Grantmaking
Foundations
Have you considered grantmaking foundations for your job search?
Employment at grantmaking foundations grew 73% in the last 4 years, making it the fastest-growing industry in America as of January 1, 2012.
This article will help you decide if you can and should pursue this industry as part of your job search.
The graph on the right is from the BLS.
What are grantmaking foundations?
Grantmaking foundations award grants from trust funds based on a competitive selection process or the preferences of the foundation managers and grantors; or fund a single entity, such as a museum or university. Here are a few examples:
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation www.gatesfoundation.org
- Ford Foundation www.fordfoundation.org
- J. Paul Getty Trust www.getty.edu
To see the top 100 grantmaking foundations by asset size, click here.
There are over 5,000 "grantmaking foundations" (NAICS 813211) nationwide according to the Dunn and Bradstreet database. If you include "Civic and social organizations" (NAICS 813410), the number grows to more than 200,000. We're mentioning this because the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is recognized as the largest "grantmaking foundation," yet they are classified in Dunn and Bradstreet records as a "Civic and social organization."
Using only the two NAICS codes shown above, we found 4,000 foundations and organizations in Dallas-Fort Worth, and 2,500 in Seattle-Tacoma. In other words, there may be plenty of possibilities where you live now.
Do you fit in?
To see the occupations that fit this industry, click here. To see salaries, click here.
Want a job at a grantmaking foundation?
If you've read JobBait, you already know how: Find the decision-maker most likely to hire you and send them your value proposition. To find the decision-maker's name, title and address, watch our video on YouTube. To find the industries you should be targeting, keep reading.
Here's how grantmaking foundations fit into the big picture
If you have not noticed grantmaking before in your job search, it could be because this industry is buried in the "Other Services" sector. Here is a partial breakdown:
| Industry | 4-Year Growth |
Employed Nationwide |
NAICS | |||||||
| Other Services | -1% | 5,442,000 | 81 | |||||||
| - | Repair and maintenance | -7% | 1,156,300 | 811 | ||||||
| - | Personal and laundry services | -3% | 1,277,600 | 812 | ||||||
| - | Membership associations and organizations | 3 % | 3,007,600 | 813 | ||||||
| - | Grantmaking and giving services | 31% | 200,800 | 8132 | ||||||
| - | Grantmaking foundations | 73% | 129,200 | 813211 | ||||||
| - | Voluntary health organizations | -3% | 37,500 | 813212 | ||||||
| - | Other grantmaking and giving services | -13% | 34,100 | 813219 | ||||||
| - | Social advocacy organizations | 14% | 220,100 | 8133 | ||||||
| - | Human rights organizations | 13% | 51,000 | 813311 | ||||||
| - | Environment, conservation, and other | 15% | 169,100 | 813312,9 | ||||||
| - | Civic and social organizations | -4% | 388,600 | 8134 | ||||||
| - | Professional and similar organizations | 3% | 518,400 | 8139 | ||||||
| - | Business associations | -8% | 116,100 | 81391 | ||||||
| - | Professional organizations | 7% | 77,200 | 81392 | ||||||
| - | Labor unions and similar labor organizations | -2% | 128,200 | 81393 | ||||||
| - | Miscellaneous professional and similar | 14% | 196,900 | 81394,981394,9 | ||||||
To see how the "Other Services" sector fits into the national picture, use our Targeting Tools.
The take away
You now know the fastest-growing industry in America ... grantmaking foundations. And you know that growing industries offer much better odds of finding a job. And, you have enough tools to find them on your own right now ... perhaps in your own back yard.
Good luck with your job search.
PS. In case you're wondering, tax preparation was the second fastest-growing industry; and HMO medical centers were third.
