Is a Nonprofit a Business?

If you develop exhibitions, you probably work at (or for) a nonprofit. Those exhibitions are critical to its financial health and goals. So what are those goals? And wait ... what is a nonprofit?

Quick: define nonprofit, in words, quietly to yourself.

OK, what did you come up with?

Let’s start with a basic question first: Is a nonprofit a business?

You be the judge. Here are some nonprofits, to help you think that one over:

Harvard University
Smithsonian Institution
College Board
Nature Conservancy
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Big Ten Conference
National Geographic
Metropolitan Museum of Art

So: Is a nonprofit a business?

Here’s the thing:
If our exhibition project uses the resources of a nonprofit, to advance the goals of a nonprofit, we need to understand what those resources and goals should be. We need to know what a nonprofit is.

We'll get to the first answer above, and a few more ... next year.  :)

Warmly,
Jonathan

P.S. Write me back and let me know what your first quick definition was. I promise, no judging. All answers are good answers.