Hampton, Va. — The NonProfit Times has ranked the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) as the Best NonProfit to Work For in the Nation among mid- and large-sized companies. Headquartered in Hampton, Virginia, NIA specializes in research, graduate education, contributing significant advancements in each of these areas in collaboration with NASA’s Langley Research Center and other government organizations, primarily in the aerospace sector.
The NonProfit Times, a leading national business publication for nonprofit managers, partnered with Best Companies Group to identify nonprofit organizations where leaders have excelled in creating quality workplaces. Best Companies Group evaluated each nominated organization’s workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics to determine the rankings. The group analyzed data from a battery of surveys, which included anonymous input from employees, managers and outside vendors.

This past year, NIA particularly excelled in categories of pay and benefits, corporate culture and communications, and role satisfaction with near-perfect scores from its employees on topics such as workplace safety, the organization’s commitment to a diverse and valued workforce, and the quality of employees’ relationships with their direct supervisors. Employees commended the Institute’s efforts to increase communication at all levels to ensure employees had more opportunities to connect, even as the COVID-19 pandemic required increased social distancing. Employees specifically noted a steady and strong sense that their work continued to be meaningful and appreciated the organization’s extra efforts to ensure staff’s health and safety.
“NIA’s leadership has worked hard to ensure meaningful work, benefits, communications and COVID-safe employee events continued without interruption,” remarked Cathy Hopkins, NIA’s Senior Director of Operations. “We are all proud of how the NIA team stepped up to the challenge, remained productive and quickly adapted to a new work environment throughout the past year.”

“’Our people are our strength’ is not just something that we print and frame on the wall; it’s a core value to NIA,” said NIA’s President and Executive Director, Doug Stanley. “Being recognized as the #1 mid- or large-sized nonprofit to work for in the entire nation is especially meaningful right now because it reflects that strength and the resilience of our staff during unprecedented challenges.”

For more about The Nonprofit Times “Best Nonprofits To Work For” program, visit www.BestNonprofitsToWorkFor.com.