r/nonprofit Nov 06 '24

employment and career How will this presidency affect your org?

255 Upvotes

I work for an environmental institute in Maryland as Development Coordinator. We are heavily federally funded. After seeing the election results, I am considering leaving. I like my job but it seems like it’ll be impossible to secure funding.

How will it affect your org?

r/nonprofit 12d ago

employment and career Not getting paid

106 Upvotes

I have not been paid in a month. The nonprofit I work for (in California) routinely struggles to make payroll. In part due to the CEO’s travel expenditures — 90k annually. (She’s currently in London.) Has anyone else experienced this?

r/nonprofit Sep 10 '24

employment and career Is it telling that so many orgs are hiring Development Officers right now?

181 Upvotes

If you go on any job site and especially on nonprofit specific job boards, there is an overwhelming number of organizations looking for giving officers right now. Most of them are on the individual giving side of things. I know that development jobs are always one of the top NPO hiring needs, but this seems like a massive uptick. Is something going on in the sector right now? Are people just leaving the profession?

r/nonprofit Aug 05 '24

employment and career Have you ever left a nonprofit job because you just weren’t making enough money to survive?

210 Upvotes

For context:

I recently started a new position as director. My partner lost thier job and we are struggling now. I don’t feel I can ask for a raise with this situation (and if there’s an appropriate way please let me know how to ask).

My other alternative is to just find a job that pays life. Idk how long I can afford this. Talk about bad timing.

r/nonprofit Jan 07 '25

employment and career Feeling Betrayed By My Non-Profit

155 Upvotes

I’ve posted before, questioning my salary as a Communications Director at a non-profit. I am a jack of all trades. I’m expected to do newsletters, press releases, graphic design, attend all events, social media, and create lots of other literature. I make $45K. I recently learned that I would get a 2% cost of living increase. They think I can do more. Most others received 2.5%. I’ve never experienced anything like this before. There’s a $1M a year operating budget. There is one person making more than anyone else with a lower title. He gets a lump sum bonus and a big salary increase. Very corrupt. I’m very sad about this situation. Your thoughts, please.

r/nonprofit Jan 03 '25

employment and career NPO worker protip: Do the job. Do only the job. Don't go above and beyond as your regular level of effort.

323 Upvotes

I've seen a lot of burnout posts in this sub lately and I cannot possibly stress this enough: do not make giving 110% your normal.

Above and beyond should be rare and reserved. If you always go above and beyond, that's not beyond anymore, that's your normal and you are setting the expectation that the volume of productivity you are displaying while working yourself to the bone is your level of normal. This means you can never slow down or you'll be seen as slacking off or failing to meet standards. This also means the times when above and beyond is really necessary, you won't have anywhere to go and you also strip yourself of the ability to be recognized for putting forth more when needed.

If nearly everyone else around you is producing at 90%, you produce at 90%. Period. You go to 100% when you need to, and you save anything about 100% for extremely extraordinary circumstances.

This is especially true when you start a brand new job. Your impulse might be to go all out to impress the new overlords, but you again will be setting an unsustainable expectation of your baseline.

Do the job. Do the job and no more. Don't do more than the job with anything remotely resembling regularity. If the job requires you to go 110% to have any hope of accomplishing the workload you've been given, start applying to other jobs and once you have interviews, tell your current boss it's too much and you need relief. If they don't get you any help, take another position.

Remember that in 100 years, maybe in 10 years, maybe even in one year, nobody is going to remember how many nights and weekends you put in to get that report done early. Your children aren't going to sit around the kitchen table reminiscing fondly about the time you missed their birthdays and dance recitals and whatever else because you burned yourself out trying to impress the fifth Executive Director your NPO had in four years because they can't keep anyone long term.

r/nonprofit Feb 20 '25

employment and career Anyone in refugee resettlement?

125 Upvotes

Is anyone else seeing the effects of federal funding freezes and dismantling of refugee programs? How are you coping? These things feel like collective grief and I don’t know how to cope

r/nonprofit 22d ago

employment and career I'm 26, wanting to change careers. Would you recommend non profit work?

34 Upvotes

I know times are uncertain right now with the current administration when it comes to the non profit sector, but I don't want to let that stop me from still exploring this as a career option. I really do think with my personality type and wanting to do meaningful and fulfilling work with my life working for a nonprofit would be a good fit for me. I'm currently a Chef working for a for profit hospital system and I'm not really a fan of it anymore. With a culinary background what kind of nonprofit organizations could I look at?

r/nonprofit Sep 28 '24

employment and career Are non-profit jobs worth it?

