There are over a million nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and millions more around the world that address important policy issues. Consequently, the nonprofit sector is a major employer of public policy graduates. Relevant positions in the nonprofit world may include management, development, communications, evaluation, and government relations.
Top Job Boards
- AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals employment listings)
- BridgeSpan (Nonprofit employment listings compiled by the Bridgespan Group)
- Chronicle of Philanthropy (Nonprofit employment listings)
- Commongood Careers (U.S.-based nonprofit employment listings)
- Development Executive Group (A leading global development job board)
- DotOrgJobs (Employment listings for non-profit, philanthropy and corporate social engagement professionals created by On Philanthropy)
- ExecSearches (Nonprofit employment listings)
- Idealist (A leading source for nonprofit employment listings around the world)
- Jobbank Arts USA (Arts-based employment listings)
- Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (Nonprofit employment listings specific to Minnesota)
- NextBillion (Employment listings for enterprise development work)
- Nonprofit Jobs (Nonprofit employment listings)
- Nonprofit Jobs Cooperative (Nonprofit employment listings)
- Nonprofit Times (A nonprofit talent match service created by the Nonprofit Times)
- NonprofitJobMarket (Nonprofit employment listings)
- NPO (U.S.-based nonprofit employment listings)
- Opportunity Knocks (Employment listings for nonprofit professionals around the world)
- Philanthropy Journal (Nonprofit employment listings compiled by the Philanthropy Journal at N.C. State University)
- PhilanthropyNY (Employment listings for philanthropic work in the New York City area)
- PND FoundationCenter (U.S.-based nonprofit employment listings)
- ReliefWeb (Employment listings for humanitarian and development work)
- SkollWorldForum (Employment listings for social-sector work around the world)
- SustainableBusiness (Environment/Energy specific employment listings)
Associations and Networks
- Alliance for Justice (A national association of over 100 organizations, representing a broad array of groups committed to progressive values and the creation of an equitable, just, and free society)
- APPAM (Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management)
- APSIA (Association of Professional Schools in International Affairs)
- ARNOVA (Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action)
- ASPA (American Society for Public Administration)
- Association of Fundraising Professionals
- Coalition on Human Needs (An alliance of national organizations working together to promote public policies which address the needs of low-income and other vulnerable populations)
- Community Shares of Wisconsin (Network of nonprofits committed to social and environmental change)
- Council on Foundations (Provides leadership, opportunities, and tools for philanthropic organizations)
- NASPAA (Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration)
- National Coalition for the Homeless
- National Council of Nonprofits (The nation’s largest network of nonprofits)
- Wisconsin Nonprofits (A network of Wisconsin’s nonprofits)
Other Nonprofit Employment Resources
- American Institute of Philanthropy (Charity Watchdog)
- Careers with Youth (A career center for youth development)
- Change.org (A platform for creating and supporting petitions)
- Charity Navigator (Comprehensive charity reviews)
- Essential Information (Brings to light issues that may be overlooked by mass media)
- Everyday Democracy (Ideas and tools for community change)
- Foundation Center
- GiveWell (Comprehensive charity reviews)
- Global_Geneva (Puts together a list of the top 500 NGOs each year)
- Great Nonprofits (Comprehensive charity reviews)
- Guidestar (Free, up-to-date information and data on nonprofits)
- Idealist Careers
- International Institute for Sustainable Development
- List of Madison, WI Nonprofits
- Nonprofit Career Network (A limited job board and a nonprofit directory)
- Nonprofit Organizations in Madison, Wisconsin
- Nonprofit Professional Advisory Group (Talent matching service for nonprofit professionals)
- Philanthropedia (A division of Guidestar that also rates charities by policy area)
- The Global Journal
- The Global Journal (List of top 100 most influential NGOs)
- YouthActionNet (A global network created to strengthen and expand youth-led social ventures and entrepreneurship)
Sample Employers
Development & Health
- American Red Cross Careers
- American Youth Policy Forum
- Center for Community Change
- Child Welfare League of America (CWLA)
- Communication Initiative
- Community Development Society
- Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED)
- Endeavor
- Freedom House
- Institute for Community Economics
- Institute for Sustainable Communities
- InterAction
- International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
- International Economic Development Council
- International Institute for Environment and Development
- International Institute for Sustainable Development
- National Center on Education and the Economy
- National Low Income Housing Coalition
- Project Concern
- Re:Gender
- Southwest Educational Development Lab
- Woodstock Institute
Environmental & Grassroots
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
- CERES - Environmental Responsibility
- Clean Wisconsin
- Earthworks
- EnviroLink
- Environmental Career Opportunities - EcoJobs
- Environmental Careers Organization (ECO)
- Environmental Working Group
- Fund for Public Interest
- General Environmental Job Resources
- GrassRoots.org
- Nature Conservancy
- River Alliance of Wisconsin
- Second Nature
- Smart Communities Network
- State Public Interest Research Groups
- Tellus Institute - Environmental Research and Consulting
- Trust for Public Land
Foundations
- Annie E. Casey Foundation
- California Wellness Foundation
- Charles Steward Mott Foundation
- Edna McConnell Clark Foundation
- Enterprise Foundation
- Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
- Ford Foundation
- Gotham Gazette: Foundation Links
- John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
- Neighborhood Funders Group
- Rockefeller Foundation
- United Way of America
Policy & Research
- Academy of Management, Public and Nonprofit Division
- American Society for Public Administration (ASPA)
- Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
- Benton Foundation - Public Interest Communications
- Brennan Center for Justice @ NYU School of Law
- Brookings Institution
- California Budget Project
- Capital Research Center
- Cascade Policy Institute
- Cato Institute
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
- Center for Civil Society Studies
- Center for Individual Freedom
- Center for Individual Rights
- Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
- Center for Strategic & International Studies
- Child Trends
- Children's Defense Fund (CDF)
- Citizen's Against Government Waste
- Competitive Enterprise Institute
- Good Jobs First
- Human Rights Watch
- Institute for Research on Poverty (UW-Madison)
- Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy (ITEP)
- Mercatus Center at George Mason Univeristy
- MetaStar - Health Policy and Research
- MDC - Policy Analysis in the South
- National Center for Children in Poverty
- National Center for Policy Analysis
- National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC)
- Interational Multicultural Institute
- National Training and Information Center
- Planned Parenthood National Office Job Listings
- PolicyLink
- Population Council
- Public Policy Forum
- Redefining Progress
- Social Science Research Council
- Urban Institute