Visit our extensive Nonprofit Human Resources Center or visit the sites below.
As your organization grows, proper attention to human resources management becomes increasingly important. Read on...
General Resources
U.S. Government Laws and Forms
HR Management
Utilizing Consulting Services
Publications
If you know of a resource we should add, please contact us here. If you notice any broken links or bugs, please
email web@idealist.org.
The nonprofit workplace is becoming increasingly complex. Gone are the days when organizations could rely on the charisma of their founder to keep them going. More and more, nonprofit organizations are finding themselves growing and expanding their functions and capacities. To keep up with these changes, organizations need to develop strong and stable human resources that enable them to maximize their staff potential and fulfill their mission objectives.
This Human Resources Center is designed to help managers adjust to this new reality.
So whether you are considering creating an independent HR department, hiring an HR specialist, or spreading HR responsibilities (once you figure out what they all are) among a few existing employees, this Resource Center addresses the issues to get you started.
Not all of the websites included below are authored by nonprofits or designed exclusively for use by nonprofits. Although we do feel that the information, advice, and contacts offered by these resources are valuable and applicable to most nonprofit work environments, Idealist does not endorse any specific organization, practice, individual, or publication related to the sites.
General Resources
Idealist's List of Nonprofit Support Organizations is a list of organizations that support and promote the work of nonprofit and community organizations around the world.
Business Owner's Toolkit designed for the small business, the Business Owner's Toolkit has applicable tools for nonprofit organizations. Click on "HR Tools" at the top of the page to find information on how to enroll in free online courses such as "How to Make the Best Hiring Decisions" and "Complying with the Family and Medical Leave Act." You will also find free forms that open as Word documents.
Charity Village is Canada's premier clearinghouse site for nonprofit information. Scroll down the Charity Village homepage to find management resource information (especially good for the hiring process) and links to international resource directories.
HR Council for the Voluntary & Non-profit Sector is a leading source of information, tools, and research related to HR in the voluntary and nonprofit sector in Canada. The HR Council works with organizations, educators, labor, and government to identify and address issues related to paid employment in the voluntary and nonprofit sector.
ERI's Employment Laws and Definitions provides over 10,000 organizations with salary survey analyses, geographic differentials, wage surveys, executive compensation information, cost of living comparisons, prevailing wage studies, employee benefit data, and compensation and benefits training.
The Free Management Library is one of the more comprehensive resource directories covering HR topics from management to employee policies to legal information. The site is easy to navigate and includes information relevant to almost all aspects of organization operations.
HRpro Online provides support for everything from accident reports to vacation leave forms. Scroll down to "HR Center" then to "HR Tools" and "HR Links" to be directed to topic-specific information.
HRZone has a wide range of articles on staffing, workplace dynamics, evaluations, and HR fundamentals. They also have a free e-newsletter subscription.
Management Information Exchange offers a free, reliable and consistent source of management information and expertise. It addresses the nuts-and-bolts challenges of motivating people, managing change, communicating for results, working with boards of directors, and developing high performance management systems.
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits provides a concise description of HR basics as well as a wealth of free HR forms and templates.
Society for Human Resources Management is the world's largest association devoted to HR management. It offers some free online resources, but requires a fee for membership. Under "Tools" there is a good section with samples of job descriptions, policies, HR forms, and mission statements.
Vault.com provides thorough and easy to understand language on HR responsibilities. There are numerous message boards and "Ask the Expert" sections to share questions and concerns. Select "For Employers" on the homepage to be directed to topic-specific articles and advice.
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U.S. Government Laws and Forms
Employment Law describes the issues surrounding employees' and employers' rights and responsibilities. In an easy-to-read format, you will find information on topics from hiring and firing to maintaining personnel files.
The United States Department of Labor's Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) site provides information and links to the major laws, regulations, and compliance tips governing safety in the workplace. There is also compliance assistance for the Family and Medical Leave Act.
United States Department of Labor Forms find any and all forms required by the U.S. DOL through a searchable database using keywords, form name or form number. At the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, find links to hundreds of forms, tips, and answers to questions regarding discrimination and the mediation process for disputes.
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HR Management
Idealist Career Center Salary Surveys is a comprehensive list of links to the most useful guides on the Web to nonprofit salaries.
Idealist Nonprofit HR Conference this conference came out of a series of focus groups we did in the summer of 2001 with over 100 nonprofit HR professionals in seven cities across the country. The First National Nonprofit Human Resources Conference was held in June of 2003 in Philadelphia, and brought together 300 nonprofit HR professionals for over 50 breakout sessions. With a wide variety of breakout sessions, the conference is designed for seasoned full-time HR professionals, as well as for executive directors or other staff at smaller nonprofits who must wear the HR hat among many others.
Online recruiting and job posting sites is Idealist's list of online job posting sites specific to the nonprofit sector.
Retirement Plans outlines the basic differences between two types of popular retirement plans: 403(b) and 401(k).
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Utilizing Consulting Services
How to work with consultants these guides, created by Consultants ONTAP and Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, break down the how and why of hiring and managing consultants.
Idealist Consultant Directory allows you to search for consultants and vendors by location, expertise, or the service or product they provide.
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Publications
The Employer's Legal Handbook is a guide to an employer's legal rights and responsibilities. This Nolo publication by Fred S. Steingold shows how to comply with workplace laws and regulations, run a safe and fair workplace, and avoid lawsuits. Available for purchase through the CompassPoint website. $32.95
Nonprofit Personnel Forms & Guidelines provides guidelines for everything from wage and salary administration to recruitment, benefits, training, and setting up record-keeping systems. Compiled by Mathew J. DeLuca, SPHR, every form has been approved by the IRS, EEOC, OSHA, and other governing agencies. Available through Aspen Publishers. $173.00
The Nonprofit Quarterly addresses a range of issues facing nonprofits, including management. A Fall 2002 article, available online, focuses on the state of the nonprofit workforce. Web-based materials are free, while the journal itself is available for a subscription fee. $39/yr for 4 issues; $69/2yr for 8 issues
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