Search

There are no easy solutions to the complexities faced by nonprofit leaders and managers. This textbook addresses the governance, leadership, and management functions of the thousands of organizations in the nonprofit sector that provide an enormous range of services. This thoroughly revised fourth edition of Understanding Nonprofit Organizations does not simply recount and summarize seminal literature; it presents 22 of the most important and informative articles, chapters, and essays written about the workings of nonprofit organizations, alongside 18 case studies that illustrate the complex governing, leading, and managing issues raised in the chapters.The introductions that open each of the sections explore important issues and concepts, provide context, and explain what students should be looking for as they read each of the chapters. Each section introduction has been extensively rewritten or updated to address recent movements and changes in the nonprofit field, including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on all aspects of nonprofit organizations'functions and ability to raise funds, increasing social and political divides within countries and communities, the gains and problems that have arisen with dramatic expansion of social media, and the need for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in our organizations and our society.Understanding Nonprofit Organizations provides a cohesive set of relevant readings for a course on nonprofit organizations and management, and instructors and students will appreciate the original case studies that parallel the major themes presented. The book is also designed for individuals who are hoping or planning to move into paid or voluntary leadership and management positions in nonprofit organizations—as well as for those already involved with nonprofits seeking to improve their skills and understanding of their chosen field.

This book examines the role that community-based educators in violence-affected cities play in advancing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s radical nonviolent vision for racial and social justice.This work argues that nonviolence education can help communities build capacity to disrupt and transform cycles of violence by recognizing that people impacted by violence are effective educators and vital knowledge producers who develop unique insights into racial oppression and other forms of systemic harm. This book focuses on informal education that takes place beyond school walls, a type of education that too often remains invisible and undervalued in both civil society and scholarly research. It draws on thousands of hours of work with the Connecticut Center for Nonviolence (CTCN), a grassroots organization that presents an ideal case study of the implementation of King's core principles of nonviolence in 21st-century urban communities. Stories of educators'life-changing educational encounters, their successes and failures, and their understanding of the six principles of Kingian nonviolence animate the text. Each chapter delves into one of the six principles by introducing the reader to the lives of these educators, providing a rich analysis of how educators teach each principle, and sharing academic resources for thinking more deeply about each principle. Against the backdrop of today's educational system, in which reductive and caricatured treatments of King are often presented within the formal classroom, CTCN's work outside of the classroom takes a fundamentally different approach, connecting King's thinking around nonviolence principles to working for racial justice in cities deeply impacted by violence.This book will be of much interest to students of conflict resolution, race studies, politics and education studies, as well as to practitioners in the field.

The Nature of the Nonprofit Sector is a collection of insightful and influential classic and recent readings on the existence, forms, and functions of the nonprofit sector—the sector that sits between the market and government. The readings encompass a wide variety of perspectives and disciplines and cover everything from Andrew Carnegie's turn-of-the-century philosophy of philanthropy to the most recent writings of current scholars and practitioners. Each of the text's ten parts opens with a framing essay by the editors that provides an overview of the central themes and issues, as well as sometimes competing points of view. The fourth edition of this comprehensive volume includes both new and classic readings, as well as two new sections on the international NGO sector and theories about intersectoral relations. The Nature of the Nonprofit Sector, Fourth Edition is therefore an impressively up-to-date reader designed to provide students of nonprofit and public management with a thorough overview of this growing field.

A look at the benefits and consequences of the rise of community-based organizations in urban developmentWho makes decisions that shape the housing, policies, and social programs in urban neighborhoods? Who, in other words, governs? Constructing Community offers a rich ethnographic portrait of the individuals who implement community development projects in the Fairmount Corridor, one of Boston's poorest areas. Jeremy Levine uncovers a network of nonprofits and philanthropic foundations making governance decisions alongside public officials—a public-private structure that has implications for democratic representation and neighborhood inequality.Levine spent four years following key players in Boston's community development field. While state senators and city councilors are often the public face of new projects, and residents seem empowered through opportunities to participate in public meetings, Levine found a shadow government of nonprofit leaders and philanthropic funders, nonelected neighborhood representatives with their own particular objectives, working behind the scenes. Tying this system together were political performances of “community”—government and nonprofit leaders, all claiming to value the community. Levine provocatively argues that there is no such thing as a singular community voice, meaning any claim of community representation is, by definition, illusory. He shows how community development is as much about constructing the idea of community as it is about the construction of physical buildings in poor neighborhoods.Constructing Community demonstrates how the nonprofit sector has become integral to urban policymaking, and the tensions and trade-offs that emerge when private nonprofits take on the work of public service provision.

