The National Police Association + 3 Additional Nonprofits Making a Big Difference

grayscale photo of man in camouflage uniform

Nonprofit organizations are everywhere, but some aren’t as well known as others. In this article, we’re going to explore some popular nonprofits, as well as some of the lesser-known, interesting organizations making a difference in the world.

1. The National Police Association

Law enforcement officers often get a bad rap in the United States – all because some cops choose to act without integrity, morals, or empathy. Some even go as far as perpetrating violence against innocent people and using deadly force unnecessarily. These situations are unfortunate, but they don’t represent law enforcement as a whole. In fact, in every profession, you’ll find people who do questionable and even downright illegal things. However, misconduct hits people harder when it’s perpetrated by the police.

The National Police Association (NPA) is a 501(C)(3) that was created to spearhead a positive shift in society away from the anti-police stance and toward an inclusionary perspective where police are here to help, not harm. As part of their campaign, they write educational articles, run a podcast, have a YouTube channel, and send mail to communities. They also file lawsuits and FOIA requests and often enter into lawsuits as a friend of the court to support those who could be harmed by an adverse outcome.

In a time when political tensions run high, police presence is needed in many areas, but the anti-police rhetoric makes it difficult for them to do their jobs. The NPA works hard to prevent this damaging rhetoric from spreading too far, and works to reinstate a positive perception wherever possible.

2. The Special Olympics

You’ve probably heard of the Special Olympics – they’re one of the most well-known nonprofit organizations in the United States. Founded in 1968, they’ve been on a mission to make athleticism inclusive for people with intellectual disabilities.

Their mission is to “provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community.”

The Special Olympics offers athletes the chance to compete in sports like soccer, gymnastics, tennis, bowling, judo, snowboarding, and more.

3. Code.org

Programming has been a big hit with younger generations in the last ten years, probably thanks to the ease with which training can be found online. Before the internet, coding was something that only attracted a certain type of person, and wasn’t easily accessible. You had to go to school to learn it or get lucky by obtaining an internship.

Code.org is making programming accessible to students of all ages, and their students have produced more than 272 million projects to date. They offer training programs that teachers can use at any grade level, from elementary to high school.

Their programs are so popular that they have managed to generate funding from Amazon, Coinbase, Google, and even Microsoft.

4. The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a 501(C)(3) that purchases special areas of land to preserve around the world. Their goal is to preserve biodiversity, clean water, and nature. They have more than 400 scientists on staff, more than one million members, and work in 79 countries and territories. Although the groundwork was laid for this organization in 1915, it didn’t become official until 1950 and began expanding internationally in 1970.

To date, they have protected more than 125 million acres of land, and many of their efforts go beyond mere land acquisition. For example, after a decade of work in Colorado, they were able to help establish the Great Sand Dunes – a new national park. They’ve also helped create a sustainable tuna company, helped with controlled burns in various forests, and more.

We need nonprofits in our society

Since most of the world operates on the basis of paid work, it’s hard to find for-profit companies that have the time and energy to invest in activities that truly make a difference in this world. There are some for-profit companies that do help communities, but they’re generally limited by what their shareholders want, and they can’t go too far without losing profits.

That’s why nonprofits are so wonderful. Their staff gets paid fairly, but the company itself isn’t trying to make a profit. The funds raised that exceed expenses are used solely for the nonprofit’s main purposes.

These are just some of the nonprofits making a difference for local communities. If you’re looking for the right nonprofit to invest in, there are many more that can use your support. Keep searching, and you’ll find the right one.