How to Research a Nonprofit Before You Apply

Most job seekers read the job description, skim the About page, and hit submit. That's a missed opportunity, especially in the nonprofit sector.

Nonprofits are required to share more about themselves than almost any other kind of employer. Their tax filings are public. Many publish annual reports and impact data. With an hour of research, you can learn how an organization spends its money and whether it's growing. That knowledge strengthens your application and helps you decide whether to accept an offer.

Here's how to do it.

Start with the website, but read past the homepage

The homepage tells you what the organization wants donors to see. The useful information sits deeper.

Find the annual report or impact report. Look under About, Our Impact, or Financials. These reports show which programs the organization highlights, how many people it serves, and what results it claims. Note the numbers it chooses to lead with. They tell you what leadership measures and values.

Check the staff and leadership pages. Look at how long the executive director has been in place and whether key roles are vacant or recently filled. Several new faces in senior roles can mean growth or a reorganization. Either way, it's worth asking about in an interview.

Read recent news and blog posts. A new program launch, a merger, a capital campaign, or a big grant announcement all shape what the organization needs from new hires right now.

Look up the Form 990

Most nonprofits file a Form 990 with the IRS every year, and those filings are public. This is the closest thing you'll get to a look inside the organization's finances.

You can search 990s for free on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer and Candid. Search by organization name and open the most recent filing.

You don't need to be an accountant to get value from it. Focus on these questions:

• Is revenue going up or down? Compare total revenue across the last few years. Steady growth usually signals stability. A sharp drop can mean a lost grant or contract.
• How is money spent? The functional expenses section splits spending into program services, management, and fundraising. Most of the budget should go to programs.
• What are the main programs? The 990 includes a short description of each major program and what it spent. This often gives a clearer picture than the website.

One caution: 990s are filed months after the fiscal year ends, so the most recent filing may describe a year or two ago. Use it to understand trends, not this month's situation.

Smaller organizations may file a shorter version (the 990-EZ or 990-N), which shows less detail. That's normal and not a red flag on its own.

In California, you can also check the Attorney General's Registry of Charities and Fundraisers to confirm an organization is registered and current.

Understand where the money comes from

Funding sources affect job stability more than most seekers realize.

An organization that depends on one large government contract or a single foundation grant can grow fast, but it's exposed if that funding ends. An organization with a mix of government funding, foundation grants, individual donors, and earned revenue tends to weather changes better.

The 990 shows contributions and grants, government grants, and program service revenue as separate lines. Annual reports often list major funders by name. If a role is described as "grant-funded," it's fair to ask in your interview how long the grant runs and what happens after.

Talk to people who work there

Documents tell you how an organization operates on paper. People tell you how it feels to work there.

Find current and former staff on LinkedIn. Search the organization's name and filter by people. Send a short, specific message: say you're applying for a role, name one thing you admire about their work, and ask for 15 minutes to hear about their experience. Many nonprofit staff are glad to help.

Show up in person. Attend a community event, a fundraiser, or a volunteer shift if the organization offers one. You'll see how staff treat each other and the people they serve.

Ask good questions. Ask what a typical week looks like, what the team is proud of, and what they wish were different. Listen for how people talk about leadership and workload.

Turn your research into a stronger application

Research only helps if it shows up in your application.

In your cover letter, name a specific program, result, or recent initiative and connect it to your experience. "I saw that your youth mentoring program expanded to two new sites this year, and I helped launch a similar expansion in my last role" beats "I'm passionate about your mission" every time.

In your interview, ask one or two informed questions. For example: "Your annual report mentions a new partnership with the county. How would this role support that work?" Questions like this show you've done your homework and help you judge whether the job is right for you.

In your decision, use what you learned. If an offer comes, you'll know whether the organization is stable, whether its priorities match yours, and what to ask before you say yes.

Your next step

Pick one organization you'd like to work for and spend an hour researching it this week. Start with its website, pull up its latest 990, and reach out to one person on staff.

Ready to find your next role? Browse open nonprofit jobs across Southern California on SoCal Nonprofit Jobs, then set up a free job alert so new openings come straight to your inbox.