A lot of "friends" groups are organized to be the 501(c)3 organization that can raise funds for a museum or library that is managed through a local government entity. They serve as a fundraising partner. There is a wealth of books and online resources about how to start a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. If you want to start something like this without organizing a separate entity, I would look at what official legal operating structure your museum currently has, and whether or not the current organization has plans to organize as a non-profit managed by a board of directors--then there would be no need for a separate group. However, if you are going to be managed as part of a local government entity, then you might need a friends group. Here is the IRS information about the life cycle of a non-profit and how to start one: http://www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-Profits/Private-Foundations/Life-Cycle-of-a-Private-Foundation-Starting-Out BoardSource is a also a great resource for running a non-profit: https://www.boardsource.org/eweb/ The American Alliance of Museums has some really good info on starting a museum that I think would be helpful for you, especially the core documents section: http://www.aam-us.org/resources/assessment-programs/core-documents And last, but not least, I highly recommend the StEPs program through the American Association for State and Local History: http://tools.aaslh.org/steps/. A primary/major point of the program is for board members, staff, and volunteers to work together through a self-directed assessment to move an organization toward a sustainable model and eventually accreditation. It's much more effective than a strategic plan. Good luck, --Dani Danielle “Dani” Stuckle Educational Programs and Outreach Coordinator State Historical Society of North Dakota North Dakota Heritage Center 612 East Boulevard Avenue Bismarck, North Dakota 58505-0830 (701) 328-2794 (P) (701) 328-3710 (F) www.history.nd.gov --To identify, preserve, interpret, and promote the heritage of North Dakota and its people. -----Original Message----- From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Andrew Kirkland Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2015 10:41 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Question on Friends Organizations Hello, I'm with a small museum that has just opened up in April. Right now we are funded by the local Tourism Council but we would like to expand our funding sources to beyond that. I know that other museums and libraries use a "friends of..." organization that basically acts as the fundraising arm. What do I need to do to get one started, without having it as a separate entity? I realize the question is vague, but I'm not even sure where to start to ask more specific questions. Any help would be greatly appreciated. ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).