An NPO is legally allowed to sell goods that are related in some way to its mission or curriculum. A nonprofit can sell raw materials or finished products and target people inside or outside of its constituency. Even the development products that are a result of research conducted by an NPO are lawful options.
Souvenir items, small-ticket impulse items, and gift shop items are commonly found in museums and theaters. Catalogue items are also viable options for an NPO to raise capital.
Some not-for-profits meld their mission and their for-profit goals to obtain a high level of industrial efficiency. For instance, Goodwill Industries works as a vocational educator by hiring disadvantaged community members to sell donated goods that have been refurbished by Goodwill itself. In this way, Goodwill Industries runs a for-profit feeder organization that funds the administration of its programs that assist disadvantaged members of the community. This process allows Goodwill Industries to use a feeder business model to help it accomplish its original nonprofit mission.
