The nonprofit sector employs over 12 million people in the United States, accounting for about 10% of the nation's total workforce.
As the sector grows, Idealist continues to be a cornerstone for connecting like-hearted individuals with opportunities to build a world where all people can lead free and dignified lives. Each year, we aim to identify trends impacting recruitment and hiring across the nonprofit sector through an annual survey of our job seeker community. Through insights gained from over 6,500 social-impact professionals about their career goals, experiences with job searching, and hopes for the future of our sector, we are excited to share Idealist’s 2025 Employer Report.
We hope this data helps organizations across the sector in planning for recruitment and achieve success filling their open roles posted on idealist.org.
Who’s Using Idealist
Idealist is the leading site for individuals looking for a career in the nonprofit sector, with over 2 million users around the world. Job seekers using Idealist are experienced professionals, bringing diverse backgrounds and a strong commitment to mission-driven work.
Of the survey respondents, 72% indicated they are employed, with 53% currently working in the nonprofit sector. This year, 25% of respondents reported being unemployed and regularly using Idealist to search for their next role. This represents a 7% increase year-over-year in unemployed job seekers using Idealist, offering organizations an opportunity to find qualified, engaged candidates for their open positions.
Age Range
Idealist job seekers are predominantly (33%) between the ages of 30 and 39 years old. In comparison to last year, Idealist saw growth across several age groups, with a 5% combined increase across age groups 40 to 49 and 50 to 59.
Preferred Employer Type
We asked respondents about the types of job opportunities they’re looking for on Idealist. The majority expressed interest in nonprofit roles, highlighting our site as a leading resource for finding employment in the sector. Most respondents indicated that they are actively using Idealist to find their next job, with only a small percentage indicating they’re not currently job hunting.
"A lot of folks strongly recommended Idealist to me for the kind of work I was interested in doing, since I had an interest in art and social justice. I applied to quite a few jobs through Idealist, and [my current job] allows me to do what I love. This position really feels right for my career."
While the majority are using Idealist to find jobs in the nonprofit sector, there is a growing trend amongst our job seeker community in openness to private-sector roles (34%). This presents an opportunity for social-impact businesses and corporations with CSR roles to post their opportunities on Idealist and tap into our mission-driven talent pool.
Preferred Work Location
Remote work continues to be the top work location preference among job seekers, with 61% ranking remote work as their number one choice, a 2% year-over-year increase. Flexibility, limited local opportunities, and increased desires for accessibility are major factors that continue to make remote and hybrid opportunities more desirable.
When it comes to hybrid work, 28% of respondents said they would consider this setup, but there is a variety of preferences to consider. The majority of these respondents are looking for a hybrid arrangement that leans heavily toward remote work.
For hybrid job seekers who do want to work onsite, 2-3 days in the office each week is once again ranked the most popular choice . This suggests that while flexibility is being prioritized, many professionals still value face-to-face interactions, whether for team-building, professional development, or simply for the structure an office environment provides.
The Growing Importance of Salary Transparency
An overwhelming 79% of respondents stated that knowing the salary range upfront is "very important" when considering a job opportunity. This marks an 11% increase from last year, underscoring a growing demand for transparency in compensation during the job search process.
Job seekers highlighted a few reasons why they value salary transparency through direct survey feedback, including:
- Avoids Wasted Time: Having a clear understanding of the salary range from the outset allows job seekers to determine whether the role is worth pursuing before investing their time in the application process.
- Builds Trust and Equity: Salary transparency also signals fairness and equity in the hiring process. Candidates often perceive organizations that are upfront about compensation as more trustworthy and committed to promoting a culture of transparency and equality.
Application Process
Many job seekers shared that they find the application process frustrating, particularly due to inefficiencies and repetitive steps. Streamlining the process can improve the candidate experience and help your organization attract more applicants.
We recommend reviewing your application processes to ensure that it’s not requiring applicants to unnecessarily input duplicate information. For example, avoid requiring applicants to upload a resume and then fill out separate fields with the same information about their previous roles and experiences.
When posting roles on Idealist, consider using Applicant Tracker, as 27% of survey respondents prefer the seamless application experience this free tool provides. Applicant Tracker helps hiring organizations track the reach of their job listing, view candidate materials, and leave notes for their team—and all at no additional cost.
Post-Application Communication
For the second year in a row, job seekers expressed disappointment in the lack of communication from hiring organizations after they’ve submitted an application. With 42% of respondents having experienced delayed or no communication after applying, we recommend organizations review their application processes with hiring managers, paying attention to how best they can ensure timely communication with all applicants.
Idealist’s Applicant Tracker allows organizations to set up automated communication with applicants at every stage of the hiring process. We also have templates available to review and customize, including:
Ageism is a Present Barrier
Many nonprofit job seekers face the hidden, yet significant, challenge of ageism during their job search. By embracing an age-diverse workforce, employers can tap into the invaluable skills, experience, and perspectives that older (and younger!) candidates bring.
All organizations should consider how they can promote inclusiveness in the recruitment process. Idealist’s resource, Reducing Age Discrimination in Social-Impact Hiring, is a great starting point.
Idealist’s Impact
Idealist continues to be a trusted leader in the nonprofit hiring space, offering innovative tools and insights to connect mission-driven organizations with skilled talent. Each year, we seek to adapt to the evolving needs of both job seekers and employers, enhancing our platform to support a diverse array of recruitment goals.
With the Applicant Tracker, organizations can manage applicants and their materials in one integrated space on idealist.org. Similarly, the Resume Recommender complements the recruitment process by identifying qualified candidates who match an open role’s required skills and experiences. We are constantly working to support hiring organizations through the development of new tools, products, and resources, and we welcome feedback on what organizations would like to see next.
These efforts, combined with our ongoing research into sector trends, aim to empower social-impact organizations of all sizes to achieve their missions through a dedicated staff. As we move forward, Idealist remains committed to being a trusted partner throughout the recruitment process.
All data reflected in this report was collected through surveys in Fall 2024.
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