There is a stigma in our culture that a job which helps society, while rewarding spiritually, will never be as rewarding financially There’s this image of the tired, ragged, social worker, trying as hard as she can to improve the community while eating Cup of Noodles every day for lunch. Contrast that with our image of a high-level executive or investment banker riding around in his Rolls Royce and eating $300 meals while spitting on the homeless, and you have yourself a pretty stark dichotomy.
It leads one to a false reality. Save the world and your neighbor but be poor, or step over everyone and increase your personal wealth. The truth is these concepts are not mutually exclusive, and certainly don’t have to represent either extreme.
The reality is, with a greater consciousness of global singularity, or of “oneness,” we’ve embarked on an interesting journey that says doing good for your fellow person and your environment may also mean doing the right thing for yourself, financially.
In America for instance, the use of solar power has skyrocketed in the last 10 years, increasing an amazing 139,000%. Success is not only limited to solar, as green jobs in general have also seen an amazing boom in the United States. Many branding and marketing plans concentrate on sustainability as more products and services are created with a greater sense of environmental responsibility.
Beyond that, the misconception that non profit means no profit for the employees is merely a misnomer. According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, in 2012 non profits reported $1.65 trillion in revenue and accounted for 9.2% of all wages and salaries in the US. That’s definitely not chump change.
The country’s third-largest non profit, Feeding America, reported over $2 billion in revenue in 2014. This nationwide organization has fed over 46 million people and its network includes over 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries across the United States. Not only is it capable of feeding America and improving the quality of life for neighborhoods, it also employs thousands of people across the U.S. And as an Administrative Director, one could make up to $60,000 a year annually, which competes with the for-profit industry.
Additionally many non profits will create branches of their organizations for political-lobbying purposes, creating a 501(c)(4). Many of them will advocate for better legislation and there is a large amount of funding depending on what your goals and objectives are. The Service Industry International Union, or SEIU, has over 2 million members nationwide and advocates for better working conditions and a higher minimum wage. According to The Non Profit Times, the median income for a government-relations director was $90k a year.³
Non profit does not mean that employees don’t get paid. In fact, because of technology, it is quite the opposite. We find ourselves with a unique opportunity to integrate new technology like mobile apps and use them for traditional non-profit directives. That means those with the programming skills and know-how have a giant opportunity to develop their skills in an industry that they love, as well as an industry that is positive for humankind.
A great example of a positive but successful company is the Philadelphia-based mobile app MilkCrate. Using an old model similar to Yelp, MilkCrate integrates the desire for people to live sustainable lifestyles, highlighting and rating green companies in the city. This mixture of young and fresh entrepreneurs and cutting-edge app technology is a perfect example of a company that is dedicated to both revenue and improving the world around them. While MilkCrate is a for-profit company, the purpose of their app certainly improves the quality of life around us.
You should seize this unique opportunity while it still exists. As a technical consultant to non profits, I can say that the experience pays the bills while filling me with a sense of positivity and pride. If one utilizes his or her education and technical skills and couples it with innovative ways to improve lives around us, the sky’s the limit on our personal happiness and overall wealth.
Sources:
“U.S. Energy Information Administration – EIA – Independent Statistics and Analysis.” EIA. Web. 20 June 2015. http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_1_01_a
“Quick Facts About Nonprofits.” National Center for Charitable Statistics. Web. 20 June 2015. http://nccs.urban.org/statistics/quickfacts.cfm
“Non Profit Salaries and Benefits Report.” The Non Profit Times. Web. 29 June 2015. http://www.thenonprofittimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/1.12.14-2014-NPT-Executive-Summary.pdf
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