Nonprofit Jobs: A Check List For How To Find Work In The Nonprofit Sector

Do you want to find work in the nonprofit sector, and or do you need advice on where to search nonprofit jobs? Following is information on how best to go about searching for nonprofit jobs. Below is a wonderful list of nonprofit job sites and also locations you may want to utilize in finding a non-profit job.  We have also included wonderful links to relevant articles about seeking nonprofit jobs and where online to look!

Use The Following Check List And Employ The Following Steps To Help You Find Nonprofit Jobs:

• Understand how the nonprofit sector is different.

• Learn how fundraising works and how organizational missions work and can be funded. No matter what position you are seeking, you will need to understand how the nonprofit sector works. Introduction to nonprofit fundraising.

• Find and gain real experience working with a nonprofit; either volunteering, on a board, or on a project.

• Read and understanding how Foundations work; who they fund, and what are restricted vs. unrestricted funds are.

• Create a resume that mission driven. Both your cover letter and resume will need to show that you have the skills to do the nonprofit work required. You will need to be able to speak to how your background relates to the requirements of the position.

• Know the language (nomenclature) of the nonprofit sector. Never call a nonprofit a company, and know that grantmaking means, vs. grant writing. Very generally speaking grantmaking is the act of funding a nonprofit from a foundation by providing a grant.  Grant writing is the activity of writing a grant proposal to potential funders such as to foundations, state, corporate and or federal agencies.

• Join a nonprofit board if you are seeking a Director job or higher in the nonprofit sector. If you need help finding one, you could plan to travel and attend Board Match at one of the cities nationally.

• Start building a new network. Find and book some informational interviews with nonprofit you are interested in. Use our network and also explore meetups and contact people you know in the nonprofit sector. If you do not yet know anyone, plan on going to a nonprofit meetups or networking events locally near you.  Once you attend a meeting, meet staff that work in the section and express interest in their work. Learn about what they do, and ask professionally if they would be open to grabbing a cup of coffee to offer more about how they ended up working in nonprofits. Tell them you would be interested in learning about their work, and keep it less about you, until they ask. Over coffee make sure to learn more about their organization, their work, professional interests and any advice they would give you to be more involved with the organization.

• Start following nonprofit groups on linkedIn, Twitter, and reading nonprofit publications.

• Understand and use the top nonprofit job boards to learn about new opportunities that could be a strong match for your already established skill-set.

• Apply individually to each open position, crafting your resume and cover letter to be meet the needs and requirements of the exact position you are applying for. In your cover letter express why you are passionate about the nonprofits programs and mission, and explain what you have accomplished and would potentially bring to the role if selected.

• Be professional, not a pest. Follow-up but do on their terms. If you are applying from the corporate sector, that’s wonderful, but do not expect special treatment and or do not fall into the assumption that your skill-set is easy to understand how it relates to the nonprofit sector job.  Be clear on what skills you bring and what you could accomplish in the role. The number one reason corporate candidates do not find work in the nonprofit sector is for failing to phrase and customize their background to show how they would be beneficial to the nonprofit job.  Sending your existing corporate resume with an added new paragraph about your interest in their mission is not enough. Put the work in.

• Understand what you qualify for in the nonprofit sector, and be strategic. You may need to consult with other nonprofit professionals or people you know. Ask them what jobs they feel someone with your background could qualify for in the nonprofit sector, and what the pay range is normally. First understanding how nonprofits view your experience is paramount to learning what positions you can immediately gain, and or what steps you may still need to get more experience to land your dream job.

• Watch or attend this class: Introduction to Finding Grants, a free class offered in-person or online from the Foundation Center.

• Be honest, energetic, positive, professional and show what you can do.

• Go out and start applying. Refer to the list of nonprofit job sites below in this post.

Helpful Links to Educate You About Nonprofits And Get You Ready To Interview

An Introduction to How to Find A Job In The Nonprofit Sector

Thinking About a Nonprofit Job? Here’s What You Should Know

Listen to the Fundraising Fundamentals Podcast from The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Learn About Fundraising

Watch Fundraising 101: Rueben Mayes TED TALK

The Benefits & Challenges of Nonprofit Job Seeking (Nonprofit Job Seeking Tips)

Nonprofit Salary Negotiation Tips – The Not For Profit Approach To Talking About Money

How To Write A Resume; Tips For How To Create A Readable Resume

Foundation Payout Depends on How You Average | Nonprofit Quarterly

Learn Foundation Law | Legal Issues in Grantmaking

History of Philanthropy | National Philanthropic Trust

What is the difference between a private foundation and a public charity? | IRS

Introduction to Finding Grants

How To Write A Readable Resume

How To Use Skill Section On Your Resume

Where To Look For Work | Top Sites That List Nonprofit Jobs

This is a comprehensive list of online job boards and resources for nonprofit jobs you may wish to contact. There are many locations to review openings and nonprofit jobs in the US and internationally! In an effort to help educate job seekers we make this list available for the nonprofit sector. We cannot promise the quality of the sites are as strong as Foundation List. We hope this comprehensive list is useful to you.

