Careers in the Nonprofit Sector

Presented by:

Janean Brown – Program Coordinator Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership; Nonprofit Leadership Institute

Tera Wozniak – Program Coordinator Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership; Nonprofit Leadership Institute

Agenda & Objectives

What is a nonprofit? Types of nonprofitsJobs in nonprofitsPreparation for entering the

nonprofit sectorOutlook for the nonprofit sectorResources/advice for your job search

What is a nonprofit?

Nonprofits can be defined by Tax status, what is done with surplus revenue, volunteer

board of directors, work is directed by a mission statement 501©(3) most common, however there are others

Also known as: Not-for-profit, tax-exempt, civil, independent, third, social,

charitable or voluntary sector.

Internationally known as: Nongovernmental organizations, charities or foundations

*The Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers for First-time Job Seekers

How Nonprofits Are Classified

Who they serve: Member-serving organizations or Public-serving

organizations

What their mission isGeneral goals and specific role they play in the

communityServices they provide to bridge the gap between

government and business services

*The Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers for First-time Job Seekers

Types of Nonprofits

Low income housingEnvironmental

preservationActivismGrassroots organizingLobbyingPublic radioHealth careLegal services

*The Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers for First-time Job Seekers

EducationConflict resolutionResearchCommunity

DevelopmentUrban planningCivil rights advocacySocial services International Aid

Jobs in Nonprofits

Program ManagerFund DevelopmentMedia CoordinatorCommunity OutreachMajor Gift OrganizerHuman ResourcesVolunteer CoordinatorGrant writing*The Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers for First-time Job Seekers

Preparation for entering the sector

Don’t necessarily need a nonprofit major to work in the nonprofit sector

Extracurricular activitiesAmericorpsBoard ServiceVolunteering

33% of organizations recruit their volunteersInternships

50% of organizations recruit their interns*The Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers for First-time Job Seekers

Networking – keep expanding your community network, try social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn

Get involved in neighborhood groups and look for leadership opportunities

Make connections at events such as conferences and workshops, ask questions, get interested

*The Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers for First-time Job Seekers

Preparation for entering the nonprofit sector

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9Board service 4% 4% 5% 2% 5% 7% 13% 13% 36%Volunteer work with your organization

30% 15% 9% 9% 9% 4% 9% 4% 11%

Volunteer work with another org in a relevant field

11% 9% 18% 20% 16% 9% 9% 4% 4%

Internship in a relevant field

14% 20% 24% 8% 10% 8% 12% 4% 0%

Experience in the for-profit sector

18% 2% 12% 6% 6% 16% 12% 10% 20%

Participation in a term-of-service program

13% 8% 8% 15% 8% 17% 15% 8% 9%

Foreign language spoken by constituents in your program (not essential to the position)

4% 18% 10% 10% 8% 10% 16% 14% 10%

Graduate education or certificate program related to but not mandatory for the position

7% 9% 7% 16% 16% 16% 2% 16% 9%

Fundraising/Grantwriting experience

4% 15% 9% 11% 20% 11% 11% 15% 4%

(percentage of respondents ranking each experience on a scale of most-to-least valuable)

Value of Various Life Experiences to Nonprofit Hiring Professionals*

What nonprofits are looking for

1=Most valuable, 9=Least Valuable*Data from survey of nonprofit hiring professionals in the United States conducted by Idealist.org in April 2007

What skills are nonprofits looking for?Leadership Self-StartersPublic speakingResearch skillsWritingCommunicationFundraisingExperience on the jobProject Management

IRS recognizes over 1 million nonprofits in the United States More than 100 nonprofits file with the IRS each day

A career in the nonprofit sector is just as viable as a business career

Average pay for Program Director/ Supervisor/ Project Manager in West Michigan: $45,347

Average pay for Executive Director in West Michigan: $80,394

*Johnson Center for Philanthropy Community Research Institute: September 2008

*Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careess for First-time Job seekers

Outlook for the nonprofit sector

Resources/advice for job search

http://www.gvsu.edu/jcphttp://www.nptimes.com/http://philanthropy.com/http://www.guidestar.org

http://www.idealist.org/en/career/guide/firsttime/fullbook.html