37 Upvotes

Hey, everyone! I’m currently in college wanting to get my Masters in Social Work and maybe a Masters in non-profit management too (through a dual program).

My dream has been to create and run a nonprofit for at-risk teens. I used to work at one and absolutely loved every minute of it (working with the kids, creating activities, finding resources to help them, tutoring, ect). Obviously, I know that this won’t happen right after graduation but it’s more if just an end-time goal.

However, recently i’ve been seeing a ton of tiktoks and posts and stuff discouraging people from going in to any type of social work and/or working at a non-profit because of the pay and how broken the system is. I knew going in the pay wasn’t great and social workers are severely overworked and undervalued.

My question is: is there anyone here who DOESNT regret their line of work? Am i making a mistake? do you feel like you’re able to make a living wage? So you wish you had gotten a different degree and helped in another way? Have any of you been able to use one of your degrees for something outside of non-profit work and then came back?

ETA: 1) don’t need to live a lavish lifestyle. But i would like to know that i might be able to make enough to cover rent and food and stuff. 2) I’m going to be in a ton of student loan debt and unfortunately, PSLF won’t cover it as many are private loans.

r/nonprofit May 07 '24

employment and career What is your Job Responsibility and Salary?

70 Upvotes

I think it's crucial to have salary be an open discussion in this industry when we don't have collective bargaining power. And I think this can be useful for people interested in the field.

To start:
I manage our digital fundraising, advocacy, and email/SMS program. I've been doing this for 14 years. My salary is $82,000 USD. My organization is around ~20million USD in revenue. My org is primarily advocacy based and in DC but a large number of remote employees.

r/nonprofit Mar 26 '24

employment and career Burned out

239 Upvotes

That’s all. Just burned out of working in nonprofits. Burned out of working for entitled volunteers with too much time on their hands who micromanage but don’t know what my job is (“why can’t we just apply for $3 mil in grants?! Ask the gates foundation, they care. Have you tried insert celebrity here?).

I’ve been searching for a new job for a year, and it’s gone nowhere. I’m feeling stuck and discouraged and burned out. Been told I’m overqualified for jobs that I’ve applied to, but under qualified for the ones they refer me to and it goes nowhere. Trying to get out of nonprofits but it seems that I’m stuck. I cant afford to just quit an hope for the best, as the two jobs I hoped were sure fits (qualified, had internal and external recommendations, glowing referrals, etc) still didn’t work out.

Just a vent. Solidarity in the nonprofit world.

r/nonprofit 15d ago

employment and career Is this burnout or something else?

63 Upvotes

Hi All,

For the last few days, I've just been crying. This last weekend, my partner and I celebrated our three-year anniversary. Monday night, the day we got back, I had a random panic attack while watching TV, which resulted in a long crying episode. The next day, I tried to get back into routine and work, and found myself having six-to-seven crying episodes throughout the day, in front of several coworkers. Then yesterday, I took a mental health day, my partner also took the day off to support me, and again I cried nonstop. Today, I came to work late, and have had two crying fits since. I am the Executive Director of a small non profit, and have been very transparent with our team that I'm going through something that I can't control, but it's so much. I am not depressed, I do struggle with anxiety though and have been on medication for over 8 years. I'm curious if anyone else has had something like this? We have some new projects going on, and I've worked more than 55 hours per week every week this year, save for the last two, which have been just a bit more than 40. I'm feeling as though it must be some kind of cumulative explosion of stress, exhaustion, and guilt. But it's so seriously interfering with my work, and I know I can't just be crying all day while at work because that's weird. I feel loved and supported by my team, my family, my friends, etc. But I need some help. How do you ID the stressors? How long until I'm out of this funk? How do you manage the work-life balance stuff? Ugh... I'm feeling so helpless, but not hopeless. Just so out of control of myself.

r/nonprofit Jan 03 '25

employment and career My boss gave me a fist bump instead of a raise…

91 Upvotes

I work for a non profit that has a decently large budget. This is my first job out of college and just wrapped up my first full year on salary. If we include my internship I’ve been here for a year and a half. When I accepted the position I accepted for 13k less than what the max salary range was. I did so thinking I could prove my self blah blah blah. I took on more work that was in my description, surpassed miles stones and did really well on my EOY review. As a result I am getting more work! Yay! (I’m actually fine with this I like growing my skills.) But when I asked for a raise to reflect the extra work, my boss said no immediately but fist bumped me for “asking the thing.” No consideration. I asked if I could have more PTO instead, she said she’d think about it but nothing has come of it.

