Wanna be cool? Be nice.

Let’s be honest with ourselves for a sec: Nonprofits haven’t always had the greatest rep. Your roommate says you won’t make any money, your boyfriend says you’ll burn out by the time you’re 30, your parents say, “Is this really what we sent you to college for?”

But you know what? Now’s a good time to pull off the stick-your-nose-in-the-air-and-strut-away move because, lucky for us, being nice is hot right now.

The evidence is everywhere. If you’re rich, you’re not cool until you pull a Warren Buffett and give away $40 billion. Or start a (pre-Buffett-gift) $30 billion foundation named for your wife (Melinda) and you (you’ll never guess—Bill). And how many people have you seen walking around INSPI(RED), ADO(RED) or HAMME(RED) in the name of helping fight AIDS in Africa? I don’t know about you, but if you follow the cord from my little white earbuds, you’ll find a PRODUCT (RED) iPod tucked away somewhere. And although I may not have Bono’s crusade to save Africa cranked in my ears, he’s singing about it somewhere.

And then there’s One. The Campaign to Make Poverty History, as it’s subtitled, pioneered making good cool through their sharp marketing and partnership with nearly every celebrity on the planet.

If doing good wasn’t cool, I bet Angelina wouldn’t do it. So why are things looking up for the world of nonprofits and philanthropy? Two pieces of good news:

First, nonprofit salaries are going up. No, it might not put you the richest-people-in-the-world list in the near future, but the gap between salaries in the nonprofit and for-profit world is getting smaller.

And second, the looming pre-30 nonprofit burnout is decreasing, as professionals are finding more ways to change jobs and duties within the industry and their organizations to keep themselves motivated.

Maybe it’s just selfish. Maybe it makes you look good. Maybe it’s easier to sleep at night. Does it really matter?

It’s cool.