Nonprofit organizations are businesses that advance important social causes and do not earn profits or take in revenues beyond their expenses. Instead, nonprofits are funded primarily by donations from philanthropic organizations, individuals, and governments, although they may also sell products and services or engage in other fundraising activities in order to help support their operations. Nonprofits may qualify for tax-exempt status in the U.S., giving this structure important financial advantages in return for addressing pressing social issues, environmental problems, and other challenges we face.

Because these organizations do not fund their operations through profits, successful nonprofit sector management is different in some ways from running a conventional business. In particular, nonprofit development professionals and fundraisers must nurture a network of donors and ensure that they support and understand the impacts of their work. At the same time, today’s best practices for social entrepreneurship draw on many of the same principles as for-profit startups, including innovative uses of data and technology as well as human-centric approaches to problem solving and such as design thinking.

If you’re passionate about making the world a better place, working at a nonprofit gives you the opportunity to pursue a deeply rewarding career. Regardless of whether you want to work to advance social justice, fight climate change, help homeless populations, or pursue other causes, nonprofits need great professionals in communications, human resources, accounting, IT and most of the other types of jobs required at a conventional for-profit business.

One very important career path that is specific to the nonprofit sector is fundraising and development, as these professionals are responsible for keeping these organizations financially sustainable. Like salespeople in other fields, this work requires a combination of great social skills, communications savvy, and a sharp financial acumen. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, fundraisers earn a median annual salary of $57,970, and these jobs are expected to grow much faster than average.

Yes! Coursera offers many courses as well as Specializations spanning multiple courses about nonprofit management, social entrepreneurship, and related topics. You can learn remotely on a flexible schedule from top-ranked schools like State University of New York at Buffalo, University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Virginia. And, since you’ll pay a significantly lower tuition than on-campus students, you’ll be saving money that you can donate to great nonprofits already making the world a better place - or to help start a social venture of your own.