So what is a non-profit, really?

A business that isn’t in it for the money… at least not in the pocket-lining way.

Nonprofits are allowed to make a profit, they just can’t share it with private owners, founders, or investors. Instead, all the money has to stay in the organization to support its mission. Think: helping people, not hedge funds.

A non-profit organization can hire staff, pay salaries, and even charge fees. They just can’t act like a greedy, Scrooge-like accounting firm.

Sometimes it’s easier to think of it as a “NOT-FOR profit”