Hard to believe it’s been a year since my first entry. How did that year go by?
February to March…formed the organization, created the web site, got a phone, got a bank account, submitted the 1023, tried to flesh out a budget and fundraising plan.
April to May…initiated the newsletter through Constant Contact, set up an Amazon wish list, wrote and re-wrote copy, worried a lot, got a post office box, saw the store space for the first time.
June…joined the ABA and MPIBA, worked hard on the business plan, GOT THE INITIAL IRS RESPONSE TO THE 1023 AND WROTE MY REPLY.
July…waited and waited and waited to hear from the IRS, toured bookstores, finished the business plan.
August…waited and waited and waited and finally on the 31st GOT THE PHONE CALL APPROVING THE 501C3!
September…mailed out several cold proposals, GOT THE DETERMINATION LETTER!, wrung my hands over fundraising, got an estimate on renovations, scheduled the poetry reading, received my Competent Communicator designation from Toastmasters.
October…placed my first book orders, registered for MAS convention, registered for TDC, got approved for the nonprofit postal rate, worried over LOI’s “identity.”
November…got my credit card equipment and merchant services account, cash register, created the brochure, MAS convention.
December…poetry reading, got book display units, ordered more books, TDC.
January…planned fundraising dinner, got estimates on revising web site, filed my first tax return, suffered anxiety.
Well, it certainly looks like I did a lot to create Light of Islam. It seems like a year is too long to be where I’m at now, but for a nonprofit it’s almost like life doesn’t begin till after the 501c3, so I guess maybe I shouldn’t start the clock till September. And that would mean I’ve been working on this for five months, which still seems like a lot of time. Well, I guess I can only do what I can do. Alhamdulillah.
