People with professional careers in Buddhist organizations: do you recommend it?

General discussion, particularly exploring the Dharma in the modern world.
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Boomerang
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People with professional careers in Buddhist organizations: do you recommend it?

Post by Boomerang »

I've fantasized about using my professional skills (marketing) to help Buddhist organizations for a long time. One of the biggest things stopping me is that 99% of people I've ever heard talk about working with nonprofits say it's a bad idea. Nonprofits are among the worst clients out there, they say.

Dharma Wheel is a popular forum, so I'd imagine there are some professionals working for Buddhist organizations here. What advice would you give to a person considering whether to work in the secular business world, or the Buddhist world?
Meido
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Re: People with professional careers in Buddhist organizations: do you recommend it?

Post by Meido »

I started a Buddhist NFP (501c3 in the USA) with the mission of fundraising for, building, and maintaining a monastery in Wisconsin. I currently serve as the president of that org's board.

I have no business or marketing skills at all. For the most part, that is also true for the volunteer board members. I suspect many religious non-profits, especially young ones, are like that: driven by passion and vision more than experience and qualification. That is why the skills of people like you are desperately needed.

So if you're looking for a career that fills a need, you will definitely find it. Career satisfaction = high. Profitable? Probably not extremely so...but welcome to the club!
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Kim O'Hara
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Re: People with professional careers in Buddhist organizations: do you recommend it?

Post by Kim O'Hara »

Boomerang wrote: Sat Mar 25, 2023 4:32 am ...99% of people I've ever heard talk about working with nonprofits say it's a bad idea. Nonprofits are among the worst clients out there, they say. ...
If your 99% are talking about taking on non-profits as normal clients, they are mostly right. Non-profits generally don't have much money and do have a lot of half-competent people trying to run their operations - whether those people are volunteers or are employees who are not good enough to get a job that pays better - and (often) a management committee that's chronically split as well as only half-competent. That makes non-profits really frustrating clients: their requirements keep changing, and they are always trying to cut corners financially. :toilet:

BUT

If you're someone with professional skills which the non-profit needs and you want to give to the organisation, you will be very welcome and can make a very useful contribution by applying your skills. Their shortage of money won't be an issue for you, because you're not asking for any in the first place, and they are very likely to be so grateful to you that they will take on board any advice you offer, i.e., requirements are less likely to change against your plans. :twothumbsup:

You will still have to deal with well-meaning but under-skilled people in the organisation but that may become part of your gift of time. It may also be very good for your personal development. :tongue:

What I've said comes from my own experience of helping small groups with (mostly) media/IT stuff. One other thing I've noticed in that time is just how highly such groups value book-keeping skills. Finding a treasurer is very often the hardest job the management committee faces.

:namaste:
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PadmaVonSamba
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Re: People with professional careers in Buddhist organizations: do you recommend it?

Post by PadmaVonSamba »

I think the main challenge facing Buddhist orgs isn’t marketing. It’s funding.
And my experience has been that if you have some idea for a specific thing (project) that will benefit a group financially, just create it, and deliver the project idea to them to either do or not do. Or, just do it all yourself and then give them the money.

Well, this probably applies to marketing, organizing mailing lists, whatever. Because you will most likely be doing most of it yourself anyway, and very few groups are in a position to hire a consultant.

If you have ideas about how to promote/market/outreach a Buddhist group in your community, it’s actually better to just start doing it. Trying to get everybody on board with your plan is a lot harder and more frustrating.
Like, if you think (a hypothetical example) posters should go up on college bulletin boards, just print them and put them up, and make that your donation to the dharma.
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Boomerang
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Re: People with professional careers in Buddhist organizations: do you recommend it?

Post by Boomerang »

Meido wrote: Sat Mar 25, 2023 5:01 am I started a Buddhist NFP (501c3 in the USA) with the mission of fundraising for, building, and maintaining a monastery in Wisconsin. I currently serve as the president of that org's board.

I have no business or marketing skills at all. For the most part, that is also true for the volunteer board members. I suspect many religious non-profits, especially young ones, are like that: driven by passion and vision more than experience and qualification. That is why the skills of people like you are desperately needed.

So if you're looking for a career that fills a need, you will definitely find it. Career satisfaction = high. Profitable? Probably not extremely so...but welcome to the club!
When I look up the Form 990s of Buddhist organizations, my heart goes out to them. I think PadmaVonSambha is right when they say Buddhist nonprofits need a sole person who's responsible for taking charge of the fundraising process. (To me, marketing and fundraising are the same thing.)

My recommendation to any small Buddhist organizations reading this thread is to open up a dedicated "Head of Fundraising" volunteer position and invest in training that volunteer with something like moceanic.com's membership program. Last I checked, it was $50 a month, which will certainly lead to a great return on investment considering the value of the skills it teaches.

Thank you for your advice, everyone!
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