dealing with a newly crowned boss (employee, non-profit, fundraising, unemployment)

[blazejen]

I just started a 20 hr/wk position with a nonrpofit. I am the first paid employee, and my pay was funded by a local nonprofit organization. It's a one year contract with a set amount of funding. The founder of the organization is an employee of another local nonprofit and comes in every day to coordinate the volunteers, etc.

Here's the thing - I started a week ago. When I initially spoke to her about the position (she was referred to me by the other organization), she said I would have flexibility and could work in the evening, etc. and could work from home, etc. This really made sense to me, seeing as how I've been a consultant for a while. Then she said that the amount of the grant they had received was $25k which was delegated to the salary of the grant writer they were hiring, whose main purpose would be grant writing - to establish a salary for her in years to come - and to help the nonprofit expand. Then she told me they had to buy a computer and she was going to see if that could come out of the grant funding, too, and then she'd let me know what the pay would be. Anyway, I thought this was kind of funny, but was just an indication of her lack of sophistication and I really wasn't that worried about it coming out of the end amount I would be paid. I suggested I work as an indepdent contractor, which would prevent them from having to pay unemployment, worker's comp, etc. and I could get paid more overall, because I can deduct business expenses, etc. And, at the time, this fit the flexibility she was saying I would have.

Anyway, here's the thing: I understand my role to be grant-writing. However, she said that during the first couple of weeks I would be doing some admin work. The donations they have were jotted down in a notebook, so i would need to send out some response letters, develop a database of donors, etc. and send out some fundraising letters. That's no problem! I had been on the job for 16 hours and she walked in and asked if I had started writing the grants!

However, I came in on Monday and had a note that she wanted to know what hours I would be working there and she had decided she would be more comfortable if i did my work there, on-site. Which is an awful work environment. From 9 to 1, it's a cafeteria and the office is surrounded by curtains. So I don't want to work when there are a lot of people there, which is fine, but to make the hours there, I would have to be there in the morning.

Anyway, I'm just not sure how to handle the situation. It actually takes hours and hours of prep to start writing a grant and hours of research to find the most appopriate opportunities. To date, she has hovered over my shoulder while I wrote, wanting to change grammatically correct lines in letters to make them grammatically incorrect. She has changed the work environment, has no outline of what she wants to accomplish, now wants set hours that I will be there. I know the set hours does not seem unreasonable, but I'm working the equivalent of 3 part-time jobs and if she had wanted set hours, it would have been a lot easier to have known up front!

Finally, there is the issue of being an independent contractor vs. a part-time employee. If an employer controls the hours and the way the work is performed, technically their worker is an employee. Anyway, I'm not sure how to approach it except to go ahead and set 2 days a week to go in, regardless of noise and even though I know the efficiency and quality wouldn't be as good, and get an outline of the objectives of my position so I can know if I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing.

It's just really frustrating to work with someone who has never had an employee before. The expectations change each day and they're totally unclear. I know I now feel that she doesn't trust me to do my job, which makes me feel stifled and I don't know that I can even do a good job in that context. It's just awkward and my efforts at helping are perceived as threatening, I think!

[charolastra00]

Welcome to the world of nonprofits. I don't have any words of wisdom, but I experienced the same thing at a very small nonprofit working as an unpaid intern. I love the work that nonprofits do but I hate the scatterbrained organization that seems to plague so many of them.

[subsound]

That's a problem with a new boss and non profits unfortunately (not really limited to that though). It takes at least a year for a new manager to get their feet even oriented, even if they were masters at each job under their supervision. All you really can do is roll with the insanity, don't put up a big fit about anything (be diplomatic), and let the new manager come to you for things so they are not as overwhelmed.

I've been in the situation a number of times, and all I could do is just think of it as doing my time till the next opportunity I qualified for. It's more important to have a position and bite your tongue then be vindicated and lose it. The experience makes for great stories later as well.

[Alaskapat528]

Do you really need this job? I have worked for non-profits and they can be a bit out of the ordinary. I am familiar with grant writing and what it takes and for you to have to do your research in those circumstances is ridiculous. If it were me and I didn't need the job I'd let her know that I can't work in those surroundings and give her a week's notice or so. Good luck.

[blazejen]

Thanks for the commiserating and suggestions. I do think it has to do with being a new nonprofit and I've worked with and actually love the *spirit* of nonprofits! Alaska, to answer your question, I don't absolutely need the job, but again I do like its purpose and want to see it grow. And who wants to turn away money? Anyway - guess sucking it up and being as diplomatic as possible is the priority!

[Alaskapat528]

Originally Posted by blazejen

Thanks for the commiserating and suggestions. I do think it has to do with being a new nonprofit and I've worked with and actually love the *spirit* of nonprofits! Alaska, to answer your question, I don't absolutely need the job, but again I do like its purpose and want to see it grow. And who wants to turn away money? Anyway - guess sucking it up and being as diplomatic as possible is the priority!

With that attitude I don't think you're going to have too many problems if you can earn the trust of the boss and ignore her nit-picking. Good luck. Keep us posted.

[plaidmom]

Finally, there is the issue of being an independent contractor vs. a part-time employee. If an employer controls the hours and the way the work is performed, technically their worker is an employee.

You need to get that straightened out pronto!!!

Are you W-2 or 1099? If the executive director cannot answer your question you may need to take it to the board of directors.

As a 1099 grant writer you would work using your own space and materials(computer etc), setting your own schedule. You would then have set meetings with the ED and possibly the BOD to review the grant(s) and get feedback/make revisions before the final draft(s) are submitted.

The ED may need to be gently reminded (possibly by the board?) not to violate those rules and regs.