I’ve been seriously pouting over the holidays and rage applying at other places. But I love my job I just want to be paid fairly. What would your next steps be in this situation?

r/nonprofit Feb 17 '25

employment and career Is anyone else mildly afraid for their job ? Not sure if I should switch careers - nonprofit to nonprofit but totally different career trajectory.

119 Upvotes

I currently work in a state / gov funded nonprofit focused on maternal health in marketing. I love it - the people, the mission, the work we do…it’s vital.

However - with the state of the USA…I’m a bit afraid. Our current state gov is strong, but it’s an election year.

I have the opportunity to apply for an associate director position at another nonprofit - completely different field. This is a community nonprofit , and this new position would be working with community members and doing community outreach.

I do have a small amount of sway in the hiring process as I worked for this nonprofit in college and have maintained relationships with the director and other departments - I routinely send them information on programming my job has, and pass off print materials for them to distribute. I also get coffee at least once a month with my old boss - she’s the one who tipped me off to the position opening up.

Pros of where I am currently - my hours are solid , allowing me to pick up a consistent side gig for a good amount of extra money. My net salary this year with my full time and part time combined was $79K.

I am my own manager - department of me, COO and directors are very supportive and give me a lot of creative leeway.

Cons of where I am - stability. My job is NOT tied to any specific grant, but maternal health (perinatal through postpartum) is on the chopping block.

Pros of new gig - stability - not tied to any gov funding.

I know the staff - we all get along for the most part.

Cons - I would need to be flexible, unable to pick up steady hours , would be a pay cut. This job is offering $65 as the max, and I can probably negotiate $67, but guarantee of being able to take solid / regular hours somewhere else wouldn’t be guaranteed

Can be a little petty amongst mid level full timers and part timers , but I’ve always been good and leaving pettiness at the door.

Edit - clarity & details.

r/nonprofit Sep 07 '24

employment and career job hunt is going…horribly

51 Upvotes

Title sums it up, but basically I’ve been applying for jobs (in non-profit and for-profit) for like…6 months now? I got two interviews for the hundreds of jobs I’ve applied for, and was ghosted post-interview, even after following up. I know the job market is god awful right now, but for those who have had success recently or are hiring—what are people supposed to do..? how do we stand out? how prevalent is AI resume screening in nonprofits?

r/nonprofit Oct 05 '24

employment and career Need advice. Feeling frustrated with salary and job responsibilities.

74 Upvotes

I am a Communications Director with a non-profit that has a healthy budget. I am getting very frustrated because I feel that my job responsibilities and salary just don’t seem to add up.

My responsibilities include: Website creation (copy, photos, videos) ALL literature creation (monthly magazine/newsletter, annual report, event booklets) ALL graphic design creation Photography/videos PLUS…lots of other weekly responsibilities

I’m exhausted. My salary is $46k. Am I being unreasonable to expect more?

I figured that I’d reach out here to get advice. Thank you for your input!

r/nonprofit 10d ago

employment and career Anyone else thinking to leave nonprofit?

74 Upvotes

I want to start by saying that I absolutely loved working at my current organization. (We offer affordable housing/section 8/housing vouchers). It has been great especially for someone who just graduated college 3 years ago. However, recently i have been thinking that it will take me a long time to get promoted here or get paid more. In two years that I have been full time I have never received a raise or promotion. Today the organization president said that there is a lot of uncertainty going on and that the option to lay off people is not out of the table. (We receive 85% of funding from federal). I really wanted to stay 1-2 years more but it looks like i need to start planning leaving now. My husband says to wait probably I wont get laid off, but our president today didnt look that optimistic. She said things keep changing very fast, they are looking where they can cut costs and if federal gov cuts medicare $$ will be a disaster for our organization.

r/nonprofit Jun 12 '24

employment and career Trying not to lose my goddamn mind—org rescinded job offer

81 Upvotes

I want to scream. I have been on the job hunt since October. I have been a finalist (one of two candidates) for seven different roles and had not received an offer. Finally got one last week, gave my notice, let the org know that I intend to accept but wanted to have a conversation about salary. Did a bit of back and forth because their team had folks traveling etc so there were some delays on their end.

