There is a constant struggle that almost all non-profits endure – it’s organizing people. Whether they are rounding up volunteers, reaching out to donors, hiring employees, or putting together a leadership team, non-profits rely on well managed groups of people to enact change. The most effective non-profits are the ones that navigate these challenges without a hitch. Many people complain that non-profits are disorganized and suffer from poor leadership, and that is often true; however, The Open Planning Project, a non-profit itself, is hoping to change that by offering a suite of online tools to help other organizations become better organized.

Organizing People Through Open Software

The Open Planning Project consists of a number of different projects, all of which are web-based. OpenPlans is their flagship project, as it’s “a platform for social activism.” They have used this platform to launch other projects specific to their communities. These include NYCstreets, StreetFilms, Streetsblog, and Streetsblog LA. There is also GeoServer, which is TOPP’s effort at helping to build “a more open, interoperable infrastructure of Geographic Information.” The common theme in all projects that TOPP works on is using open source software to improve the operations of non-profit organizations.

Are Your Plans for After Graduation Still Open?

The Open Planning Project’s Careers page shows that they are hiring new grads for two entry-level positions. They are looking for Recruitment Associates to help them build their team as they look to grow in 2008 and Systems Administrators to help them maintain and build their technical infrastructure. Both jobs are located at TOPP’s office in the West Village of New York City. The descriptions that we linked to are thorough, so go read them for a better sense of what TOPP is looking for. There aren’t currently any software development openings at The Open Planning Project, but the fact that they are focused on open source software and are hiring recruiters makes us think that some new positions may pop up soon.

The Open Planning Project says that they offer new hires competitive salary, great work-life balance, and excellent benefits (health, dental, 401k, 5 weeks of vacation, free lunch). You can apply by e-mailing a cover letter and resume to jobs@openplans.org. Applicants for the Recruiting positions should also include two writing samples.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• The Open Planning Project
• Jobs at TOPP
• About TOPP
• TOPP’s Projects
• OpenPlans.org
• NYCstreets.org
• StreetFilms.org
• GeoServer.org

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We've identified The Open Planning Project as having career opportunities in the following categories:

• all employers
• human resources
• information technology
• New York
• non-profit
• software development

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