When you first start working with a nonprofit, you’re probably excited at the prospect of changing the world and the lives of others. While it’s undoubtedly an exciting experience, there is also a lot of work that goes into it, and you’ll find that working with a nonprofit is different than volunteering for one.
For example, just like a corporate organization, there are rules, politics, and managerial skills involved in running a successful nonprofit.
Nonetheless, it’s still a gratifying experience, and you’ll be able to see the impact you make on the world. Here are a few tips to ensure you are ready for the challenge to set you up for success.
There’s Financial Instability
First, you’ll find that nonprofits are constantly fundraising and need more capital. Therefore, your salary may be unstable at times. To counteract this, always have substantial savings in place if the nonprofit does go through hard times.
Another way to counteract this is to learn to improve your fundraising skills to prevent the nonprofit from facing hardship. For example, learn to maintain good relationships with donors and always be on the lookout for new pitch opportunities.
By improving your fundraising skills, you not only bring more stability to the nonprofit, but you also make yourself one of the most valuable team members. This also makes it easier to ask for raises and prove your worth (which you should!).
There’s Often a Culture of Overworking
First, you’ll find that nonprofits are constantly fundraising and need more capital. Therefore, your salary may be unstable at times. To help guard against an unstable salary, always have substantial savings in place if the nonprofit does go through hard times.
Another way to counteract this is to learn to improve your fundraising skills to prevent the nonprofit from facing hardship. For example, learn to maintain good relationships with donors and always be on the lookout for new pitch opportunities.
By improving your fundraising skills, you not only bring more stability to the nonprofit, but you also make yourself one of the most valuable team members. This also makes it easier to ask for raises and prove your worth (which you should!).
Networking Will Be Key to Your Job
Most nonprofits are built on solid relationships. In an ideal world, people would just give you money because your mission is a good cause. Unfortunately, you’ll still have to build relationships and sell your mission just as you would in any other job. Donors are presented with many different offers every week, and they want to choose the best place to put their money.
Therefore, improve your networking skills, learn how to not only build relationships, and practice selling your mission.
Improve Your Management Skills
Another critical aspect of working for a nonprofit organization is learning to organize volunteers. For example, you’ll have to learn to make each person more efficient and ensure they are on task.
This can be difficult as there isn’t any way to enforce policies or rules as volunteers work for free. Also, you’ll have to deal with a lot of cancellations and no-shows at events. So learn to prepare for these situations and have a backup plan. You can also learn about new tools such as sodapdf.com, office and other tools.
Find a Mentor
As with any job, you’ll have a lot to learn. Therefore, one of the best ways to quickly improve and avoid unnecessary mistakes is to find a mentor.
Some organizations are large enough that your manager can coach you through these challenges. However, you may want to reach out to managers at other organizations for guidance in different scenarios. You can find these people on Linkedin, in Slack/Facebook groups, and at live conferences.
Final Thoughts
Working with a nonprofit organization is challenging, though it is a rewarding and gratifying experience. Just be prepared to set boundaries and treat it like any other job with high expectations and plenty of challenges.
About the Author
Brad Wayland is the Chief Strategy Officer at BlueCotton, a site with high-quality, easy-to-design custom t-shirts.