Writers Unbound

A good amount of my freelance work has been for a non-profit organization, a largely overlooked sector of the freelance writing market. I’ve loved my work for this organization; there were often quick turn-arounds (”can you write this article as soon as possible?”) but I had a lot of freedom and I was interested in my subject, plus I felt like I was helping to accomplish something a wee bit more important than writing another “how to organize your closets” article.
A few things to keep in mind when approaching and/or writing for a non-profit organization:

• Non-profit does not mean no-budget, it just means that all the profits (what remains after expenses, overhead, and salaries are paid) go back toward running, expanding, and investing in the organization and/or the cause of the organization. So don’t feel like you can’t charge your normal rate when writing for a non-profit organization. Yes, some are small and are very low-budget, but many have an extensive budget which includes money designated for information writing and distribution. That’s you.
• Quick turn-around requests will be common with many non-profit organizations, as they are constantly looking for opportunities, interviews, etc., and when they get them they need the material now. Or yesterday. I kind of like the quick turn-around; you get a little adrenaline rush, you work hard for a few hours, and then you’re finished with the project.
• Diplomacy in content is crucial for material written for a non-profit organization. Much of the material they distribute is meant to educate people not familiar with or not yet supportive of the cause the organization supports. Your phrasing can’t be pushy or condescending (even if you are right) because the last thing you want to do is alienate people.
• Research, proper citations, and careful avoidance of plagiarism are also very important in non-profit work. Their reputation is attached to every document, flyer, or press release they send out. Some non-profits are engaged in work that is universally appealing (feeding the hungry, curing cancer) but many work to support controversial causes, which means that they have active opponents. Faulty research or failure to cite sources properly are ammunition for the organization’s opponents.
• You may have to propose jobs to the organization rather than waiting for them to post a classified. These organizations are busy in many directions and don’t always have a person designated to oversee the development of written material. Find out all you can about the organization, find out the particular person it seems best to talk to, and then query them in as detailed and organized a way as you would a national consumer magazine.
• There are hundreds of non-profit organizations out there. You could work for any of them, and this point may seem obvious, but find one that supports a cause you are actually interested in and want to support. Don’t take work just to take work. They will recognize your enthusiasm, and your personal interest will make the work rewarding.

Resources:

Idealist.org is a great spot to start your search, and they even have a job board!
For information about nonprofits in general, check out About.com’s Guide to NonProfits.
Find your local nonprofit organizations by zip code.
Search by keyword at the IRS’s list of nonprofit organizations.
NonprofitJobMarket.org has another job board.