How is it working for a non-profit? (employee, fund, jobs)
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Every non-profit is different. What position are you looking for? I have worked for a couple. I found that most people where I worked were lifers. They would move around the organization in different positions, but loved the mission and goals. There were quotas for people to fund-raise, but nothing unrealistic.
Volunteered a bit. I think the strongest difference is belief in the mission statement. Keep that in mind as it differs from the private sector that way. If you have beliefs that differ from it then that might be deterrent but there is something to be said when people pretty much don't feel like leaving work or shriek at overtime.
This is a field I'm considering so I don't have a specific position in mind. I wondered if fundraising for a non-profit were similar to being a salesperson. Because a salesperson is often let go for not meeting a quota. I try to avoid quota based jobs because I would feel like I'm a rented-employee and not an official employee.
Fund raising is friend raising. Often fundraisers are expected to bring in 10 times their salary as well as create a network of supporters.
One of the best fundraising/friend raising examples I can think of right now is BlinkNow.org. A home for orphans, school, women's center, demonstration project for sustainable living and I don't know what all in Nepal.
Maggie Doyne co-founded it with Top Malla. Inspiring story that continues to grow and develop.
If you are considering a career in the non-profit world, I would encourage you to find your passion, connect with those who are pursuing a mission you can get behind, and go for it.
Raising money for a cause you only sort of believe in is a tedious waste of your precious life.
This all varies on the non-profit, their culture, how much money they have, and the individual department you work for.
As the primary goal is to break even, many non-profits may always be strapped for cash. Some have incredibly generous grants and donors which make this not the case. In my non-profit, we are required to keep billions in reserves (insurance industry). Smart investing on that money always puts up WAY ahead, even after breaking even.
This is a field I'm considering so I don't have a specific position in mind. I wondered if fundraising for a non-profit were similar to being a salesperson. Because a salesperson is often let go for not meeting a quota. I try to avoid quota based jobs because I would feel like I'm a rented-employee and not an official employee.
Yes, I have worked in fundraising at the director level for several national and regional non-profits. Some organizations treat it almost exactly like a sales job. Others are not that high-functioning. I can tell you, with most organizations the pressure is always on to meet goals and it is highly stressful. With well-managed non-profits in good financial positions, it is not as severe -- but for many, their very existence relies on your abiity to produce revenue. And while you may be in the best position to help establish annual goals, you rarely have the opportunity to provide input. Often you are saddled with a goal that is simply unrealistic.
I got out about a year and a half ago and plan never to fundraise for a living again. One silver lining: development staff are often paid more than their colleagues in other departments because they produce revenue.
If I had a choice between sales and fundraising, I would go for sales - at least you get a commission.
Some organizations have quotas, some don't. If the organization is depending on you to bring in money in order to pay salaries and run programs, then you don't really need a quota to feel stressed.
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Originally Posted by FreshFresh
This is a field I'm considering so I don't have a specific position in mind. I wondered if fundraising for a non-profit were similar to being a salesperson. Because a salesperson is often let go for not meeting a quota. I try to avoid quota based jobs because I would feel like I'm a rented-employee and not an official employee.
Depends on the organization and the model. Some places are grant writing focused, others are major donor model focused. Generally you need results. How they do that varies.
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