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Investigating Nonprofits

Grades: 
6, 7, 8
Subjects: 
Arts Education
Language Arts
Philanthropy
Social Studies
Keywords & Concepts: 
Career Opportunities
Nonprofit
Research
Visual Arts

Learners identify and investigate local and national nonprofit organizations by researching their histories, services, and target populations, as well as job opportunities using the Idealist.org web site.

Duration 
PrintOne 45-Minute Session
Objectives 

The learner will:

  • research a nonprofit organization.
  • identify nonprofit mission statements, activities, and career opportunities
Bibliography 

Idealist.org : https://www.idealist.org/

 

Related Resources 

Instructions

Print

  1. Anticipatory Set:

    As a review, ask learners to describe an element of the nonprofit sector. Discuss the characteristics of a nonprofit organization. 

  2. Each participant selects a nonprofit organization to research. These can be selected from www.idealist.org. 

  3. The Information Recording Form (handout) provides guidance in doing the research.

  4. Clarify that opportunities to be involved in the work of nonprofits can be as a volunteer (unpaid), as an intern (may be paid or unpaid), or as an employee (paid).

  5. Using the research, participants create an informative poster about their nonprofit. They may contact the nonprofit and offer to share it. 

  6. Do a gallery walk to view the information presented on the posters. Each learner takes notes, recorded on Reporting Notes Form (handout).

Cross Curriculum 

The learners create and display informational posters in a school display area so that other learners may gain information about nonprofits.

Philanthropy Framework

  1. Strand PHIL.I Definitions of Philanthropy
    1. Standard DP 02. Roles of Government, Business, and Philanthropy
      1. Benchmark MS.6 Identify significant contributions to society that come from the civil society sector.
    2. Standard DP 04. Operational Characteristics of Nonprofit Organizations
      1. Benchmark MS.3 Describe how a specific civil society organization in the community operates.
  2. Strand PHIL.II Philanthropy and Civil Society
    1. Standard PCS 03. Philanthropy and Economics
      1. Benchmark MS.4 Give examples of how civil-society-sector giving can impact communities.
  3. Strand PHIL.III Philanthropy and the Individual
    1. Standard PI 02. Careers In The Nonprofit Sector
      1. Benchmark MS.1 Identify and explain how career options in the civil-society sector contribute to the community.