Bring structure to your funding efforts through research and organized follow-through. Projects can include identifying potential funding opportunities, researching prospective sponsors, organizing application requirements, and preparing outreach materials.

Possible deliverables: a sourced opportunity list, application calendar, sponsor overview, or outreach tracker.

Communications & Community Engagement

Help people understand your mission, programs, and ways to participate. Support can include website content, program descriptions, newsletters, partner presentations, and donor or volunteer communications.

Possible deliverables: updated website pages, a program fact sheet, presentation materials, or a communications calendar.

Technology & Administrative Systems

Choose and organize practical tools that support your work. We help assess needs, compare options, and improve forms, spreadsheets, shared documents, contact records, and routine administrative processes.

Possible deliverables: a tool comparison, organized tracker, intake form, or documented workflow.

Leadership & Project Execution

Get experienced support when an important initiative needs ownership and follow-through. Engagements may include project coordination, implementation support, or fractional strategic and operational leadership.

Possible deliverables: a project plan, progress reporting, defined leadership responsibilities, and completed milestones.

The Right Level of Support

Start with the support you need.

A Defined Project

Complete a specific task or produce a clear deliverable through Get It Done Joel.

Focused Consulting

Address an organizational challenge with an agreed scope, recommendations, and implementation steps.

Fractional Support

Add strategic and operational leadership through a defined engagement tailored to your organization.

Scope, fees, timelines, and responsibilities are agreed before work begins.

Our Approach

How we work.

Understand the need. Identify the challenge, available resources, and desired result.
Define the engagement. Agree on deliverables, responsibilities, fees, and timing.
Move the work forward. Complete the agreed work with clear communication and progress updates.
Make the handoff useful. Deliver materials and next steps your team can use.

Start a Conversation

Let’s identify your next practical step.

Tell us about your organization, what needs attention, and what you want to accomplish. We’ll determine whether a defined project, consulting engagement, or ongoing support is the right fit.