Nonprofits

What it is

Nonprofit, or not-for-profit, organizations exist to fulfill a mission rather than to generate revenue. Led by a Board of Directors supervising a President or Executive Director, nonprofits can be supported by a mixture of grants, donations, membership dues, and earned income. There are nonprofits of all types and sizes advancing every mission on earth. Humanities- or social science-related nonprofits may place value on the right subject matter knowledge, but many other nonprofits are also good places for PhDs in those subjects.

Starting points

Humanities and social science PhDs can enter non-profits in a wide array of positions, from intern to researcher to policy analyst to writer to program officer. An academic background is viewed positively at nonprofits that are subject-matter oriented, but skills and experience are primary.

Advancement

Pay is typically lower than in for-profit companies, but the work is rewarding and can be very interesting, particularly if you genuinely care about the mission. Researchers, educators, writers and so on can each move up to become Directors of their respective areas, or even ultimately Executive Director. They can also move pretty fluidly from one organization to another. Nonprofit experience is essential if you dream of starting your own nonprofit someday.

Disciplines

All humanities and social science disciplines can find a place in nonprofit sector.

Personality and outlook

It is extremely helpful to be mission-driven and deeply concerned with the impact you are having on the world. Although one might not think of non-profits as “entrepreneurial,” they are in fact highly so. They constantly have to strategize for financial survival and visibility as major players in their respective mission areas. Therefore, an entrepreneurial streak will be helpful no matter what your role.

Preparation

Look up nonprofits in your area, pick one you like and get involved. Do anything at first, just to gain exposure to the workings of an organization. Conduct informational interviews with people in the nonprofit sector. Learn how non-profits work and which roles might appeal to you the most, then develop related skills and experience.