A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in contrast with an entity that operates as a business aiming to generate a profit for its owners. A nonprofit is subject to the non-distribution constraint: any revenues that exceed expenses must be committed to the organization's purpose, not taken by private parties. An array of organizations are nonprofit, including some political organizations, schools, business associations, churches, social clubs, and consumer cooperatives. Nonprofit entities may seek approval from governments to be tax-exempt, and some may also qualify to receive tax-deductible contributions, but an entity may incorporate as a nonprofit entity without securing tax-exempt status.
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase for professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment. The term typically refers to provision of legal services by legal professionals for people who are unable to afford them.
Fundraising or fund-raising is the process of seeking and gathering voluntary financial contributions by engaging individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies. Although fundraising typically refers to efforts to gather money for non-profit organizations, it is sometimes used to refer to the identification and solicitation of investors or other sources of capital for for-profit enterprises.
A social enterprise is an organization that applies commercial strategies to maximize improvements in financial, social and environmental well-being. This may include maximizing social impact alongside profits for co-owners.
Points of Light is an international nonprofit, nonpartisan organization headquartered in the United States dedicated to engaging more people and resources in solving serious social problems through voluntary service.
The Taproot Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that engages design, marketing, IT, strategic management, and human resources professionals in pro bono service projects to build the infrastructure of other nonprofit organizations. Taproot Foundation's mission is to "drive social change by leading, mobilizing, and engaging professionals in pro bono service." Its work focuses around building a pro bono marketplace that, like philanthropy, is large, transparent, professional and accessible. The organization was founded in 2001 by Aaron Hurst. The current President and CEO is Lindsay Firestone Gruber.
Arts administration is a field in the arts sector that facilitates programming within cultural organizations. Arts administrators are responsible for facilitating the day-to-day operations of the organization as well as the long term goals by and fulfilling its vision, mission and mandate. Arts management became present in the arts and culture sector in the 1960s. Organizations include professional non-profit entities. For examples theaters, museums, symphonies, jazz organizations, opera houses, ballet companies and many smaller professional and non-professional for-profit arts-related organizations. The duties of an arts administrator can include staff management, marketing, budget management, public relations, fundraising, program development evaluation, and board relations.
Impact Online, also known as VolunteerMatch, is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization which provides a national digital infrastructure to serve volunteers and nonprofit organization in America. VolunteerMatch was founded in 1998.
Virtual volunteering refers to volunteer activities completed, in whole or in part, using the Internet and a home, school, telecenter, or work computer or other Internet-connected device, such as a smart phone or personal digital assistant (PDA). Virtual volunteering is also known as online volunteering, remote volunteering or e-volunteering. Contributing to free and open source software projects or editing Wikipedia are examples of virtual volunteering.
An alternative break is a trip where a group of college students engage in volunteer service, typically for a week. Alternative break trips originated with college students in the early 1980s as a counter to "traditional" spring break trips. These trips are usually led by 2 "site leaders" who are students that have already participated in an alternative break and have gone through extensive leadership training.
Common Impact is an American nonprofit organization headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It catalyzes a new, connected economy by aligning business and social purpose, connecting business professionals to local nonprofits that need assistance in information technology, marketing, human resources, operations and finance. Common Impact's model for social change involves social innovation, employee engagement, and corporate social responsibility.
The Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation was an office new to the Obama Administration, created within the White House, to catalyze new and innovative ways of encouraging government to do business differently. Its first director was the economist Sonal Shah. The final director was David Wilkinson.
The Arts & Business Council of New York (ABC/NY), also known as Arts & Business Council, Inc., is a nonprofit organization. ABC/NY, now a division of the national service organization Americans for the Arts, was formed in 1965 to join the resources of New York City's arts and business communities in order to strengthen both sectors.
The Rosetta Foundation is a nonprofit organization that promoted social localisation, the process of making critical, social services information available to individuals around the world in their native languages.
A sustainability organization is (1) an organized group of people that aims to advance sustainability and/or (2) those actions of organizing something sustainably. Unlike many business organizations, sustainability organizations are not limited to implementing sustainability strategies which provide them with economic and cultural benefits attained through environmental responsibility. For sustainability organizations, sustainability can also be an end in itself without further justifications.
Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labour for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve on an as-needed basis, such as in response to a natural disaster. Nowadays, one common type of volunteer is volunteer tourism.
The New York City Coalition Against Hunger (NYCCAH) is a nonprofit organization, which aims to “enact innovative solutions to help society move ‘beyond the soup kitchen’ to ensure economic and food self-sufficiency for all Americans”. NYCCAH works collaboratively with local, state, and national legislatures as well as New York residents and community associations. In contrast to other organizations, NYCCAH generally does not distribute food but rather concerns itself with providing technical assistance to groups which do while simultaneously affecting hunger policy at a more macro-urban scale.
International volunteering is when volunteers contribute their time to work for organisations or causes outside their respective home countries. International volunteering has a long association with international development, with the aim of bringing benefits to host communities.
Rachael Chong is Founder and CEO of Catchafire, a skills-based volunteer platform, public speaker, and social entrepreneur.
Apparent Project is a 501(c)3 nonprofit artisans’ guild that was co-founded by Shelley Clay, Marilyn Monaghan, and Corrigan Clay in 2008. Haitians of Apparent Project create stunning bracelets, jewelry, clothing, and beautiful art pieces made out of trash, metal, aluminum, dirt, and paper by the mothers and fathers of once orphaned children of Haiti. Currently The Apparent Projects artisans include metal sculptors, jewelry makers, paper makers, bookbinders, seamstresses, and ceramicists. They are looking to expand into new artistic ventures and love hosting small teams for intensive trainings. They produce jobs for mothers and fathers who don't want to have to abandon their children to an orphanage because of extreme poverty. They provide hope through the dignity of a job, training, and the ability to create something new out of something discarded and seemingly unusable. Apparent Project is a socially and ecologically conscious business with a mission of stimulating the Haitian economy and bringing an end to poverty-based relinquishment of children in Haiti.
