Contrary to popular opinion, working for a nonprofit isn’t a rosy-glasses profession of all heart and low pay. But still, no bonuses and no stockholder dividends? It points to the unique motivations of a 501 (c) employee who strives for more than a paycheck: That intangible factor called ‘fulfillment’ or ‘job satisfaction’.
Nonprofits, also known as NPOs, act as responders, educators, enablers and protectors within all kinds of social services: When a homeless person needs a warm meal. When finding a cure for a debilitating disease requires millions of research dollars. When creatures in a environmental habitat are threatened by development. The ubiquity of human and environmental need means you won’t need to look very far to find an NPO in your midst. The very definition of nonprofit can be subtle enough that you overlook it – hospitals, universities and companies with multi-million dollar budgets are 501 (c) nonprofits as well.
If you can seamlessly blend creativity, articulation and organization, you may be suited for a role as a public relations manager. By designing programs and campaigns to raise mission awareness, you also raise funds for projects, activities and events. Courses in English, marketing or journalism are great supplements to building a portfolio of qualifications for this career. You would also work closely with a social and community service manager, who oversees budget and policies while directing social workers, counselors and probation officers. To qualify for that role, it’s best that you take a mixture of coursework in nonprofit management, social and community services and public administration.
Nonprofits are not purely idealistic. They accomplish good deeds not merely by kindness of the heart, but through a pragmatic vision, well-established community and agency connections and a broad funding base. Capacity building is a challenge for many not-for-profits. Can you save the world … and still pay your own bills? That’s the question to be answered if you become a general and operations manager, who also creates policies, manages operations and both human and material resources.
Just how important is the nonprofit sector in the United States? It’s one of the fastest-growing business areas recently, and one out of every 12 Americans works in an NPO. According to the Independent Sector, there are about 1.14 million nonprofit institutions employing both full and part-time employees.
To some extent, every nonprofit worker is devoted a mission statement – whether it’s mentoring inner-city teens, renovating a neighborhood or funding artistic projects. Even if you currently lack decisiveness about which field you want to take, your choices are abundant within the nonprofit sphere. The bottom line to a field that virtually lacks a bottom line is, experience, education and magnanimous intents can take you almost anywhere in this field.
Aimee Chou, eLearners.com
Click here for online learning and degree opportunities to pursue a career in this industry.
