Celebrating the Helpers this National Nonprofit Day

Did you know that Sunday, August 17, is National Nonprofit Day?

On August 17 each year, National Nonprofit Day recognizes the goals and positive impacts nonprofits have on communities and the world.

I still remember the time my professor in the school of business at Azusa Pacific University said to us, “Nonprofit doesn’t mean no profit” – it means “not for profit.” Nonprofits need to make a profit to accomplish their mission, but they exist in the U.S. for purposes other than generating a profit. They exist to address a social issue, or a marginalized group, or to educate, and so on. 

Nonprofits serve a critical role in society. And as author, entrepreneur, and philanthropy expert Dan Pallotta eloquently put it, philanthropy is the market for all those people for whom no other market is coming.

Dan’s point was that in a capitalism-based society, business and the market economy tend to work very well for the 85% of people who can take advantage of it, but in any developed economy, there are always people who are left out or unable to tap into the economy for one reason or another. There are also intractable problems that businesses and governments can’t solve – that’s where the philanthropy and the nonprofit sector come in.

Last year, I wrote an article titled “Philanthropy is the Market for Love,” mainly based on how Dan’s work shifted my perspective on the role of philanthropy and nonprofits in society. For more on Dan Pallotta’s work, see his book Uncharitable, documentary film of the same name, and one of the most popular TED talks of all time, “The way we think about charity is dead wrong.”

💡 Takeaway: Nonprofits exist to meet needs and solve problems the market and government can’t — making philanthropy, in Dan Pallotta’s words, “the market for love.” Their role isn’t secondary to business or government, but essential to a healthy, compassionate society.

The “Para” of Nonprofits

In Christian faith-based circles, the term parachurch is typically used to refer to an entity that operates alongside (“para” means alongside) the local church to fulfill specific needs, often complementing or supplementing the work of local congregations.

When I entered the nonprofit sector 21 years ago, I learned there was a whole industry of experts and providers that came alongside nonprofits – agencies, tech providers, data companies, consultants, and so on. 

As EVP at Masterworks, one of the largest agencies in the U.S. specializing in faith-based causes, I would joke that if the nonprofits we served were the parachurch – the “helpers coming alongside the church,” then we were the para-parachurch – we helped the helpers. 

One of my favorite Mr. Rogers quotes of all times is from when he was a child, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

If you work in the nonprofit sector, you are a helper, and we celebrate you this National Nonprofit Day. 🎉 You are a part of the fabric that makes up the beautiful tapestry of society. You are there for those in need, and I am grateful for you.

If you are a nonprofit leader, thank you. We need you. We need you at your best, so please invest in growing yourself, your leadership, and your organization. Healthy, thriving leaders lead healthy, thriving organizations. We celebrate you.

If you work with nonprofit organizations, thank you. You are the “para” to this sector – you come alongside those who come alongside others. Remember that in your work with nonprofits. We celebrate you!

💡 Takeaway: Whether you lead a nonprofit or serve alongside one, you are part of a vital chain of helpers meeting the world’s needs. This National Nonprofit Day, we honor your role in making communities stronger.

As we celebrate National Nonprofit Day, we recognize the work of nonprofits, and the importance of innovating funding for those nonprofits.

Last Call to Grow Sustainable Giving with me this September

There are 1.5 million 501c(3) nonprofit organizations in the U.S. today. I’ve written extensively about the approximately 1.1 million nonprofits that have been historically left behind, unable to build strong, growing recurring giving programs. But this National Nonprofit Day, it doesn’t have to be that way anymore. This Rise of Sustainable Giving has made recurring giving more accessible to more charities than at any time in history.

We’re now less than one month away from our Sustainable Giving Workshop, September 10-12, and we have just a handful of spots left. 

If you are on the fence, let me tell you about Chris. 

When Chris and I met two years ago, his organization, The Joshua Fund, was raising about $7 million annually, and recurring giving had not historically been a priority. But Chris saw an opportunity to grow sustainable giving. 

In the past 12 months, as the organization has responded to the crises in Israel and Gaza, they’ve raised $15.6 million, with 43% of that revenue now coming from recurring giving.

Chris will be sharing his Sustainable Giving story at the workshop, even as he continues to invest in growing sustainable giving at The Joshua Fund. You don’t want to miss it.

If you want to grow sustainable recurring giving for your nonprofit, join us! You’ll leave with a clear plan for growing recurring giving at your organization. 

You can read more and save your seat for the Sustainable Giving Workshop (Sept 10-12) at www.imago.consulting/workshop.

It would be great to see you there!

💡 Takeaway: Sustainable giving has the power to create reliable funding for nonprofits to fuel their mission. The Sustainable Giving Workshop is designed to help you chart a path forward for growing sustainable giving. 

Join me, Chris, and dozens of other nonprofit fundraisers and leaders to grow sustainable giving this September.  👉 Read full details and save your spot ASAP

Until next week… Surf’s Up! 🌊

  - Dave

About the Author | Dave Raley

Consultant, speaker, and author Dave Raley is the founder of Imago Consulting, a firm that helps nonprofits and businesses who serve nonprofits create profitable growth through sustainable innovation. He’s the author of the book The Rise of Sustainable Giving: How the Subscription Economy is Transforming Recurring Giving, and What Nonprofits Can Do to Benefit. Dave also writes a weekly innovation and leadership column called The Wave Report, and the co-founder of the Purpose & Profit Podcast — a show about the ideas at the intersection of nonprofit causes and for-profit brands. Connect with Dave on LinkedIn.

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