Build Your First Team Like a Boss (Even If You Can’t Afford to Pay Yet)

By Willie Finklin, CFRE, The Grant GOAT

If you’ve been doing everything yourself—writing the grants, planning the events, answering the emails, running the programs—you’re not alone. Most nonprofit founders wear all the hats.

But let’s have a real moment: that’s not sustainable.
And it’s not a flex to be burnt out.

At some point, if you want your organization to grow, you have to stop asking, “How can I do more?” and start asking, “Who can help me do this better?”

And no—you don’t need a six-figure budget to start building a team.
You just need strategy, trust, and the willingness to let go (a little).

Stop Waiting Until You Can Afford It

One of the biggest myths in the nonprofit world is that you need to wait until you have “real funding” to build a team.

Here’s the truth: you can’t afford to wait.

You don’t build a team because you have money.
You build a team because you have a mission too big to carry alone.

Start with what you do have—relationships, shared passion, community trust—and build from there.

Because the right people won’t just work for your vision.
They’ll help expand it.

Where to Start (Even on a Barebones Budget)

When you're just starting out, focus on roles that free up your time and increase your capacity. That means identifying what only you can do—and what others could be doing better, faster, or more consistently.

Here’s a basic starting structure for new nonprofits:

• Operations Support
  Someone who helps manage systems, documents, scheduling, or backend processes.
  

• Program Assistant or Volunteer Lead
  Helps run the day-to-day of your program or support volunteers and logistics.
  

• Development Support
  Someone who can assist with communications, donor outreach, or grant research.
  
  

And yes, in the early days, these might be volunteer roles, interns, or part-time contractors. That’s okay. What matters is that you’re building structure, not doing everything on vibes.

Volunteers are People, Not Free Labor

Quick word of caution: Don’t build a team and forget it needs leadership, not just delegation.

Just because someone is unpaid doesn’t mean they owe you anything. If someone is giving you their time, treat them like a stakeholder.

That means:

• Clear expectations
  

• Role description
  

• Regular communication
  

• Recognition and appreciation
  

• The same respect you’d give a paid staff member
  

Culture starts early. Build it with intention.

Release to Rise

I get it. This is your baby.
You’ve been the one carrying it. You know how everything should be done.

But if you want your nonprofit to grow, you have to learn to release.
You don’t need to give away all the power—but you do need to stop clutching it so tight that no one else can thrive beside you.

Leaders don’t just do the work.
They create the space for others to lead inside the vision.

Start small. Hand off one responsibility this month. Let someone else run with it. Then watch what opens up when you finally have the space to lead like the CEO you’re meant to be.

You Don’t Need a Staff. You Need a Team.

And there’s a big difference.

A staff is hired help.
A team shares the mission.

So even if it’s just you and two volunteers right now—call it a team. Treat it like one. And build it like something that’s going to grow.

Because when the people around you feel like owners, not assistants, the entire organization levels up.

You’re not supposed to do this alone.
You were never meant to be the entire engine.

Start building your team—one role, one relationship, one release at a time.
Your mission deserves that. And so do you.

We're here when you're ready to grow it even bigger.