Nonprofit and Social Impact Careers

Bowdoin was founded upon and endowed with the belief that there is something bigger than ourselves, with the view that the commitment to the common good is not something we own, but something that we seek through working towards equality, diversity and inclusion.

Many Bowdoin students pursue nonprofit and social impact work after Bowdoin, making meaningful, positive contributions to their communities and the lives of others both locally and globally. Bowdoin’s graduates include founders of nationally recognized nonprofits such as the Harlem Children’s Zone and Year Up, as well as countless other contributors to other important social issues.

Nonprofit describes all tax-exempt organizations in the U.S. devoted to a social cause while providing a public benefit. Globally, similar organizations may be referred to as NGOs. You will find nonprofit organizations in most career fields, from education to environment to the arts to social justice to policy to the sciences and healthcare. Social impact describes the effect of an activity or organization on individuals and a community. When we talk about careers in social impact, we are often talking about working for nonprofit organizations, but many businesses have some activities devoted to social impact (such as their corporate social responsibility departments) as well as certified B-corps, businesses that aims to balance purpose and profit.

Sample Career Paths

Direct Service: Interacting directly with individuals and communities. Roles include youth development, community organizing, social work, and service corps.

Set or support organizational goals, strategy, measurement and culture: Roles such as research and evaluation or special assistant to the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director or Chief Operating Officer or Chief Program Officer. Nonprofit and for-profit consulting firms often also provide these services for nonprofits.

Ensure sufficient public and financial support for the organization: Marketing, public relations, government relations, development (fundraising).

Provide “back office” support for the organization to operate: Nonprofits need business administration roles, from human resources (e.g. recruiting, talent development, diversity and inclusion), to finance, to information technology.

Philanthropy and impact investing: Foundations, venture philanthropists, and impact investors provide the capital needed to fund nonprofit activities. Some invest for purely social return (good work being done in the world) and some for both social return and a hope for a modest profit.

Get involved on and off campus

Volunteering is often a good way to develop a deeper understanding of an issue that is meaningful to you and to build work experience. Consider volunteer opportunities through the McKeen Center for the Common Good as well as clubs and organizations, providing exposure to the range of possibilities within the nonprofit and social impact sector and allowing for the development of transferable skills for future job pursuits. Volunteer opportunities include local organizations addressing: food access, homelessness, adult literacy, refugees and immigrants, elementary school mentoring, animal rights, restorative justice, criminal justice system, environmental issues and many more.

Interested in service? There are myriad opportunities to engage in service through service corps, with programs spanning across sectors and interest areas. Additionally, you can pursue unpaid opportunities in the nonprofit and social impact sector by applying for funding through the CXD Funded Internship Program.

Learn about and explore the field

Take time to learn about the nonprofit and social impact sector to discover how your own interests, skills, and values intersect with possible career paths. Explore these and other resources:

Idealist is a database of jobs, internships, volunteer opportunities, organizations and information about the nonprofit sector worldwide.
Learn How to Become is a helpful guide for learning about the importance of volunteer work, how to find volunteer opportunities, and how to transition from volunteering to a career in a nonprofit or social impact organization.
Founded by a Bowdoin alum, Omprakash is an online global network of social impact organizations and volunteer opportunities for engaging in meaningful work worldwide.

Network with Bowdoin Alumni

Bowdoin alums are eager to share stories about their own career journeys and offer professional expertise and advice to current students. The extensive Bowdoin network is a valuable resource for students interested in nonprofit and social impact work since many opportunities are secured through word of mouth and connections. Alumni present on panels and mentor students through volunteer opportunities, independent projects and summer internships.

Meet Alumni