National Nonprofit Day: A time to reflect

With nearly 2 million nonprofit organizations in the United States, one might think that because they are plentiful, they are not unique or are easy to start and manage. However, there are many unique organizations serving defined, local areas or working to address specific issues as wide ranging as tutoring programs, cancer research and prevention, food banks, and more.

The term "nonprofit" often relegates these organizations to their tax-exempt status and was not made with positive branding in mind. The nonprofit sector’s brand should be focused on its purpose, which is to offer programs and services to help society.

You may more commonly recognize nonprofit organizations by other names, such as charities, social enterprises or terms like "mission-driven" or "community-benefit" organizations.

So where does National Nonprofit Day come in? It is a useful time to reflect on the type of role that these organizations play in our daily lives, and how we can work through them to achieve goals that matter to us.

I invite you to devote some time today to ask:

1. What causes matter to me?

2. Is there an organization that addresses this cause?

3. Would I be comfortable engaging with this organization by:

   1. Learning: reading information on its website and/or following it on social media or signing up for its newsletter to stay informed about issues I care about;

   2. Volunteering: learning what volunteer opportunities are available or contacting the organization to suggest a way to meaningfully volunteer;

   3. Contributing: donating items or funds that can advance the work of the organization, and therefore, a cause that matters to you.

This reflection, therefore, can be a first step in helping you to make a difference on causes and issues that matter to you. The next step should be to do further research to make sure the organization that interests you is reliable, effective, and uses donations responsibly.

I hope that the time you use to reflect today helps you identify and fulfill your own goals for helping your community!