With a foreword from Michael Schudson, The Rise of Nonprofit Investigative Journalism in the United States examines the rapid growth, impact and sustainability of not-for-profit investigative reporting and its impact on US democracy and mainstream journalism. The book addresses key questions about the sustainability of foundation funding, the agendas of foundations, and the ethical issues that arise from philanthropically funded journalism. It provides a theoretical framework that enables readers to recognize connections and relationships that the nonprofit accountability journalism sector has with the economic, political and mainstream media fields in the United States.As battered news media struggled to survive the financial crisis of 2007-2009, dozens of investigative and public service reporting startups funded by foundations, billionaires and everyday citizens were launched to scrutinize local, state and national issues. Foundations, donors and many journalists believed there was a crisis for investigative journalism and democracy in the United States. This book challenges this and argues that legacy editors acted to quarantine their investigative teams from newsroom cuts. It also demonstrates how nonprofit journalism transformed aspects of journalistic practice. Through detailed research and practical discussion, it provides a comprehensive study of this increasingly important genre of journalism. The Rise of Nonprofit Investigative Journalism in the United States is an important text for academics and students of journalism, communications theory, media and democracy-related units, as well as journalists worldwide.

Not-for-profit organizations'boards are justifiably passionate about their causes and eager to help their organizations. However, in today's increasingly regulated climate, board members, who come from diverse backgrounds and may have little financial expertise, can feel overwhelmed by the regulations that are their duty to follow. This second edition provides not-for-profit board members and financial managers with the essential fiduciary knowledge and indispensable leadership guidance that they need to meet the challenges of the current not-for-profit environment. This book contains the following: Financial and ethical guidance for real-life situations Practical leadership advice for novice and experienced board members Assistance for not-for-profit managers tasked with governance challenges Tools, checklists, and templates based on common sense management techniques

Philanthropy is a booming business, with hundreds of billions of dollars committed to the social sector each year. Money Well Spent, an award-winning guide on how to structure philanthropy so that it really makes a difference, offers a comprehensive and crucial resource for individual donors, foundations, non-profits, and scholars who focus on and teach others about this realm. Behind every successful grant is a smart strategy. Paul Brest and Hal Harvey draw on the experiences of hundreds of foundations and non-profits to explain how to deliver on every dollar. They present the essential tools to help readers create and test effective plans for achieving demonstrable results. Brest and Harvey tackle thorny issues, such as how to choose among different forms of funding, how to measure progress, and when to abandon a project that isn't working. The second edition accounts for a decade of progress: a rise in impact investing, the advent of pay-for-success programs, the maturation of impact evaluation, and the emergence of a new generation of mega-donors. Today, the notion of results-driven philanthropy is more important than ever. With this book, the social sector has the techniques it needs to deliver on that idea with impact.

FOLLOW YOUR PASSIONServing missions rather than profits, the nonprofit sector employs 11 million people, making it the third largest industry in the United States, and often provides our communities'most fundamental services.Whether your mis­sion is to save puppies, feed children, or preserve history, Start Your Own Nonprofit Organization equips you with the tools you need to start, run and grow your organization. This guide provides mission-driven entrepreneurs like you with the latest industry research and pairs it with advice from real-world nonprofit leaders to teach you how to: Determine if your business idea is nonprofit or for-profit Manage the day-to-day operations and onboard key staff and volunteers that help you achieve goals Write a business plan, mission statement, and grant proposals that gain funding and help grow the organization Manage your finances to the satisfaction of the IRS Integrate the latest technology, apps, and social media strategy to aid in volunteer tracking, donation facilitation, and audience outreach Plus, gain insight and hard-won lessons from nonprofits like the Susan B. Komen Foundation, Prosperity Indiana, the Melanoma International Foundation, and the New Hampshire Center for NonprofitsNo matter what kind of nonprofit you want to start, this guide will turn your hope for change into help for a deserving community—starting now!

