Writing for non-profit organizations can be good business for a freelancer. Non-profits need writers – for fund-raising proposals, for magazines and newsletters, for annual reports, for websites, and for a whole host of other communications projects.
In an era when print magazines and newspapers seem to be going out of business on a daily basis, and Internet prices for writing are variable and often low, many writers find that non-profits offer a steady paycheck as well as the opportunity to work for a cause they believe in.
But non-profits aren't immune to economic realities. The economic carnage of the first decade of the 21st-Century has wreaked havoc with investment portfolios, and hence, with contributions to non-profits. The first thing a writer is likely to hear when negotiating a price for services is that budgets are frozen, and, by the way, can the writer offer a discount for the cause? Or do the project for free?
Writers are split straight down the middle about whether or not to discount rates for non-profits. Many writers are in an economic bind themselves, while editors and managers at non-profits still receive a regular paycheck. Indeed, some Washington-based non-profits occupy offices as splendid as any law firm or lobbying office, complete with designer furniture and state-of-the-art equipment.
On the other hand, many of those splendid offices were furnished before the Wall Street train wrecks of recent years. Today, even the wealthiest non-profits are cutting programs and budgets to stay afloat.
Fees and Discounts for Reprints Versus New Articles
There is a difference in pricing reprints versus new articles. New articles, of course, pay more. But as it turns out, writers may have more leverage with reprints.
With new articles, the writer often wants the work and the byline, so the editor is in the driver's seat. The editor can simply state the rate the non-profit pays, and the author is left to say yes or no. If the author says no, there's probably someone else willing to do the work.
In the case of the reprint, the story is already written, the non-profit knows that it wants it, and it’s obvious, or should be, how munch work it would take to do a similar story from scratch. In this case, there isn't a similar story standing in line, and no matter what the writer charges, it is going to be less than a brand new piece. So the writer may have a little more leverage.
Reasons to Donate or Discount Work for Non-Profits
- Donating or discounting work for a non-profit can introduce the writer to editors and decision makers who might be in a position to funnel more lucrative paying work in the writer's direction.
- Writers who are trying to establish credibility, a platform, contacts, or expertise in a given area can earn credibility by working for and writing for big-name non-profits.
- By virtue of the research they do, writers may have an inside track on non-profit projects, and may be first in line for news breaks or information that can turn into stories that might work in other markets.
- A low-budget local organization that spends all its money on programs may really be in need of whatever breaks it can get.
- Admit it! It feels good to contribute to a worthy cause.
Reasons Not to Donate or Discount Work for Non-Profits
- Non-profits pay other providers the full rate – electricians, the phone company, the Internet service, the cleaning service. Why should writers, who are typically underpaid to begin with, be expected to subsidize the cause?
- Giving work away devalues it. Writers who want to contribute to a cause can instead charge a fair price for writing – then turn around and make a donation. Or they can donate other services, such as manning a phone bank or stuffing envelopes.
- The organization may well be able to pay writers a fair rate. Not-for-profit doesn’t equal broke, at least not always. Does the organization seem well-heeled and well-funded? Are the offices high-rent or low-rent? Why shouldn’t a high-end organization with high-end offices pay market rates to a high-end writer?
- A writer’s expenses don’t change just because a client is not-for-profit.
There's no single answer to the question of how much to charge, or discount for, a non-profit. Some have good budgets. In fact, many large non-profits are excellent markets for well-paid freelance work. Others need all the help they can get to continue their good work.
Many writers resolve the conundrum by picking one cause to contribute to. Writers who pick a cause that is in line with their values and interests can't lose: They have the pleasure of contributing, and may be able to work their way into more and better assignments as time goes on.
Karen Berger - Karen Berger is the author of 15 books. Please click on her name to read her full bio.
