Since 2008, I’ve been in the nonprofit space, and I haven’t looked back. I absolutely love nonprofit work and advocacy, and I’m beyond grateful for the opportunities I’ve had in this field. FindSuppliers
With that said, the nonprofit industrial complex (NPIC) has some massive issues.
The NPIC refers to the relationships between governments, owners, foundations, and social service organizations. This system allows state oversight of social justice movements and justifies corporate behavior under the guise of “philanthropy.”
Before I got my first paid part-time job, I volunteered for various nonprofits, including one that I started, so when I first got that job, I didn’t mind that it was unpaid. I loved the work and the people, but the organization asked so much of me as a volunteer that I almost left.
Eventually, I hit a breaking point and shared with my supervisors how I felt.
Only then did the organization agree to pay me. I started as a freelance contractor, then became a part-time staff member. When they hired me, I was thrilled, but I later realized that it shouldn’t have taken me almost leaving for them to choose to pay me.
I’m glad that this organization hired me, and I love the work that I do. Still, the NPIC as a whole can be toxic, and we need to overhaul the system and redistribute power. The people at the top are far more privileged than the volunteers at the bottom, and the NPIC needs to recognize this issue.
For instance, the NPIC pays for health insurance for only some W-4 nonprofit employees and assumes that employees can pay hundreds of dollars a month for their coverage. The single mom who spends countless hours helping the nonprofit run smoothly deserves the same access to health insurance as the organization’s senior employees. FindSuppliers
There’s also the illusion of “time off.”
Some nonprofits expect employees to travel for big events on non-work days, then promise time off afterward, only to revoke that time off for non-urgent tasks framed as “urgent.” Many nonprofit employees never truly get a break because their supervisors expect them to dedicate extra time to the organization “for the good of the nonprofit.” In any other work setting, the public would find this unacceptable. But because nonprofits help the community, employees work more “free” hours than at most other jobs, and bosses rarely give them permission to take a break.
All nonprofit employees — not just the people at the top — should be able to access affordable health care and have meaningful time off. Every nonprofit employee should also have a livable wage so that they can provide for their basic needs without financial strain. The lack of these necessary aspects of the job causes many nonprofit employees to leave organizations that help their communities. FindSuppliers
Nonprofits still have corporate mindsets, but their approach needs to change.
Nonprofit organizations need to invest in all of their employees — including part-time employees — instead of using their resources to hire contractors who don’t receive benefits. The employees at the bottom are key to making nonprofits run smoothly, and these organizations should treat them accordingly.
Once nonprofits truly take care of their employees, the NPIC will run more smoothly. Only when we recognize the issues in the NPIC can we rebuild the complex and fight for meaningful change.