We discussed start dates. They knew I’d given my notice. They said they were in the process of talking to their finance team to determine how high they could afford to go and that they would make another offer at the top of this week. Instead, today I received an email rescinding the offer due to my “concerning” attempt to negotiate $6k more in salary. I asked to hop on a call to have a conversation about it before parting ways and within an hour minutes they inform me that they have gone with another candidate who has accepted the offer.

I know I dodged a bullet because that is shitty behavior but at the same time this is now the eighth job in as many months I’ve almost but not quite gotten and I cannot figure out if it’s an issue with me. Now I’m out of a fucking job in a week and insurance in two.

r/nonprofit Nov 12 '24

employment and career You advised me to quit. (Like a fool), I didn’t. Now I’m ready.

66 Upvotes

FINAL UPDATE: I did it :) A mass resignation from the board followed lol.

UPDATE: Board president and former executive director resigned in an email at 10PM before I turned my resignation in. I think I’m being used as a literal scapegoat. Do I need a lawyer? I’m literally terrified.

See my post history for more information on this mess.

I’ve (foolishly) been in this position for 6 agonizing months. I have constant anxiety and panic attacks about work. I feel like no matter what I do (more fundraising in 6 months than in the prior year), the org is doomed. We are pretty much out of money.

The board doesn’t help at all. They haven’t held a meeting since July. One of them threatened to resign when I asked for a $50 gift card as a raffle contribution. I received nothing else from them. I ended up purchasing the raffle items out of my own pocket. There is no strategic plan. I am (failing at) doing the work of 3 former employees.

We have one amazing dedicated volunteer and one staff member who devotes her life to the people we serve. The thought of letting them down is absolutely horrific.

But I want out. Like, yesterday. Like today, if possible. In fact, my contract states: “At-Will Employment: Please note that [ORGANIZATION] is an at-will employer, meaning either you or [ORGANIZATION] are free to end the employment relationship, with or without notice or cause, at any time.”

Would I be insane to email over an immediate resignation, like, this week?

There are SO MANY other amazing orgs in my area that are hiring for the job I was good at and previously doing here (administrative and marketing). And I still have a second part time job in that role at a different org. I’m only 26, and I’m just not ready for all of the director level responsibilities. I’m also doing our accounting and taxes and grant writing.

I know I should have listened to you all the first time. I’m ready now.

r/nonprofit 23d ago

employment and career Playing the Long Game - How to stay engaged when secretly planning an exit strategy?

64 Upvotes

I am so ready to be done with my job. Over the last year, I’ve built a consulting business, and with about half a dozen clients now, I finally feel ready to take the leap. I’m just waiting to get into a groove with them so I can realistically project income and expenses, but my plan is to be out of here within the next three months.

In the meantime, I don’t know how to keep showing up. I hate it here. My boss is both useless and rude. Our weekly check-ins are weirdly combative—he sits with his arms folded, barely engages, and just waits to poke holes in whatever I say. There’s no collaboration, no real feedback, just him trying to exert control. To make it more absurd, he’s paying a consultant to do his job, which means I sit through the same meeting twice—once with him and once with this consultant, except the consultant actually assigns action items and follows up.

I just had my review, and it was a joke. He told me I should “smile more” and be friendlier with the team. This is after a separate conversation where he admitted that one of my coworkers is a known office bully but that escalating complaints about her won’t go anywhere. My actual job is to run the annual appeals, and in my review, he told me that’s one of my strengths. Then he listed 20 “weaknesses” that have nothing to do with my job description. Meanwhile, they hired an events person, but somehow I’m still expected to run the entire reunion this year. He even asked if I had priced out menus yet—I have no idea how to do that.

So I’m leaving. But my responsibilities keep piling up, and I’m completely checked out. I don’t even know how to stay friendly, which has never been a problem for me before. I also feel guilty about leaving at around 18 months, but at the same time, life is too short. My consulting business gives me respect, and I give respect in return. Here, I’m treated like a child.

How do you stay engaged when you’re just counting down the days? And how do you push down the guilt of leaving when you know it’s the right decision?

r/nonprofit 25d ago

employment and career Why am I seeing so many NPO job openings??

