What is nonprofit operations?

Nonprofit Operations is an umbrella term for a variety of things an organization must do to exist, but which aren’t directly related to the execution of programs.

Ops generally includes:

  • Human Resources

  • Accounting & Finance

  • Legal, Compliance, and Risk Management

  • Corporate Governance

  • Fundraising operations (the systems that track donations and manage gift stewardship)

  • Some areas of IT (such as network infrastructure and equipment deployment).

Because Ops is such a big field, there’s lots of room for different strengths and specializations. An Office Manager at a small organization might own all of those functions listed, while a larger company might have an entire team within HR dedicated to benefits management.

Nonprofit Operations can be a great career path for folks who want to make the world a better place, but prefer to remain behind-the-scenes. Every visionary leader needs an accountant!