Nonprofit

Brief Overview

Nonprofit organizations are businesses designed to make change, and not in the monetary sense. Granted 501©(3), or tax-exempt, status by the government, these organizations focus on a wide variety of causes, including everything from the Africa Fund, which promotes human rights, education, and people-to-people exchanges with African countries, to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Many public policy organizations, think tanks, museums, trade associations, advocacy organization and even some lobbying organizations are nonprofit organizations.

The nonprofit sector is enormous, with 1.4 million nonprofit organizations registered with the IRS in the U.S. alone. The sector accounts for 5% of the gross domestic produce of the U.S. economy, 8% of wages and salaries, and 10% of employment. (from The Nonprofit Career Guide, p. 19) Furthermore, the size and financial status of this sector continue to increase faster than the rest of the U.S. economy. This is great news for the nonprofit job seeker! Due to this growth and baby boomer retirement numbers, employment and leadership opportunities abound in nonprofit organizations.

Nonprofits derive their operating revenues from foundations, government grants, membership dues, and fees for services they provide. They typically attract people who are passionate about solving social problems; the big upside of working in this sector is that you can make a positive impact on behalf of your organization’s cause; the downside is that most jobs in the nonprofit sector don’t pay as well as corporations. Nonprofit organizations are mission driven; revenue, though critical and necessary, is not the end goal. Commitment to mission and a passion for what the nonprofit organization does are crucial in marketing yourself in this sector.

Nonprofits and charitable organizations are becoming much more entrepreneurial, learning lessons from the private sector about how to operate more efficiently and do more with less by adopting marketing techniques to enhance their fund-raising efforts, or even starting their own small businesses to help generate income to fund social programs.

Learn more about the nonprofit sector at the Job Seekers Resources and Nonprofit FAQ on Idealist. Additionally Vault offers the downloadable Guide to the Top Government & Nonprofit Employers as well as a good listing of nonprofit organizations under Industry Research.

Non-Governmental Organizations

Strictly speaking, most nonprofit organizations are non-governmental. However, the term is used more often to refer to nonprofit organizations that operate on an international level, such as Institute of World Affairs, Women’s Federation for World Peace, CORE Group, Alliance for Peacebuilding, etc. A search for organizations with key word “NGO” in Idealist.org results in 1,043 results.

The following link lists NGO’s who work with the United Nations: http://www.ngo.org/links/index.htm

Resources to Get You Started

There are multiple career opportunities available in this sector including potential positions in marketing, finance, public relations, development and administration, as well as providing direct social services. Keys to breaking into the nonprofit sector immediately after graduation are significant internships and volunteer experience with the populations, constituents or area of focus that interests you. Additionally, one or two-year post graduate service opportunities can further heighten your prospects for landing promising full-time opportunities in the nonprofit sector. Gaining experience with fund raising and grant writing further enhance your marketability. Many nonprofit organizations attend our Winter Career & Internship Fair and application deadlines are typically in the spring. Networking, important for any job search, is especially critical to landing an opportunity in this sector. Begin building your contacts through your volunteer and internship experiences. Learn as much as you can about the nonprofit organizations that interest you: board of directors, alliances, collaborative partnerships, funding sources, key donors, constituents, services, and mission.

Bureau of Labor Statistics

The Vault

Networking

Tips for networking with family, friends, and Notre Dame alumni. Learn how to obtain access to the Irish Online alumni database.

Professional Organizations

Professional organizations provide excellent contacts for networking and informational interviews. In some cases they may post jobs and internships on their websites.