Your 501c3 organization can make a big splash in a small pond. You must be very focused on one or two niches to make a big splash when you have a limited budget, limited personnel and limited volunteers. You must be extremely focused in finding your target and staying focused on it.
Why choose a Niche to focus on?
When you focus on a niche, you learn the needs of a particular market very well. You understand how to reach the particular market.
Your 501c3 will gain credibility and your reputation will be solidified much quicker than being a general 501c3.
You set yourself apart from other 501c3 organizations in the market place. Individuals in your target market will always think of your 501c3 whenever there is a reasonable match or need.
You will get more access to the target market. Word of mouth will spread the name of your organization and you will start to develop deeper relationships to those in the particular community.
Your organization will be one of sharpness and in-depth knowledge. When you choose a specific market to serve, you gain insight and understanding that other more general nonprofit organizations do not have.
Which niche should you focus on?
Be original. Find a niche that has few participants. If you can find a niche that is not served at all, this would be ideal. When you are the only one in the market, you will be very attractive to the individuals in the market.
Reachable. Focus on a market which you will be able to reach. If there is no way to reach the market which you are targeting, that particular market will never learn about your organization’s activities.
Sizeable. As you are focused on a particular market, make sure that the market has a large enough population to justify the resources, time and effort that you will be putting into your services and activities.
Trustworthiness. You will be offering services and activities to the participants. Will the participants have confidence that you can truly offer the services and activities as you indicate? You must be sure that you can gain this trust.
Long term impact. 501c3 organizations are set up for a specific cause and to change things. Make sure that you niche is one that is open to this long term impact and that your organization is focused on changing things.
Funding. Will you have funders to support your cause? Funders like to support causes with long term impact as indicated above. Funders are not keen on supporting ideas which appear to be personal projects.