“What’s this about your needing a check?”: the perils of working for a nonprofit
February 17, 2009 By: almostgotit Category: Uncategorized, careers, feminism, nonprofit, volunteering, working
Ephesian Artemis: |
Last summer, a friend of mine agreed to do some professional work for the church where she is also a member. At that time, she told the church that she would also need to be paid for that work, and to her best understanding, the church agreed.
Her first check was late, and didn’t come until my friend asked for it. Her second check never came at all.
While last on the premises because of the work she was doing for the church, my friend was confronted in front of several other people by the church’s (salaried) budget director. “What’s this about your needing a check from us?” he demanded. “We don’t have that kind of money!”
My friend was both surprised and embarrassed by this encounter. Later, she was also angry.
So am I.
Why do churches and other non-profits so seldom understand that their business matters still need to be handled in a business-like fashion? Why should professionals be expected to work for free, especially those who have already entered into an agreement that they would be paid? The business manager himself is a full-time, paid employee of the church. Why did he fail to see any irony here, himself?
One wonders at the unexamined assumptions going on here. What additional rights do we all presume nonprofit organizations to have, including the organizations themselves? Is it relevant that my friend is a member of the church (as is the business manager?) Is it relevant that my friend is a woman, or that she used to be married to a fairly wealthy man?
My friend is also a highly-trained professional, is currently a full-time student who must carefully choose her commitments, had already negotiated terms with the church, had already heavily discounted her fee for them, and even had generated income for the church, through her work for them, which was more than adequate to cover her own fees.
What would you do, in her situation?
February 17th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Hey, there Almostgotit! I don’t know precisely what I would do in her situation, but I can hear my consummate businessman husband (when I pose similar questions about situations that arise in my own business) saying, Send them an invoice. It’s always easier said than done, especially when relationships are on the line, I know.
The profit versus not-for-profit question occupies some amount of my thinking time. I am currently organized as a “for-profit” business. But I have not made one dime since the founding of the school; it is kept afloat by generous donations from a generous private interest. I always get a tad irritated when I am expected to fork over money for stuff that non-profits don’t have to. The most recent example arrived in the mail a couple of days ago: the Knox County Public Library wants $250 for a booth at their annual reading initiative event. That fee is waived for non-profits.
Have enjoyed your posts, and also your comments over at Altos….
February 17th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
I never work without a contract – protects them (they get what they really need because it’s spelled out) and me (I get paid!). My contracts stipulate the invoicing terms. Otherwise I assume I am working for free….
A great way to get to this point quickly is when the church or NFP asks for your help as a professional and don’t clarify that they are asking for it is to say “How about if we get together on Tuesday and 10 and can scope out the project and talk about terms?” If they cough up that they were expecting the work for free, as a volunteer, then say, “How about if we still meet and scope it out and we can determine what you are asking for in terms of an “in-kind” donation.” This way, if you feel moved to give them your services, you can still be very clear on what the expectations are and they can be very clear on what exactly they are receiving for free (this is often very good education for church folks). Finally – you can also clarify if your hours will be free but they need to pay expenses, and things like that. I’ve had folks ask me to speak for free on career topics and then expect me to also make 45 copies of a workbook for free and not realize what they are getting. It just isn’t good for them or me for the relationship to go that way.
February 17th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
Did your friend get the terms in writing ahead of time? Always, always do that of course. Either way, I agree that now the thing to do is to send them an invoice, perhaps with a cover note saying something like, “As per the agreement we made in December” (or whatever).
A Little Tea or Something: If you are indeed functioning as a nonprofit and have no intention of making a profit, you might consider establishing yourself officially as a nonprofit. Then you can accept tax-deductible donations, be exempt from sales tax, etc.
February 17th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Wow. Am assuming she did not get the agreement in writing. But she should still send them an invoice. And then go from there.
February 18th, 2009 at 11:15 am
Hope this wasn’t you!! I agree with other commenters about getting it in writing ahead of time, but in real life that can be hard to follow through on with “nice” people like at churches. it seems untrusting or something. And of course if there’s a disagreement, the nice church people would be assumed to be right, is that what you meant about nonprofits being treated differently? Even if your friend got hustled, then, she still probably would have lots of pressure on her to feel bad.
February 18th, 2009 at 11:32 am
I am so grateful for all who stopped by and left such good comments this time ’round! I didn’t even get a chance to *ask* you to, yet, as I planned to… (Career Encourager!! Ask a Manager!) And I always love hearing from Working Girl and A Little Tea or Something, too.
@ Amber: Welcome and thanks for commenting! No, this wasn’t me, but it could have been.
I have definitely not always been as professional, myself, as I should have been, e.g., working with a contract or at the very least getting some sort of agreement in writing. There is a lot of pressure to assume everyone will just “do the right thing” on their own with nonprofits (and with friends. And even with family members!!) — and when things go wrong, it is doubly hard to fix, then, when everyone remembers something different and it’s very uncomfortable to hash it out to anyone’s satisfaction, either, as no one wants to be the “bad guy.”
February 18th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
The part of the story that bugs me the most is that the payment issue was discussed in front of people and extremely inelegantly at that. Privacy, discretion and confidentiality are dying arts. But I guess church gossip would die if we all practiced what I’m preaching. It does sound like your friend got hustled by a church.
But could I just laugh a bit at the photo of the statue Ephesian Artemis!! Imagine what her annual mammograms are like!! Hee hee, I’m making myself laugh over here…
February 18th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Hallo again, Susannah! You are right to point out the unpleasant way my friend was essentially bullied, too. Not cool. And she did feel bad.
Thanks for laughing at my Artemis! I put it in because of the particularly- female tendency to give a little bit too much to too many people, sometimes, without adequately looking after our own interests.
February 18th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
I’m just seeing this, but I think some excellent info has already been posted. I have a couple of levels of making sure everyone understands each party’s responsibilities in a project.
1. The formal agreement. It might come after some discussion, or it might be written as a proposal that is a jumping off point. Once it’s finalized, that’s put in writing as the agreement. Frequently, larger organizations have standardized forms with fill-in-the-blanks info throughout to take care of the particulars.
2. The informal agreement. After discussion — in person, by phone or via e-mail — I will send a clarifying written document. “This is what we agreed to in our conversation of the 24th……”
But it always, always, always needs to be in writing even if the agreement was made verbally.
I have worked for churches and nonprofits, and the ones that are truly operated by professionals (I’m not sure this particular business manager qualifies) understand and appreciate those agreements.
February 18th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
So glad you put your oar in too, Pages! This has been very helpful to me, I know… and I’ll send a link to my friend so she won’t miss all this good input, either!
February 25th, 2009 at 11:53 am
For me there is a big difference between a non-profit and a charity. A charity is a mostly volunteer entity providing food and housing for the poor, for example. And if we work for them we too are volunteers. Non-profits can range from hospitals to orchestras with many having well-paid employees. When I work for a non-profit, I give them “my non-profit rate” as a way to tip my hat but not undermine my own income. A church is a little more difficult. I have done work for other people’s churches and charged money. But I’m not sure how I would approach my own church. I guess If it was a one-time thing, I might feel like it should be volunteer work. On the other hand, I don’t think the church has the right to assume that it is, especially when you are providing your professional service, the one you rely on for your living.