Do-Gooder Americans: Q&A on careers in nonprofits

Gone are the tech boom days when money flowed like water and corporate greed emerged as the fallout in what was a tumultuous decade. Today’s college students are now graduating with a do-gooder spirit, a desire to give back and a realization that money — while necessary to survive — isn’t everything. In other words, many are choosing to work for nonprofit organizations.

And that’s a good thing, says Rich Avanzino, the president of Maddie’s Fund, an Alameda, Calif.-based family foundation aimed at helping to stop the euthanasia of healthy and treatable dogs and cats nationwide.

Avanzino should know. He has spent his entire career working for the not-for-profit sector. As president of the San Francisco SPCA between 1976 to 1999, he brought euthanasia rates down to the lowest of any urban center in the country, and created adoption, animal behavior, feral cat and spay/neuter programs. In his current role, he oversees Maddie’s Fund’s $300 million endowment, helping to build community collaborations with animal welfare organizations, funding veterinary colleges to create shelter medicine programs and implementing a national strategy to promote transparency and accountability in animal shelter operations, according to the group’s website.

Avanzino talked with University of Phoenix recently about his career choice, the pros and cons of working for a nonprofit organization, and how today’s students can prepare for this very rewarding and challenging work.

Please describe Maddie's Fund and its mission.

Maddie’s fund is the creation of Cheryl and Dave Duffield in memory of their miniature schnauzer that made their life happier and more enjoyable during a time when they were creating a new company, PeopleSoft.

Why did you choose to work with animal rescue organizations during most of your career?

I had a reputation of rescuing not-for-profits that were in financial distress. The San Francisco SPCA was 90 days away from bankruptcy and hired me to turn the organization around. For me it was a dream come true because it was an area I was passionate about. I took it from bankruptcy to one of the wealthiest [humane societies] in the United States and started all sorts of different programs to change the status quo. The reality is I worked with some wonderful, talented people.

What do people need to realize before working for a nonprofit organization?

The not-for-profit sector trade does not pay as much as the for-profit world but altruistic rewards are tremendous but heartbreaking. You get into it with the idea of sacrifice. It’s tremendously exhilarating.

Are salaries that much lower in the nonprofit world?

That depends on the organization. We have a huge spectrum. Start-up organizations that have nothing pay almost nothing. The larger institutions that have been around for decades, they pay a lot better and they have professional staff. In the not-for-profit world you have a huge disparity between the haves and the have-nots because a lot of the organizations involved in the cause are brand new startups and they come into the field having nothing, just like a new small business.

Who works at nonprofit organizations?

A lot of people in the not-for-profit field are right out of school. They want to get involved because they want to change the world and make our society and our community a better place. They come with a lot of altruism and don’t have huge monetary needs at the moment. Other people have retired, and are looking for something that provides altruism.

What are some of the difficulties of working in the nonprofit sector?

You don’t always get as fast to your goal as you want to and that is a disappointment that has to be constantly addressed. You are there because you care and it’s not because of a paycheck. Also, if you are working in an environment where you don’t think you’re appreciated or in an organization that you don’t think shares your same values or follows a similar path it gets terribly discouraging.

What are some of the challenges executives face trying to run not-for-profit organizations?

Most people are hired especially at the managerial level because the organizations are in trouble. The not-for-profit world has to rely on philanthropy. And in the not-for-profit world the challenge is: Do you hire more bodies or pay more for experienced workers? But it’s always a balancing act on trying to take on this huge challenge with less money.

What is your secret for running a successful nonprofit organization?

Focus on doing the job extremely well so you can brag about your success and how you are bettering your cause. Once you tell people the story they will be more than generous trying to help you grow and sustain and build a better world. A lot of people in the not-for-profit world do the reverse — they are losing money and on the brink of bankruptcy, saying, “Would you give us more money so we don’t fail as fast?” That’s a prescription for doom.

What career path should students take if they want to work in the nonprofit sector?

First, marketing is terribly important because you’ve got to tell your story and convince your community and the world that you are a not-for-profit agency. [For me], I think an MBA would have been phenomenally helpful. You have to run [a not-for-profit organization] like a business — you have to do the job and make money so you can hire more people and give them a better wage. In American society, money talks so my own feeling is you also have to know how to stay within your budget and grow your business and get more people to buy your product.

What advice would you give to young people who want to pursue a career in the not-for-profit community?

Do something you love to do. Make work a holiday. I’ve always been embarrassed that I got paid for something that I would do as a volunteer. When you do something you are thrilled about doing you do it well and people respect and reward that. That leads to more opportunities for you to grow in your career ladder. It should come from the heart. It doesn’t come from looking at a profit-loss statement.