What is it like to be the director of a non-profit agency?
Asked by twinsenw
I'm on a Ph.D. track in the social sciences field (human development and family sciences) and I'm interested in heading a non-profit agency. The more that I interact with people at non-profit agencies, I get the feeling that they are high stress. What would the quality of life be like for the director of a non profit? Would you be working 14 hour days, or would you be able to have a healthy balance between work and home life?

Best Answer:
The current economic situation is causing extra stress right now for most non-profits. They are concerned their donors will not be able to be as generous as in the past. The interest income they receive from investments is way down. Many states are having trouble paying for services (only applies to agencies who deal with state governments). Money is a very big concern for non-profits right now. All of this is happening during a time when many non-profits are being asked for more services. High demand for services and low income are a tough combination for non-profits, which may be the source of high stress. You have control over whether or not you will work 14 hour days and have a healthy work/home life balance because you get to choose where you want to work. Hope this helps. Good luck.

I have worked for two non-profit organizations: one in the arts and one in the mental health care advocacy area. They were like night and day. The arts had a mad summer season, and we worked every day for twelve weeks (the Director worked 5 days a week). We earned several million dollars during that time. However, the rest of the year, the Director leisurely wined and dined members and strategized with the marketing team. Her hours were extremely flexible and few. She also received a large salary. The community loved her, and the facility is world reknowned. The mental health facility is horrible. It was rife with an odd type of non-malicious corruption and infighting. There were factions both with good intentions. There was never any money, and the Director was quite poorly paid. No one remained long. It was sad, sad, sad. He worked long hard hours and was burned out, as was his predecessor. My brother-in-law was the Director of Development for one of the oldest community playhouses in the country. Very high donor stuff. But even with people whose names everyone would know on the board and attending the fundraising events, he would fight tooth and nail to squeeze a buck out of the donors. They were always a play away from closing, and it was always his butt on the line. All I can say is choose wisely. If you choose a cause you love and you have a lifestyle that allows you the time to truly develop it properly, you'll do fine. However, if you go in to a sinking ship, or if you go in with the attitude that you have the education that should just carry you, then I don't think you will succeed. Non-profits require constant nurturing. While there are many that are more secure than others, they never reach a true maturation point like for profit businesses. Good luck!
Answered by myphilosophy

Depends on what boundaries you set: it can be either way. Generally, you work with really nice, caring people, and there's not the backstabbing that you find in business. The nonprofit people I know go home at night and have social lives, but they do tend to work about 40-50 hours a week.
Answered by Katherine W