The Nonprofit Sector 101
This mini-course provides a brief overview of everything you need to know about the nonprofit sector. You will learn about the role that the sector plays in society, how and why people work or volunteer in the sector, issues within nonprofit organizations, and how to empower youth with participation in the nonprofit sector.
Photo Credit:Special Olympics 049 by Jerome Paz is licensed under CC BY 2.0
After completing this course (about 45 minutes), the learner is prompted to take a four-question quiz based on the content. Upon successful completion of this quiz, the learner may request a certificate suitable for a professional development portfolio, or as proof of .75 educational clock hours that can be used toward continuing education credit in most states. Please contact your State Department of Education or school district for specific information. Documentation of the completed courses and copies of the certificate are stored under "My Account" of the Learning to Give website where the learner may access (and print) them at any time.
The learner will
- define the functions of the nonprofit sector and its place in society.
- identify different careers paths within nonprofit organizations.
- gain tools to empower youth with philanthropy education.
Learn about the scope of the nonprofit sector and deepen your understanding of different ways one can engage within the sector. This section helps dispel common misconceptions about what nonprofit organizations actually are and who can be a philanthropist.
There are countless opportunities to turn philanthropic passions into a viable career. Millions of Americans help shape the world we live in by serving as grant writers, program officers, and fundraisers in the nonprofit sector. Nonprofit organizations also hire writers, accountants, web design, and IT professionals, just like for-profit organizations. The biggest difference is that at the end of the day, the goal of a for-profit organization is to make a profit for its shareholders, while a nonprofit organization exists to serve its mission and positively affect change in the world.
Although there are a number of reasons that the nonprofit sector is so successful within the United States of America, it is certainly not devoid of its own set of issues. In this section, we will give an overview of a few commonly encountered criticisms of the sector.
One of the roles of educators and parents is empowering youth. Encouraging young people to pursue their passions, dreams and goals in a realistic manner is crucial in the long-run. Many adults often cite a particularly impactful teacher or parent that encouraged them to persevere to attain their ultimate goals. One of the employees here at Learning to Give pursued a career in the nonprofit sector because her guidance counselors encouraged her to help others and her Autistic brother taught her compassion. Young people have so much creativity and potential, but sometimes they are unsure how to harness this energy. An effective way to empower students to achieve, is through teaching them about philanthropy and the nonprofit sector in general.
This quiz contains four multiple-choice questions based on the mini-course "The Nonprofit Sector 101". If you answer 75 percent correctly, you will have the opportunity to download a personalized certificate. You may revisit the course and retake the quiz, if desired.