Not For Profit Jobs

If you are interested in working for a not for profit (NFP), also called Non-Profit, there are a few things you should consider. First figure out what type of NFP you are interested in. Some examples of different types of NFPs include:

  • Faith based: Habitat for Humanity, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and religious institutions
  • Values based: International House in NYC, The ACLU and the Southern Poverty Law Center
  • NGOs (Non-Government Organizations): CARE International, Amnesty International, Greenpeace
  • Grant making foundations that fund various initiatives such as the Carnegie Corporation, the Rockefeller Foundation and The Trust for Public Land
  • Those that are political in nature such as the Republican Governors Association and the Democratic Governors Association
  • Museums, the performing arts and zoological societies
  • Colleges and Universities as well as other kinds of educational organizations
  • NFP Corporations that look like research organizations/ think tanks such as The Rand Corporation, The Heritage Foundation and Consumers Union

When considering a NFP, think about the type of work you want to do. Large NFPs have sophisticated back office operations that include Finance, Talent, and IT, to name a few. Many will also have community out-reach professionals.

Many NFPs have a robust fundraising arm known as Development. These departments are the life blood of the NFP world. There are several positions within Development that might utilize your experience coming from Deloitte. Development programs are often made up of the following roles:

  • Annual Fund – an annual appeal where the greatest number of donations are made
  • Major Gifts – those gifts that are very large (several hundred thousand to several million dollars) and are usually a one-time donation often for a special capital campaign
  • Planned Giving (Similar to estate planning) – gifts designated to the organization in a will or through a trust
  • Corporate/ Foundation Relations – the liaison between the institution and large grant making foundations and corporations

Finally, NFPs often seek grants to fund their projects. People who can effectively write a grant, which is similar to an RFP, are in high demand. There are organizations such as The Grantsmanship Center or Grant Space as well as many universities that can train you to write effective grants.

Things to consider about working at a NFP:

First of all, you may have to consider a pay cut, but not always. In fact, executive pay at certain NFPs can be quite competitive with the for-profit world; visit The Foundation Center to access the 990 of leading NFPs detailing their executive compensation. Typically, NFPs run on smaller budgets than for profit companies, therefore their compensation structure reflects that difference. Know what you can realistically live on and be prepared to talk about why you are willing to take a cut.

Consider the cause or mission of the organization and how it aligns with yours. As part of the interview process, they may ask you what you know about the organization and why you want to work there. They likely will be looking to see if your values are the same as theirs and if you can wholeheartedly support the organization and its mission.

Many NFPs will look for prior NFP or volunteer experience when evaluating candidates. Be sure to provide ample resume space to your civic achievements. If you are lacking civic experience, consider seeking out opportunities to volunteer your time and gain experience; resources to help you identify opportunities include Taproot and the volunteer section of LinkedIn jobs. Additionally, Encore Fellowships provides “internship” opportunities to for-profit executives interested in gaining NFP executive experience.

Here are some additional resources to explore:
GuideStar - NFP research
Idealist.org - NFP jobs, volunteer opportunities
Impact Oppurtunity – NFP jobs, research, guidance
Taproot Foundation - Volunteer matching
CoGenerate (fka Encore) – NFP fellowships

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