Who is this for?
This content is designed for participants in Anti Entropy's SparkWell fiscal sponsorship program. While some context will be specific to SparkWell and may need more context, we've made these resources public because they may, nevertheless, be useful to others who may be founding or building an organization.
- Introduction & onboarding
- Mission, theory of change & impact evaluation
- Fundraising strategy & donor management
- Financial management & budgeting
- Legal compliance & risk management
- Infosec & GDPR
- Brand development & marketing
- "Bus-proofing" & sustainability strategy
- HR systems & hiring strategy (current stage)
- Board development & governance
- Revisited: Mission, theory of change & impact evaluation
- Graduation
HR systems & hiring
Why is this important?
When setting up a nonprofit, establishing strong HR systems and hiring processes is crucial to attract, manage, and retain the right talent needed to fulfill the organization’s mission. Clear hiring processes ensure that staff with the necessary skills and values are selected, while effective HR systems support fair policies, legal compliance, performance management, and staff development. Together, they help build a healthy organizational culture, reduce turnover, and enable the nonprofit to operate smoothly and sustainably.
Suggested reading
Nonprofit Operations Playbook:
Other Related Readings
Milestones
Aim to complete these before your next monthly check-in:
✔️ Staff policies & handbook drafted
(Optional) Further outcomes
Consider completing these throughout the program:
✔️ Organizational structure planned
✔️ HR systems discussed
✔️ Staff benefits discussed
✔️ Recruitment strategy developed
✔️ Compensation strategy and benchmarking developed
Next up: Board development & governance
When setting up a nonprofit, board development and governance are critical to provide strategic direction, oversight, and accountability.
See the Board development & governance worksheet for more information.