about for non-profit organizations

Updated 05.04.06

4npo is a Web site that is about the non-profit sector. All of the resources on the site are primarily for non-profit organizations. The Web site is designed and maintained by, Michael Feagans. My motivation for the Web site was a desire to create a space and contribute content that reflected the values of the non-profit sector. 4npo is not a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Human Capital

Human Capital contains interviews of people who work or volunteer in the non-profit sector. Over time I am attempting to make the interviews shorter and place more emphases on the details of how people get the job done. Everyone, naturally, likes to talk about the good things that the organization is accomplishing. But my goal for the interviews are to show the many hurdles, often unique to the non-profit sector, that are overcome in order to accomplish their mission. Working for a non-profit organization is often very difficult but can also be very personally and spiritually rewarding. It requires persistence, intelligence, and an innovative spirit. I don't believe that many people, outside of the non-profit sector, understand the hard work and diligence required to be successful in organizations that often have very little working capital. The interviews are also intended to help non-profit managers learn from their peers experience.

My motivation for choosing "Human Capital" as the title was my reaction to the effort by some to try and "quantify" all work performed in the non-profit sector. It's impossible to quantify the positive ripple effect that our work has on the individual, family, community, and society.

Non-Profit Articles

Most of the non-profit articles are written by me but I'm more than willing to post articles written by you. If you have something that would be appropriate for the Web site please send it to my attention and I will review it. The only criteria for subject matter is that the information be relevant to non-profit organizations.

Non-Profit Resources Index (NRI)

Non-Profit Resources Index is simply a list of organizations and companies that provide products and services to the non-profit sector. It's not advertising. 4npo is not paid for the listing. I find the organizations and companies either by surfing the Web or from your suggestions suggestions. I look at the Web sites and determine if they are predominately serving non-profit organizations. My reasoning is that non-profit organizations often have very unique needs and circumstances that are better served if the vendor is more familiar with their business protocols.

There are two categories, Products, and Services. It is sometimes difficult to determine the proper category for a vendor. Vendors often provide both products and services. Or, it's difficult to determine whether a Web based service is actually a product or service. If I've inappropriately listed your company or organization please let me know. According to my Web site statistics "non-profit consultants" is consistently the most viewed product or service in the index.

Non-Profit Organizations Mall

NPO Mall is a list of non-profit organizations that sell products or services in order to generate operating capital. 4npo does not receive any type of reimbursement for the listing. I merely surf the Web and find organizations that have a shopping area associated with their Web site or they send me an email asking that they be listed. My motivation for these listings is to make it easy for people to support non-profit organizations, demonstrate to other non-profit organizations how they might add a shopping area to their Web site, and, to show everyone that non-profit organizations are generating working capital in ways other than donations. For a few of the organizations I've included a picture from one of my visits.

Links to Articles

These are links to articles about the non-profit sector that are sometimes critical. Criticism can be valuable and should be expected. But there are times that I read articles that describe the non-profit sector in a manner that would indicate there is only one voice. We have many voices and I think you should let the critics hear your voice by entering into a dialogue with the authors if you feel the criticism is unjust or incorrect.