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Exploring the Nonprofit Sector
If you are just beginning to explore the nonprofit sector, you will find that employers are looking for individuals that have knowledge about and experience in the sector. You can gain this experience in a number of ways, but we offer some insights below on giving, board service, and volunteering. You can also use these resources to research organizations for employment as well as giving purposes. 

Training

We regularly carry training infoprmation in the newsletter and will be continually adding new training opportunities to the nonprofit community calendar. Look for training from the United Way Training Center and The Fund Raising School at IUPUI.

Informed Giving


Finding more information on a specific organization or finding an organization that does what you are interested in.


www.guidestar.org - a massive national database that catalogs basic information on not-for-profits that must file tax Form 990 with the IRS. This would include most charitable not-for-profit organizations with a budget of more than $25,000 a year, except churches, schools, or government entities. 


www.IRNI.org - The Information and Referral Network maintains an extensive database of human services providers in order to connect callers to organizations that provide the services they need. This database of agencies/services ia also available on the internet through their website.


www.Give.org - On a national level, the Better Business Bureau has started evaluating not-for-profits according to a set of criteria established in cooperation with representatives of the not-for-profit, donor, and foundation communities. These reports are available on their website. In the coming months, the local BBB hopes to begin reviews of local organizations.


www.NetworkforGood.org - National resource to connect you with a limitless amount of information on not-for-profits


Serving on a Board of Directors


Depending on your interests and the time you have to commit, serving as a member of the Board of Directors of a nonprofit can be one of the most fulfilling experiences of your life -and in more ways than you can imagine:

1) Skills Development/Career Enhancement - Obviously you have the opportunity to meet new people and enhance the image of your employer, but there is so much more: 
- The Wall Street Journal has reported that serving on a nonprofit Board for several years can provide the equivalent leadership experience of working in a corporate environment for 20 years.   
- A survey by Federal Express revealed that 56% of employees who volunteered said they learned new leadership skills that improved their work, including Teamwork, Ability to motivate others, Personal organization, Leadership, Listening, Decision making, Speaking, and Writing

2) Meeting people with similar passions - have you noticed that you have the most fun with people that get excited about the same things you do?

3) Learning more about the community - it is fascinating to learn how much is happening in the Indpls community below the radar screens of the media and what we see in our daily lives.

4) Make a real difference - few people have the same opportunity in their work lives to impact people in positive ways that helping to lead a nonprofit organization can provide.

5) An organization for every passion - it is reported that there are 16,000 not-for-profits in central Indiana, one is perfectly suited to your passions and skill sets. 


What do Boards do? - Basically, Boards serve in the oversight and governance role of not-for-profits that have been granted special status by the federal government. The board acts on behalf of the community to create and sustain an effective organization that delivers the results that it was formed to provide. Boards of small organizations will often be asked to serve in more hands-on roles, while large organizations will look to you for more leadership. Both will emphasize the need for your assistance in attracting resources - financial support, volunteers, and partner organizations. Much more information is available at www.BoardSource.org or www.AllAboutBoards.com

Can anyone become a Board member? How does it work? - Board membership does not require that you be of a particular age or from a particular background. Each organization decides the composition of their Board based on the work that the Board will be focused on. If an organization works in one neighborhood then many of the Board members may be from that area in order to understand the needs. If the Board is focused on raising money, then Board members need to be comfortable talking about giving with their friends and others in the community. Most Boards strive to assemble a Board team that is a good cross section of the community and has the professional and organizational skills to effectively lead the organization. 

When you find an organization that you are interested in working with, you will apply to the Board for consideration. They will review your interests and experience and usually meet with you so you can learn more about them and they about you. If you appear to be a good match and the Board has open seats, there will be a Board vote to decide whether to elect you. If you are not accepted as a Board member immediately but are very interested in the work of the organization, ask them if there are other volunteer roles or committees that you can become involved with.

What questions should you ask before becoming a Board member?

http://www.boardsource.org/FullAnswer.asp?ID=95



How do I find a Board to serve on? - Finding the right board opportunity should be approached very much like finding the right job opportunity. Identify the field that you would like to become involved in and then the organizations that work in that field. You will generally find organizations are very welcoming to your inquiries about serving in a board or volunteer role. Note that many organizations will ask you to serve in a non-Board role first so that you can get to know each other.


www.volunteermatch.org - national database that local not-for-profits are encouraged to post opportunities to. 


www.volunteersolutions.org/uwci - service of the United Way of Central Indiana.


www.uwci.org - hosts an annual volunteer and board fair on the circle to commemorate 9/11. Watch for specifics in the news or contact United Way in early September.


www.LacyLeadership.org - The Lacy Leadership Association hosts the annual "Get on Board" Event.  60+ not for profits gather to meet with hundreds of people interested in board and volunteer service.



Volunteering

Volunteering comes in many shapes and sizes. From full-time volunteers who spend 50 hours a week in service to a cause they are passionate about to Sunday morning church usher to monthly mentoring of a young boy or girl. Some people want to volunteer on their own, some with friends, others make it a family affair. Whatever your preferences might be, there is an organization that can benefit from your energy, ideas, and effort.


How do I deciding what type of Volunteer opportunity fits my passion and schedule? - You will be best served if you take the time to think about some significant aspects of the type of opportunity you are looking for befor eyou begin to contact organizations.


What causes do you care about? What are you interested in? - You won't be happy for very long if the organization does not connect to one of your passions. 


What skill do you have and hope to utilize? What service can you bring to a not-for-profit? - Not-for-profits are expected to provide quality services to their clients and patrons - so they are becoming more particluar about finding volunteers that have the needed skills - plan to stay with them for a while and take pride in their work.


What would fit into your schedule? - Many volunteer opportunities are available during the workday, Monday through Friday, with fewer possibilities during evening hours and weekends. Organizations will be particularly happy to see you if you can volunteer during the day.  


Do you plan to volunteer alone or do you have a friend, spouse, or family that you want to involve? - Some organizations are more active in trying to create volunteer experiences for the whole family. 


What Should You Expect From a Volunteer Experience?

  • Expect a clear, written job description for any on-going assignment
  • Expect to be trained
  • Expect to be thanked
  • Don't expect everything you do in your volunteer role to be fun, remember that you are there to help. Bring a great attitude and look for ways to make life easier for the staff or lead volunteers.
Can anyone be a volunteer? - Everyone can be a volunteer in some way. Organizations will be looking for someone who has the attitude, interest, and skills to do the jobs they need support with. You should also be aware that most nonprofits will do criminal history and perhaps credit checks on new volunteers. This does not mean that they don't trust you, but they are expected to do what they can to protect the clients they serve or the finances they manage.

www.volunteermatch.org - This is a national database of volunteer opportunities. Indianapolis area not-for-profits are encouraged to post their opportunities for easy access by the full community.


The Volunteer Center of United Way of Central Indiana has a new volunteer website at www.volunteersolutions.org/uwci that helps nonprofits connect individuals to volunteer opportunities in our community.


Help us improve our site - if you have links to suggest or ideas to improve the site, we welcome your suggestions. Send you ideas to: Bryan@CharitableAdvisorsLLC.com .

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Please contact us with any questions or suggestions at Bryan@CharitableAdvisorsLLC.com or (317) 577-4692 or P.O. Box 501245, Indianapolis, Indiana 46250


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