Leading Job Boards That Specialize In The Nonprofit Sector:

http://philanthropy.com/jobs – The Chronicle of Philanthropy is an independent news organization that has been serving leaders, fundraisers, grant makers, and others involved in the philanthropic enterprise for more than 25 years.

https://foundationlist.org – Foundation List is a job board specifically designed for listing opportunities within the nonprofit employment sector! Foundation List’s mission is to connect foundations, organizations, associations, and educational institutions to passionate mission-minded job seekers.

http://foundationcenter.org – Established in 1956, Foundation Center is the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide. Through data, analysis, and training, it connects people who want to change the world to the resources they need to succeed. Foundation Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. and, increasingly, global grantmakers and their grants — a robust, accessible knowledge bank for the sector. It operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance knowledge of philanthropy at every level.

http://www.afpnet.org – Since 1960, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has inspired global change and supported efforts that generated over $1 trillion. AFP’s nearly 30,000 individual and organizational members raise over $100 billion annually, equivalent to one-third of all charitable giving in North America and millions more around the world.

Additional Job Boards That Specialize In Nonprofit Jobs

https://www.devex.com – A social enterprise, they connect and inform 700,000+ global development professionals through news, business intelligence, and funding & career opportunities.

http://www.idealist.org – Idealist is all about connecting idealists – people who want to do good – with opportunities for action and collaboration.

http://www.nonprofit-jobs.org – Connected to ExecSearches.com, offers a listing of national openings in the nonprofit sector.

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com – A world where human activities live in harmony with the earth’s carrying capacity.

https://www.workforgood.org – Work for Good’s mission is to help purpose-driven organizations and talented professionals connect, so together you can do the best work possible.

http://ynpn.org – The Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN) activates emerging leaders by connecting them with resources, people, and ideas.

http://www.nonprofitcareer.com – Nonprofit Career Network has been created to fill the needs of the nonprofit sector.

http://www.bridgespan.org – The Bridgespan Group is a nonprofit advisor and resource for mission-driven organizations and philanthropists. We collaborate with social sector leaders to help scale impact, build leadership, advance philanthropic effectiveness and accelerate learning.

http://www.nonprofitjobs.org – An on-line gathering place where not-for-profit employers and management personnel can meet one another.

http://www.nonprofitjobscoop.org – the Center for Nonprofit Management (CNM) introduced Nonprofit Jobs Cooperative specifically to help people like you connect to these opportunities.

http://www.nonprofitoyster.com – mission-focused nonprofit career site and comprehensive source for posting and finding nonprofit jobs

Specialty Job Boards That Specialize In Nonprofit Jobs:

http://www.socialservice.com – Job site for social work, counseling, psychology, mental health, case management, EAP, volunteer management, substance abuse treatment, domestic violence, community development, youth development, child welfare, developmental disabilities and all other areas of social services.

http://careers.socialworkers.org – The Social Work Career Center is a career website where social workers can search national job listings and find professional development and career resources that span across the duration of a social worker’s professional career. The Career Center is a resource to social worker employers.

http://www.councilofnonprofits.org – The National Council of Nonprofits is a trusted resource and advocate for America’s charitable nonprofits. Through our powerful network of State Associations and 25,000-plus members – the nation’s largest network of nonprofits – we serve as a central coordinator and mobilizer to help nonprofits achieve greater collective impact in local communities across the country. In addition they identify emerging trends, share proven practices, and promote solutions that benefit charitable nonprofits and the communities they serve.

http://nynmedia.com – New York Nonprofit Media is the must-read news source for New York’s nonprofits. The publication has also served the industry for 12 years as New York Nonprofit Press.

http://www.nonprofitjobseeker.com – The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management.

https://www.thegreenjobbank.com – The US #1 site for green jobs and green employers. TheGreenJobBank’s search engine also crawls the web daily to provide the most current listings available from thousands of websites.

http://www.hercjobs.org – HERC is the only non-profit organization devoted to connecting exceptional professionals with careers at higher education and affiliated employers that have a shared mission to promote equity and inclusion, support dual-career couples and create a future shaped by diversity of thought and perspectives.

http://jobs.cof.org – A nonprofit membership association of grantmaking foundations and corporations, with a mission is to promote responsible and effective philanthropy.

https://scionnonprofitstaffing.com – Nonprofit Temporary Agency and Executive Search Firm for the nonprofit sector recruiting on behalf of Foundations, Nonprofits, and Educational Institutions.