Their incorporation is similar to a for-profit business, except that members of the organization or board of directors do not profit from the activity of the corporation. Unlike for-profits, no shares of the corporation are traded and no dividends are paid, hence the non-profit status.

Like government, their goal is not to generate profits for their members, but to provide a means for the public well-being of the citizenry. So do these organizations. The significant difference with government is that those individuals providing direction and oversight are not elected in a by general election, but rather as specified in the organization's bylaws.

Because of the benevolent nature of their work, certain of these organizations may qualify as charitable non-profits and are permitted to allow donors to deduct contributions from their income taxes.

A number of local agencies are actually a partnership between government and a non-profit. For instance, Northwestern Regional Library serves Alleghany and three other counties as the regional library program. It is a non-profit that is funded primarily by the state and county to provide a service that has traditionally be identified with government.

In deference to that traditional governmental identification, the Alleghany Public Library has been listed among the governmental offices. The Alleghany Partnership For Children is a non-profit, similarly responsible to administer state Smart Start funds. However, it is listed here because it lacks that close governmental identification.

The distinction between business and non-profits can be just as blurred.

Alleghany receives utilities services -- telephone and electricity -- from two non-profit membership cooperatives, Skyline Telephone and Blue Ridge Electric, that in other ways function like a typical business.

If you have problems is locating a service or agency because of these distinctions, just use the Search function and restrict your search to eAlleghany.