Non-profits to me are a lot like businesses, you have to find the point of leverage that you can exploit. I've worked with a couple non-profits to develop for-p

Non-profits to me are a lot like businesses, you have to find the point of leverage that you can exploit. I've worked with a couple non-profits to develop for-profit web apps that plays to their strengths and dovetails with their mission statement. It seems like google.org is trying to do this in an even bigger way by working to create self-sustaining non-profits. It's hard work obviously... But a lot of these business people, if you say hey this project has a plan for profitability, then donors will often invest in a project with a higher degree of risk tolerance just because you have a higher mission and its something they can feel good about. My parents have worked in non-profits for a long time and I know how hard it often is-- props for working on something that isn't totally narcissistic! :o)