More than 1.5 million nonprofits are currently registered in the United States, which means finance and accounting positions for these organizations are in high demand. Although nonprofits are mission-oriented rather than profit-oriented, their need for functional accounting assistance may be even greater than that of traditional companies.
Provide Specialized Skills
Organizations in the nonprofit sector require specialized accounting.
Instead of reporting to shareholders, nonprofits report to stakeholders such as donors, grantors, board members, and volunteers. Stakeholders aren’t necessarily focused on the bottom line but rather on the effectiveness of the organization in meeting its mission and the efficiency with which is uses its limited resources.
Nonprofits apply a number of specialized accounting rules that provide accountability for every dollar a nonprofit receives. For example, tracking whether it is a restricted dollar (money intended for something donor-specified) or a dollar available for operations, or whether it was spent for the provision of service to program participant, or to assist in raising more funding or to maintain a strong infrastructure.
Be Part of a Passionate Community
One benefit of working with nonprofit sectors is the community you become a part of. Common values and passions are what gathers people together to work for a nonprofit, and by taking on a role within that community, you’re surrounding yourself with that sense of camaraderie, and positive, goal-achieving energy.
Nonprofits often revolve around the arts, healthcare, neighborhoods, or education, so finding a community that is not only inspiring in their mission but is also actually exciting and fun isn’t as hard as with general accounting positions.
Participate in Rewarding Work
Even working behind the scenes for a nonprofit association provides a truly rewarding sense of accomplishment. Your work assisting with finance can inspire the confidence of those on the board to make decisions or calls to action that will have an incredible social impact later on.
Accounting work holds a new sense of value when applied to an organization that strives to have a positive effect in its community, and those organizations in turn depend on fiscal stability to properly function and fulfill their goals.
Our employees have a passion for our nonprofits and find bringing their expertise to the table a rewarding and satisfying experience. Join us at Jacobson Jarvis and find out for yourself what it means to be a part of our awesome team!
