There are unfortunately many misconceptions and outright falsehoods circulating around the world of nonprofit organizations. This is perhaps because people are scared of moving from the for-profit world or that they simply do not understand how they work. Knowing and combatting these misconceptions though can help individuals see that nonprofits are both worth their time and beneficial to the public in general.
Less Work
It is all too common for it to be said or thought that those who work in the nonprofit sector must be extremely lazy because all they do is take what people give them and give it to someone who needs it more. Though this is the basic idea of a nonprofit, the work involved is considerably more than that. Nonprofits must still deal with people and groups, file paperwork and prove that their work is truly nonprofit work, which is a considerable amount of work to do. In fact the misconception about the amount of work is the biggest one about nonprofits.
Less "Business"
Many people shy away from nonprofits because it feels less like corporate business than they are used to seeing on the news and in newspapers. However, nonprofit organizations have several things in common with
corporations that make them similar in business, including the need for marketing, fundraising, paying employees, haggling with donors (consumers for corporations). The biggest difference is that things are done in different ways because the majority of a nonprofit's resources come from the public, donors and fundraising rather than sales and clients or commissions.
Cultural Opportunities
This misconception is rather different than the others because it involves what people think of nonprofits when they think of how they work. They imagine every nonprofit to be world-traveling groups of well-funded people who do things for the publicity and get to learn about the culture. This isn't true however. Though there certainly are organizations in which people get to immerse themselves in another culture while helping people, the majority of nonprofits work hard to simply improve the community in which they live rather than the world at large, opting to start smaller and closer to home.
There is no question that working in the nonprofit sector is important, fulfilling and beneficial. These misconceptions take away from that picture and almost turn negative, however, because of their depth and untruthfulness. It is important to combat these misconceptions so there will not be a lack of help in the nonprofit world.
Less Work
It is all too common for it to be said or thought that those who work in the nonprofit sector must be extremely lazy because all they do is take what people give them and give it to someone who needs it more. Though this is the basic idea of a nonprofit, the work involved is considerably more than that. Nonprofits must still deal with people and groups, file paperwork and prove that their work is truly nonprofit work, which is a considerable amount of work to do. In fact the misconception about the amount of work is the biggest one about nonprofits.
Less "Business"
Many people shy away from nonprofits because it feels less like corporate business than they are used to seeing on the news and in newspapers. However, nonprofit organizations have several things in common with
Cultural Opportunities
This misconception is rather different than the others because it involves what people think of nonprofits when they think of how they work. They imagine every nonprofit to be world-traveling groups of well-funded people who do things for the publicity and get to learn about the culture. This isn't true however. Though there certainly are organizations in which people get to immerse themselves in another culture while helping people, the majority of nonprofits work hard to simply improve the community in which they live rather than the world at large, opting to start smaller and closer to home.
There is no question that working in the nonprofit sector is important, fulfilling and beneficial. These misconceptions take away from that picture and almost turn negative, however, because of their depth and untruthfulness. It is important to combat these misconceptions so there will not be a lack of help in the nonprofit world.
Tin Lam
Nonprofit Legal Center offers tips and resources for you to learn more about how to start a 501c3 and 501c3 nonprofit organizations.
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