THE CHRONICLE OF
PHIL A NTHROPY®
The Newspaper of the Nonprofit World
Volume XXIV, No. 5 • January 19, 2012 • $5
Charity Workers Report
Feeling Extreme Pressure
Overwhelming majority of nonprofit employees wish
Most nonprofit workers don’t fear
layoffs
Many workers have seen their organizations fa
since the end of 2008
75%
feel very or somewhat
secure in their job
17%
feel very or
somewhat
insecure
However, only a bare majority
are satisfied with their jobs:
49%
say their nonprofit
has laid off workers
to escape their current jobs, says a Chronicle survey
12%
say their organization
has ordered workers to
take unpaid leave
1
hav
By Jennifer C. Berkshire
CHARITY WORKERS are eager to bolt from their jobs, according to a new survey conducted by The
Chronicle, and many of them continue
to feel the effects of the economic downturn.
Four out of five charity workers are
actively seeking new positions—or
would be if the economy were stronger,
according to the survey of 672 people.
Nearly 40 percent of employees said
they are dissatisfied with their work.
The results echoed those of studies released in October by the staffing
firm Professionals for Nonprofits, which
found that 70 percent of workers at nonprofits in New York and Washington
characterized their jobs as either disappointing or only somewhat fulfilling.
The new studies paint a far darker
picture than that of a landmark survey
conducted by the Brookings Institution
10 years ago, which found only 5 percent of nonprofit workers were dissatisfied with their jobs.
The difference is probably the result
of the tough times that continue to face
charities, says Paul Light, a professor
of public service at New York University who studies the nonprofit work force
and conducted the Brookings survey.
“The last three years have been terrible for nonprofits, and there is an anxiety in the sector that’s palpable,” says
Mr. Light. “This is a beleaguered work
force. They are wondering what the future is going to look like, and they’re
right to wonder.”
53%
are very or somewhat
satisfied
37%
are very or
somewhat
dissatisfied
COURTES Y OF KABOOM
State of Anxiety
The Chronicle survey revealed just
how deeply the economic downturn has
cut into the charity work force.
Nearly half of workers said that their
Continued on Page 15
Nonprofit workers would like
to change jobs
43%
are looking
39%
would be if the
economy were stronger
27%
have experienced
such bias
When seeking a nonprofit job or promotion,
to face age discrimination
KaBoom’s playful, team-oriented
culture has helped it keep workers
involved in its misison.
43
know so
who has
OUTLOOK 2012
Impact of a Spike in Year-End Gifts Remains Unclear
“Today you don’t
have to be a world
leader, celebrity, or
even a billionaire to
make a difference.
We all have a role
to play in changing
the world.”
By Noelle Barton
and Raymund Flandez
ALATE SURGE of contributions in the last weeks of 2011 has made many charities hopeful of continued fundraising growth this year. But
the picture is mixed.
A Chronicle survey of 153 charities
found that 55 percent raised more last
year than in 2010, while one-third took
in less and 12 percent stayed even.
What worries many organizations is
that nearly 40 percent of nonprofits say
contributions have not bounced back to
the amount they raised before the recession started in 2007, and many groups
say demand for aid is rising in the still-unsettled economy.
The split between charities that did
well and those that did not could be the
result of the uneven recovery from the
downturn. Interviews by The Chronicle
with other nonprofits also point to fund-
raising strategies that have made a dif-
ference. Charities that have focused on
online giving and promoted their ap-
peals through social networks, as well
as those that have reached out to people
who had stopped giving during the pre-
vious year, seemed to have a fundrais-
ing edge.
PAUL SCHMULBACH/
GLOBE PHO TOS/ZUMAPRESS
Online games help charities
score new donors:
Page 11.
Ted Turner was just one of dozens of
leaders and thinkers on philanthropy
to share his resolutions for 2012. See
what others said, plus:
n 5 challenges facing nonprofits
n 5 fundraising questions
n 10 donors and grantmakers
to watch
n 10 nonprofits likely to make a mark
on society
Publication: PHL
Filename: 2405satisfaction
Colors used: 1
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Time: 4 pm
Version: 4
SP
MD
CB
Editor
Reporter
Other
Internet Gains
The steady growth in online giving is
clear from data provided by two other
organizations that collected national
totals:
On the other hand, Sage Fundraising
Online, a software company, had mixed
results: its clients’ average online fund-
raising totals decreased 2. 4 percent in
November and 20 percent in Decem-
ber compared with 2010. But the size of
the average online gift rose 45 percent,
to $100, in November and 36 percent,
to $230, in December from the same
months in 2011.
And another analysis of donations
Continued on Page 11
Capitol Hill’s Watchdog
n Rep. Charles Boustany, a doctor
with deep roots at charities in
his native Louisiana, has made
headlines and raised hackles
for his efforts to seek greater
accountability from nonprofit
groups. Page 21
A Crisis Point
n Some charities that rely heavily
on government money may find
themselves closing their doors
in an age of budget austerity,
says a stark new report from the
Bridgespan Group. Page 19
