Not-for-profit organizations have limited resources to pursue socially responsible missions that may be cultural, educational, scientific, religious or to promote employee welfare (such as unions), an industry (such as trade associations) and other group. For non-profits, outsourcing is frequently not a choice but a necessity, as volatility in budgets limits their ability to pursue their mission-critical programs.
Non-profits face many challenges. Survival and growth through the design and implementation of strategic policies and procedures, developing and delivering mission-critical programs, servicing members, data protection and legal and tax compliance.
Under a perennial challenge to do more with less, non-profits can outsource the chores of membership, marketing and back-office administration. Services typically outsourced include:
- Membership administration, including membership databases, membership signups and renewals, “member-only” information and services, “public” information and services, event calendars and registration services,
- Internet-based services, such as discussion forums, surveys, webinars, e-commerce webstores, social networking, templates for submission of requests for grants,
- Administration of operations, including communications of the board of directors board committees, and volunteer committees, chapter and regional membership dues and operations,
- Financial administration, including online payment of dues, donations, integration into popular checkbook and small business software
- Compliance, including reports on finances, membership, programs, conflicts of interest, private foundation status and tax reporting.
Some service providers are themselves non-profit organizations fulfilling a mission of service to non-profits.