Starting a Nonprofit: I didn’t know what I was doing, but I knew why

Haven Doula and DONA International President Erica Lane shares her experience starting a nonprofit.

When I first thought about building what is now Birth and Beyond, I did not think nonprofit.

I thought agency.

I knew I wanted to train doulas. I knew I wanted to mentor them. I knew I wanted to reach communities with the highest maternal and infant mortality rates. The neighborhoods where families are often overlooked, under-resourced, and underserved. I wanted to equip doulas to confidently serve in those spaces. I also wanted to make training accessible to people who may not have the financial means to certify through larger organizations or maintain costly memberships long term.

But nonprofit was not the original vision.

At first, the idea of an agency felt logical. Agencies connect clients and doulas. Agencies build community. Agencies grow.

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized something important. If I built an agency, I might still primarily attract clients who could afford private-pay doula services. That is not wrong. But it was not the full picture of what I felt called to do.

I began thinking about sustainability differently.

What if grants could fund doula services for families who otherwise would not have access?

What if donations could sponsor training for doulas from marginalized communities?

What if funding could be used to continue education, mentorship, and skill-building beyond initial certification?

That is when the shift happened.

I realized a nonprofit structure would allow the mission to stay centered on community impact rather than revenue. It would open doors to funding streams that could support neighborhoods with the greatest disparities. It would allow the work to extend beyond matching clients and instead build a long-term infrastructure for change.

There was only one problem.

I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.

I did not come from a nonprofit background. I did not have a law degree. I did not have a roadmap. What I had was conviction.

So I researched.

I read books.

I studied other organizations.

I asked questions.

I figured out the paperwork.

I created bylaws.

I wrote a code of ethics.

I established standards.

I built a board.

I filed the documents.

And then one day, I received the acceptance letter.

I remember sitting back thinking, that was not as hard as I thought it would be. It was time-consuming. It required focus, intention, and persistence. But it was navigable.

Running a nonprofit, however, is a different level.

It is constant vision casting.

It is writing grants.

It is asking for funding.

It is building partnerships.

It is managing a team.

It is advocating in rooms where community voices are not always present.

It is purpose driven, and that purpose has to carry you on the days when funding is slow, when applications are denied, and when the administrative work feels heavy.

Can anyone start a nonprofit? Yes.

But should everyone? That depends on mindset.

A nonprofit cannot simply be an idea. It has to be a commitment. It has to be sustained by people who are willing to think long term, build carefully, and stay mission focused even when growth is slow.

For me, Birth and Beyond became more than a structure. It became a vehicle. A way to train doulas who serve where the need is greatest. A way to remove barriers to education. A way to show up in communities that deserve comprehensive, culturally responsive support.

There is so much room in this space.

There is room for more programs.

There is room for more trainers.

There is room for more mentors.

There is room for more people willing to step forward.

If I can build a nonprofit from scratch with no blueprint other than determination, so can you.

It takes courage.

It takes research.

It takes the right support system.

And it takes clarity about your why.

The opportunities are real. The impact is real. The purpose is real.

I am grateful to be in this space.

Learn more about Erica's birth and bereavement work at www.birthandbeyondinc.org.