{"id":17956,"date":"2017-06-20T08:35:17","date_gmt":"2017-06-20T08:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vailvalleypartnership.com\/?p=17956"},"modified":"2017-06-20T13:26:16","modified_gmt":"2017-06-20T13:26:16","slug":"encouraging-entrepreneurial-culture-nonprofit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vailvalleypartnership.com\/2017\/06\/encouraging-entrepreneurial-culture-nonprofit\/","title":{"rendered":"Encouraging an Entrepreneurial Culture at Your Nonprofit"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Entrepreneurial<\/p>\n

Nonprofits tend to attract certain types of people to their organizations: compassionate, caring, hard-working and \u2018mission-driven\u2019. Many working in the nonprofit sector aspire make a big impact on their local communities and affect real change in the world.<\/p>\n

But organizations also need to think about adding \u2018entrepreneurs\u2019 to their ranks. We see a lot of focus on entrepreneurs in other industries \u2014 especially the tech world \u2014 but we don\u2019t often talk about entrepreneurship as it applies to nonprofits and charitable organizations.<\/p>\n

Creating a Workplace That\u2019s Welcoming to Entrepreneurs<\/h2>\n

Hiring entrepreneurs can be an asset for nonprofits. Philanthropic businesses need a team of dedicated workers who are brainstorming new ways to solve problems, alongside continuing the current objectives of the organization. Nonprofits need workers with a \u2018take charge\u2019 attitude \u2014 those who will challenge how things typically operate and come up with new ways organizations can make progress.<\/p>\n

However, there are a few differences between being an entrepreneur in the nonprofit world versus being an entrepreneur in the corporate world:<\/p>\n

Nonprofits often have to fix current problems, not necessarily design new products<\/em> \u2014 Startups usually introduce a new product or service that customers want, but don\u2019t always need. In the nonprofit world, entrepreneurs are typically dealing with long-standing problems that need to be fixed, rather than creating new products to sell to customers. Some organizations are trying to address complex social issues that don\u2019t have an easy solution, which can make it especially challenging to be an entrepreneur in the nonprofit sector.<\/p>\n

Success and growth doesn\u2019t mean the same thing for nonprofits and for-profit companies<\/em> \u2014 Most businesses are driven by the need to make money, whereas charitable organizations must measure progress in different ways. Nonprofits do need to meet fundraising goals, but they also need to find other metrics by which to access their own advancement. Some entrepreneurs who start their own businesses might expect a big payout once their company goes public or is bought out by a larger corporation. Entrepreneurs who start nonprofits won\u2019t see this kind of monetary recognition for their work, so they need to come up with goals that align with their altruistic intentions.<\/p>\n

Nonprofit entrepreneurs have a different background and skill level than corporate hires<\/em> \u2014 Recent studies examining the demographics of nonprofit entrepreneurs revealed some interesting discoveries. Nearly 60% of entrepreneurs working at nonprofits are women. Entrepreneurs in the nonprofit sector tend to be older than their more traditional counterparts<\/a>. Nonprofit entrepreneurs are also more educated, compared to entrepreneurs who work for for-profit businesses. Research has shown that 89% of nonprofit entrepreneurs hold a bachelor\u2019s degree, whereas only 31% of entrepreneurs outside of this realm have a college degree.<\/p>\n

Qualities That Entrepreneurs Bring to Nonprofits<\/h2>\n

People with an entrepreneurial spirit have a lot to offer nonprofits, but they might not necessarily feel at home in a typical office environment. Philanthropic organizations typically have modest goals that they can accomplish in a reasonable amount of time. Entrepreneurs tend to be rebels who want to break that mold, aiming to beat expectations and achieve more in less time.<\/p>\n

Organizations need to welcome these types employees with gusto and not push them to conform to standard nonprofit ways of operating. Entrepreneurs have many valuable qualities that nonprofits should adopt and encourage:<\/p>\n

Entrepreneurs are more likely to take risks and challenge themselves \u2014 Entrepreneurs aren\u2019t necessarily less afraid of failure than other types of employees, but they are more willing to put those fears aside and try something new.<\/p>\n

Entrepreneurs tend to be both confident and creative \u2014 In order to start your own business, you need a healthy amount of gumption and the ability to think outside the box. Entrepreneurs often have these two qualities in spades, which sustain them during times of setback and help them overcome obstacles.<\/p>\n

Entrepreneurs are independent and have no trouble taking charge \u2014 Employees who are used to working under a boss or manager are trained to defer to the higher-ups, not necessarily think for themselves. Entrepreneurs are comfortable working alone and leading the ship, which can make them perfect candidates for upper-level and executive roles.<\/p>\n

Entrepreneurs have well-developed sales and marketing skills \u2014 When you run your own business, you have to be your own self-promoter and your own marketing team<\/a>. Entrepreneurs have a knack for selling themselves and can easily transition this skill to fundraising and raising awareness for organizations that they work for.<\/p>\n

Recruiting Entrepreneurs to the Nonprofit Sector<\/h2>\n

In order to hire employees who are self-starters, nonprofits need to come up with new ways to recruit people who already embody an entrepreneurial spirit.<\/p>\n

Some organizations \u2014 like Charity:Water, Venture for America and the Kauffman Foundation<\/a> \u2014 \u00a0are already breaking the traditional nonprofit model by embracing a more \u201cstartup-like\u201d culture and actively recruiting employees who work at for-profit companies. These nonprofits offer competitive pay and scout new hires who have an MBA or come from the corporate world.<\/p>\n

There are other ways these forward-thinking nonprofits are rebranding themselves in an effort to target outside hires:<\/p>\n