By 2025, Americans will likely be donating over half a trillion dollars annually to nonprofit organizations. Those philanthropic gifts will transform significant parts of America's civic sector landscape. Philanthropy is entering an era of unprecedented growth and innovation. Established foundations such as Ford and Rockefeller are doubling down on programs tackling long-simmering problems, including global inequality, less-than-stellar education, and uneven access to health care. Many foundations are engaging in advocacy on controversial issues, exploring venture philanthropy solutions, and experimenting with impact investing. And philanthropists such as Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, New York's high-profile financiers, and Silicon Valley's billionaires are planning to put their wealth to work as never before: Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan recently pledged to donate 99 percent of their Facebook shares during their lifetimes, and nearly 150 others have signed the Giving Pledge to increase dramatically their'giving while living.'In Putting Wealth to Work, Joel L. Fleishman provides expert analysis of contemporary philanthropy, offering invaluable insight for those engaging with and affected by charitable foundations. This is the fascinating and definitive account of philanthropy today, and an indispensable guide to understanding its inner workings, impact, and expansive potential.

Want to end poverty for good? Entrepreneur and Samasource founder Leila Janah has the solution—give work, not aid. “An audacious, inspiring, and practical book. Leila shows how it's possible to build a successful business that lifts people out of poverty—not by giving them money but by giving them work. It's required reading for anyone who's passionate about solving real problems.” —Adam Grant, author of Give and Take and Originals Despite trillions of dollars in Western aid, 2.8 billion people worldwide still struggle in abject poverty. Yet the world's richest countries continue to send money—mostly to governments—targeting the symptoms, rather than the root causes of poverty. We need a better solution. In Give Work, Leila Janah offers a much-needed solution to solving poverty: incentivize everyone from entrepreneurs to big companies to give dignified, steady, fair-wage work to low-income people. Her social business, Samasource, connects people living below the poverty line—on roughly $2 a day—to digital work for major tech companies. To date, the organization has provided over $10 million in direct income to tens of thousands of people the world had written off, dramatically altering the trajectory of entire communities for the better. Janah and her team go into the world's poorest regions—from refugee camps in Kenya to the Mississippi Delta in Arkansas—and train people to do digital work for companies like Google, Walmart, and Microsoft. Janah has tested various Give Work business models in all corners of the world. She shares poignant stories of people who have benefited from Samasource's work, where and why it hasn't worked, and offers a blueprint to fight poverty with an evidence-based, economically sustainable model. We can end extreme poverty in our lifetimes. Give work, and you give the poorest people on the planet a chance at happiness. Give work, and you give people the freedom to choose how to develop their own communities. Give work, and you create infinite possibilities.

This book is a novel and ambitious attempt to map the Muslim American nonprofit sector: its origins, growth and impact on American society. Using theories from the fields of philanthropy, public administration and data gathered from surveys and interviews, the authors make a compelling case for the Muslim American nonprofit sector's key role in America. They argue that in a time when Islamic schools are grossly misunderstood, there is a need to examine them closely, for the landscape of these schools is far more complex than meets the eye. The authors, who are both scholars of philanthropy, examine how identity impacts philanthropy and also the various forces that have shaped the landscape of Muslim American giving in the US. Using a comparative method of analysis, they showcase how this sector has contributed not only to individual communities but also to the country as a whole. National surveys and historical analysis offer data that is rich in insights and offers a compelling narrative of the sector as a whole through its focus on Islamic schools. The authors also critically examine how nonprofit leaders in the community legitimize their own roles and that of their organizations, and offer a compelling and insightful examination of how Muslim American leaders perceive their own role in institution building.This is a must read for anyone seeking to understand this important and growing sector of American society, including nonprofit leaders in the Muslim community, leaders of Islamic schools, nonprofit leaders with interest in private schools, activists, and scholars who study philanthropy and Islamic education.

Nonprofits and Government provides students and practitioners with the first comprehensive, interdisciplinary, research-based inquiry into the collaborative and conflicting relationship between nonprofits and government at all levels: local, national, and international. The contributors—all leading experts—explore how government regulates, facilitates, finances, and oversees nonprofit activities, and how nonprofits, in turn, try to shape the way government serves the public and promotes the civic, religious, and cultural life of the country. Buttressed by rigorous scholarship, a solid grasp of history, and practical ideas, this 360-degree assessment frees discussion of the nonprofit sector's relationship to government from both wishful and insular thinking. The third edition, addresses the tremendous changes that created both opportunities and challenges for nonprofit-government relations over the past ten years, including new audit requirements, tax and regulatory changes, consequences of the Affordable Care Act and the Great Recession, and new nonprofit and philanthropic forms.Contributors include Alan J. Abramson, Elizabeth T. Boris, Erica Broadus, Evelyn Brody, John Casey, Roger Colinvaux, Joseph J. Cordes, Teresa Derrick-Mills, Nathan Dietz, Lewis Faulk, Marion Fremont-Smith, Saunji D. Fyffe, