Grace College Explores 6 Innovative Nonprofit Organizations

Have you been called to nonprofit ministry? Nonprofit organizations have made an incredible impact in countless communities. If you’re interested in being a part of an innovative nonprofit, get started with a degree in nonprofit management at an accredited online college!

Nonprofit employment rose 8.5 percent, and the number of nonprofits increased 15.3 percent from 2007 to 2012, according to research from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In contrast, private sector employment decreased 3 percent, and the number of private sector establishments increased only 1.7 percent during the same period.

The growth of the nonprofit sector, even during the recession, demonstrates how these organizations provide much-needed services. The BLS notes that two out of every three nonprofits fall into the section 501(c)(3) classification, which includes establishments engaged in charitable, educational, literary, animal welfare, child welfare, public safety, religious or scientific pursuits.

As you consider accredited online colleges for your nonprofit career, learn about some of the most innovative nonprofits that are impacting primary areas of need.

1. The Hidden Genius Project

The Hidden Genius Project trains and mentors black male youth in technology creation, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills to transform their lives and communities.

The Oakland, California-based organization focuses on helping young black men who grow up in difficult environments create a future in tech. These “hidden geniuses” are promising individuals who live just miles away from the dozens of Fortune 1000 businesses and thousands of startup companies in Silicon Valley.

The Hidden Genius Project offers two free types of programs: The Immersion Program and Catalyst Programming events and workshops. Since 2012, the organization has served 1,500 students and provided more than 50,000 hours of direct training.

2. Kiva

Kiva is an international nonprofit based in San Francisco that connects people through lending to alleviate poverty.

The innovative nonprofit organization allows people to lend money to low-income entrepreneurs and students in more than 80 countries. People may choose a borrower, including categories such as education, women, single parents and health, fund a loan with as little as $25 and then receive updates on loans during the repayment period. Kiva does not receive interest on loans it facilitates, and Kiva lenders do not earn interest.

More than 1.5 million people have made a loan on Kiva. The organization has a 97.2 percent loan repayment rate. Going to an accredited online college for nonprofit management will teach you how to help individuals meet goals such as this.

3. Lumina Foundation

The Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. It employs roughly 55 staff members and has an endowment totaling more than $1 billion; Lumina is among the nation’s 100 largest private foundations.

Lumina supports and provides nonpartisan research and analysis on higher education issues. It also provides grants. Lumina’s work is targeted on achieving its Goal 2025: By the year 2025, 60 percent of Americans will hold high-quality degrees, certificates and other credentials. Lumina reports that the nation’s overall postsecondary attainment rate is 51.3 percent. The foundation focuses on helping design and build an equitable, accessible, responsive and accountable higher education system and fostering a national sense of urgency for action to accomplish Goal 2025.

4. The Reset Foundation

The Reset Foundation is dedicated to dismantling the cycles of poverty, court involvement and unemployment by creating a positive, 24/7 learning environment where young people prepare for long-term stability and success.

After operating a non-residential pilot program in San Francisco from 2014-15, the foundation opened its first residential program in the Bay Area in 2016. The residential program serves young men ages 18 to 24 who work to earn high school and college credit, prepare for professional success, and build positive relationships with family and community members.

“We believe that by providing young people a chance to ‘Reset’, we can save taxpayer resources, improve our neighborhoods, and empower individuals and families,” the foundation’s website says.

5. Charity: Water

Charity: Water is an innovative nonprofit organization based in New York City that focuses on bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries.

Private donors cover the organization’s business expenses, allowing Charity: Water to allocate 100 percent of public donations to fund water projects. It shows how every dollar is used by providing photos and GPS coordinates of projects, such as wells and other solutions that it builds.

Since it began in 2006, Charity: Water has helped over 1 million people in 29 countries gain access to clean water. More than 56,000 water projects have been funded. With an accredited online college degree, you can contribute to an impact like this.

6. Polaris

Polaris works to disrupt and prevent modern-day slavery and human trafficking.

Named after the North Star that guided slaves to freedom in the United States, Polaris fights against human trafficking networks that rob people of their lives and their freedom. The Washington, D.C.-based organization uses a three-part model to systematically disrupt human trafficking.

1. Respond to victims of human trafficking effectively and immediately.
2. Equip key stakeholders and communities to address and prevent human trafficking.
3. Disrupt the business of human trafficking through targeting campaigns.

Polaris is one of the largest anti-trafficking organizations in the United States. It offers programs that include: national hotlines for survivors and communities; global hotlines for service providers, governments and law enforcement agencies to share data, strategies and resources to fight trafficking; direct client services in Washington, D.C.; and other programs such as government relations, advisory services, data analysis and strategic interventions.

Obtaining an Accredited Online College Degree in Nonprofit Management

Modern nonprofit organizations rely on innovation. Innovation helps nonprofits impact their audience, reach people to raise funds and, more generally, succeed in their mission while competing in a growing sector.

Nonprofit management is about developing your employees and protecting your clients. We want to help you develop the knowledge and skills to make you confident that your organization is doing just that. We will teach you how to apply technology for the best results, how to effectively raise funds and how to build a team, train staff, and improve efficiency within your organization. In addition, we will provide classes in the ethics of fundraising, advocacy, and strategic planning.

When you complete our accredited online college degree in Nonprofit Management,  you’ll graduate able to take your newly acquired knowledge, skills, and compassion, to effectively manage your nonprofit organization.