Questions about Non-Profit Organizations?

Question

Well for starters, im going to school to become a Vet Technician. and instead of me working the Usual Vet's office, i was really considering going to somewhere like my local SPCA. i know their non-profit but i want to understand more about what that means. Like, How do the employees get paid? Can the government cut funding? how often? things like that. Any information will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Answer 1

Nonprofits are funded through:

-- selling products and services

-- contracts with governments, businesses, and even other nonprofits to provide certain services

-- donations from individuals

-- donations/grants from corporations, businesses and foundations

Employees are paid; volunteers are unpaid.

You need to volunteer with your local SPCA to see how nonprofit organizations, particularly animal-focused groups, operate. It probably doesn't have full-time Vet Technicians on staff. It may not even pay vet technicians at all, but, rather, rely on professionals volunteering their services.

Through volunteering, you can ascertain if the nonprofit is healthy, by seeking answers to the following questions:

-- does it have a budget, in writing, that it is following for the current fiscal year?

-- does it have a record of its expenditures and income that was shared with the board for the last fiscal year? are the number of expenditures more than the income?

-- does the organization have enough money in the bank, pledged through grants or contracts or projected through income to pay staff for the next year? The next six months? Next week?