What do we mean by nonprofit?

The terms ‘nonprofit’, non-profit and not-for-profit are used in lots of different ways to describe organisations. For the purposes of our research (particularly our State of the Sector reports), we define nonprofit organisations to include non-governmental organisations, public sector organisations and universities.

More specifically:

  1. NGO (non-governmental organisations)

For UK based organisations:

  • Trust

  • Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation

  • Royal Charter

  • Registered Society

  • PRI/LTD BY GUAR/NSC (Private, limited by guarantee, no share capital)

  • PRI/LBG/NSC (Private, limited by guarantee, no share capital, use of 'limited' exemption)

  • Constitution

  • Community Interest Company

  • Charitable Incorporated Organisation (in England or Wales).

For non-UK based organisations:

  • NGO (non-UK validated non-government or commercial entity with social mission) Trusts, charities, social enterprises, charitable incorporated organisations, constituted non-governmental organisations with a social mission.

2. Public sector – local, regional, national government, education, health

  • Public Sector (government entity)

  • Academy Trust (a type of public education provider in England)

3. University

  • Universities


What’s the state of data maturity in the nonprofit sector?

Every year we analyse data from hundreds of new users of our Data Maturity Assessment tool to see what it tells us about the current state of data maturity in the not-for-profit sector.

Assess your own organisation’s data maturity

Why not assess your own organisation’s data maturity using our free online assessment tool?