Types of Non Profit Organizations

Animal Care

Organizations whose main focus is to care for animals. Such organizations intervene in the lives of animals who would otherwise be subject to abuse and neglect. Examples are Preventing Cruelty to Animals, Animal Rescue, Equestrian Therapy

Arts

Organizations whose main focus is to promote the arts. Activities of such organizations could include developing new work, preserving a cultural art form, advocacy, education, providing grants, and represent any art form. Examples are Arts, Art School, Music School, Performing Arts, Dance, Theatre

Athletics

Organizations whose main focus is to foster amateur athletics. Examples are Booster Club, Amateur Sports

Educational

Organizations whose main focus is to further or facilitate education. This usually includes, but is not limited to literacy programs, school preparation, after school programming, and summer programming. Examples are Parent Teacher Association, Education Foundation,School Foundation, School, Elementary School, Scholarships, Charter School, Scientific Research

Environmental

Organizations whose main focus is preserving the environment. These organizations promote sustainability and preservation in environmental policy and practice. Examples are Alternative Energy, Environmental/Conservation

Family Care

Organizations concerned with the well being of women and children. Women’s and Children’s organizations promote women’s rights through fundraising and advocacy. Childcare, Women’s Issues, Women’s Health, Stopping Violence Against Women

Relief

Organizations whose main focus is to provide aid to disaster stricken communities. Relief organizations work to repair the damage caused by disaster by providing health, food, shelter, water, sanitation, security, and medicine, for example. Examples are Hurricane Relief, Disaster Relief

Religious

Organizations whose main focus is to promote religious and/or spiritual values.Such religious organizations must explicitly be so, and have a faith based agenda. Examples are Spiritual, Church, Ministry

Wellness

Organizations whose main focus is to promote some sort of wellness care. These non profits particularly seek alternatives to “traditional” medicine.Examples are Art Therapy, Medical Care, Therapy and Family Counseling, Alternative Medicine

For more information, visit the non profit FAQs at idealist.org