Wanted: nonprofit leaders

But it also brings rewards – work that offers more meaning and an opportunity to make a difference for others. Surveys show thousands of Americans are pining for jobs with more meaning and often want second careers to fulfill that desire. The 2005 "New Face of Work" survey found half of all adults between ages 50 and 70 want jobs that help improve the quality of life in their communities.

"There's a pool rich in experience, education, and talent" to draw on, says Marc Freedman, founder of Civic Ventures and author of "Encore: Finding Work that Matters in the Second Half of Life."

Unlike the business world, though, entry points and internal career paths are far from clear. And nonprofits haven't looked to older people to fill leadership posts, he says. "When I see people trying to make this transition, they remind me of folks who used to build TVs from Heathkits: You have to put it together by yourself!"

In the for-profit sector, from 10 to 15 percent of GDP involves business-to-business services – including executive search firms, says Tierney. That kind of infrastructure still has to be built for nonprofits. Only the largest charities can afford executive search services, with most jobs hired through personal networks.

Leaders developed on campus

Some in the nonprofit world are beginning to confront this need head on – either to bring more young people into the field or to aid experienced individuals in making the transition.

Millas's strong start, she says, is due to the program of American Humanics (AH), which she entered her sophomore year in college. AH is a national program offering nonprofit management certification that complements a bachelor's degree. Students complete a core-competency curriculum and at least 300 hours of intensive internships.

Now on 70 campuses across the US, the program has recently averaged "300 to 400 students a year," says Stephen Bauer, head of AH's Initiative for Nonprofit Careers. "But in the scope of jobs needed, it's a drop in the bucket." The goal is to have the program in every state and major metropolitan area.

To deal with broader workforce issues, AH formed a nonprofit sector workforce coalition. Sixty groups are working together on a campaign to promote nonprofit careers and reduce recruitment and retention barriers faced by professionals of color.

Other organizations have begun helping charities and the talent they need find one another. For instance, Idealist.org, a website of Action Without Borders, posts job opportunities in nonprofits in 180 countries. The Chronicle of Philanthropy offers a "regeneration" section on its website about nonprofits seeking talent in the older population.

And Bridgespan has created an initiative – Bridgestar – specifically to help organizations build leadership teams and aid individuals in bridging into nonprofit careers (www.bridgestar.org).

The 'encore society'

According to Mr. Freedman, a few foundations are making "a significant investment in preparing the nonprofit sector to recruit people in the second half of life." But he says what's needed is a transformation in societal perceptions and policies away from the "golden years" of retirement to what people today really want – an "encore society."

"Right now, if you're 60 years old, it's still much easier to sell a lawn mower at Home Depot or coffee at Starbucks" than it is to play a meaningful role in public schools or nonprofits, he says. In his book, Freedman proposes a range of innovations to enable society to take full advantage of the resources of a vital "encore" population.

With the growing nonprofit sector in the throes of change, many see some consolidation ahead. (Millas just went through the merger last month of Points of Light Foundation and the Hands On Network.) They are also optimistic about significant opportunities and abundant talent – if the two can just be brought together.

"This is a thriving, vibrant, entrepreneurial part of our economy – and a lot of people have a lot of passion," Wolff says.

The test will come in how creatively the sector of 1.4 million organizations responds to the leadership challenge.

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