The decisions that shape everything downstream

Once you know what you're building, Plan is where you decide how it will actually function: who runs it, who belongs to it, what it does day to day, and how it's funded. These decisions ripple into your bylaws, your 501(c)(3) application, and your daily operations for years, so getting them wrong here is expensive to fix later.

What "Plan" actually covers

• Programs & Services: the specific activities your organization will run to fulfill its mission.
• Membership Structure: will you have members at all? If so: types (e.g., voting, associate, honorary), dues, eligibility, and whether membership grants voting rights or eligibility to hold office. These decisions become part of your bylaws.
• Board of Directors: who will govern the organization, how many seats, and what qualifies someone to serve. Most states require a minimum board size for nonprofit incorporation (often three); confirm your state's specific requirement.
• Committees: standing or ad hoc groups (finance, governance, program) that support board decision-making.
• Funding: how you'll be resourced: donations, grants, membership dues, earned revenue, or a mix.
• Technology & Strategic Roadmap: the practical tools and multi-year direction that support the above.

Why this stage matters

Your board structure and membership rules aren't just internal preference; they're legal commitments once written into your bylaws, and they directly affect what your 501(c)(3) application needs to demonstrate. A membership structure decided casually in year one can be genuinely difficult to unwind in year three.

How Founders Workspace helps

Plan is where the workbook gets specific, defining membership types with dues, voting rights, and office eligibility built directly into structured fields (not a blank text box), so those decisions translate cleanly into your actual governing documents later. At least one board member must be added before the Form stage unlocks.