noun

NFP

en-ef-PEE

NFP (noun) means Not-for-profit: an organisation that puts any surplus back into its work instead of distributing it to owners or shareholders. Example: “She left banking to run an NFP that rehouses refugees.”

noun

Not-for-profit: an organisation that puts any surplus back into its work instead of distributing it to owners or shareholders.

"She left banking to run an NFP that rehouses refugees."

"The grant is open to NFPs and registered charities."

Natural family planning: methods of avoiding or achieving pregnancy by tracking the signs of the fertile part of the menstrual cycle, without drugs or devices.

"They used NFP for years before deciding to try for a baby."

"An NFP instructor taught her to chart temperature and cervical mucus."

finance Non-farm payrolls: the monthly United States figure for jobs added outside farming, closely watched by financial markets.

"The dollar jumped after a stronger-than-expected NFP print."

How to Use NFP

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishUsually 'not-for-profit', though it also means natural family planning or the US jobs figure.

When to use it

Which sense applies is decided entirely by context — charity sector, fertility, or currency trading.

Memory tip

Australian and British charity writing favours 'not-for-profit'; American writing usually says 'nonprofit'. They mean the same thing.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

non-profit NGO → CSO

Common pairings

NFP sector NFP organisation NFP method NFP release

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Test yourself on “NFP” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

She left banking to run an _____ that rehouses refugees.

Etymology

An initialism, standing variously for not-for-profit, natural family planning or non-farm payrolls.

Origin: English

Synonyms

View more →

not-for-profit non-profit third sector

Antonyms

for-profit

Related Words

nonprofit NPO

Rhymes for NFP

INFP

See all rhymes for NFP →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an NFP and a charity?

Every registered charity is a not-for-profit, but not every not-for-profit is a charity. Charity status is a legal registration requiring exclusively charitable purposes and public benefit, and it brings tax reliefs that a sports club or trade association organised as an NFP does not receive.

Can a not-for-profit make a profit?

Yes. It can and often should generate a surplus; the defining rule is that the surplus must be reinvested in the organisation's purposes rather than paid out to owners or shareholders. Staff, including senior staff, are still paid normal salaries.

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