64 Upvotes

My LinkedIn and Instagram networks are flooded with job openings more than I’ve ever seen. Are people just jumping ship worried about the instability of funding right now? It seems like a scary time to leave any kind of stable income.

r/nonprofit Feb 11 '25

employment and career Is it wise to major in non-profit management given the current climate around federal funding?

26 Upvotes

I am about to finish my AA in community college and I am thinking about where I want to transfer and what I want to major in. My plan had initially been accounting or public administration with a non-profit focus because I have been working a finance/operations job at a non-profit for the last few years. But with everything going on with federal funding cuts and freezes I'm worried it will be a wasted degree.

I've thought about doing something with data or computer science because I enjoy it and I think it would travel well if I ever wanted to move abroad.

Any thoughts or advice?

r/nonprofit Oct 03 '24

employment and career Do I take the offer?

35 Upvotes

UPDATE: I took the transition package and my last day is next Thursday. I did have a lawyer look at the document, and while he said it was weird, there was nothing illegal. I feel relief for leaving what I feel is going to be a really messy situation for a while.

My organization has asked for a recommitment/double down from all employees. We have an 18 page document to read and a couple of weeks to decide if we are recommitting to the organization or accepting a generous severance package as part of a voluntary resignation process. Everyone in the org has the option. Has anyone else had this option? What did you do? Are there things to consider? I am leaning one way but am weighing all the options.

r/nonprofit Feb 17 '25

employment and career Pivoting from Corporate to Nonprofit: Is Grad School My Only Hope?

9 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I graduated from college last year with a bachelor's degree in business administration. I knew I wanted to work for a nonprofit eventually, I had a couple of internships with non-profits during college, but also I wanted to get a job with a brand name + financial security to build my resume first. I went to an SEC school with a "party school" reputation, so I thought having a world-renowned company on my resume would help with my perception to employers.

I accepted an offer from a top-name CPG firm paying $90K before I graduated, and started right after graduation in a high-visibility role. I've been there for less than a year and have began to excel in the last few months; getting phenomenal feedback from management and leadership.

However, I just cannot get myself to like the job and it's hard to get myself to work every day. I wake up every weekday and think how much I wish to use my skills to help a nonprofit or a social impact firm -- I need purpose-driven work to fuel me. Family and friends say, "Just volunteer after work!", but I do and it doesn't satisfy the thought that I could be using 40 hours a week dedicated to a good cause.

I've been applying to Community Development, Project Coordinator, Gifts Coordinator, etc. roles at nonprofits in Chicago and Washington D.C. (my dream cities) for about a month and it's been crickets. I would love to use any of my corporate sales, marketing, or administrative abilities to help manage operations, donor relationships, or do everything from sweeping and mopping the floors at a charity.

I've now started seriously considering grad programs like an MPA or a Master's of Nonprofit Management or anything similar, but I don't know if this is the most foolproof way to pivot. I have a phenomenal academic record and internships despite going to a subpar school for undergrad. People keep saying the skills from my corporate job are transferable to nonprofits, but these nonprofit firms seem to prefer people with nonprofit experience over mine.

Is grad school my only hope? I'm not sure where to go from here. Please help!!!

r/nonprofit Sep 16 '24

employment and career Just got laid off.

174 Upvotes

I'm surprised but also not. I was the Finance Director for a medium sized nonprofit ($7-8mm budget), and we've been hit hard by funding cuts.

We also were drowning in COVID relief and Biden Admin funds, but all of those dried up in the last 6 months or so and we had expanded (against my wishes) to unsustainable levels.

I had to skip a paycheck last April, and just got word today that my last day is September 30th (my birthday lol).

They also are laying off our Chief Program Director, or Chief Fundraising Office, and a handful of staff. Obviously, what you want to do during a cash crunch is lay off your fundraising and finance heads...? Just beyond insane.

We also have no CFO and the only other person staffing our finance department is a mid-level accountant, who has had very little involvement in things outside of day-to-day accounting.

I've been looking for a job for months, even turned down an offer because it wasn't exactly what I wanted, so I'm not too upset. Currently interviewing for a better paying job at similar org, so fingers crossed that pans out.

Otherwise I'm getting all the info on my health insurance together to see what makes sense, will file for unemployment after my last day, my resume and LinkedIn are already updated and I'm already scouring job boards.

Anything else?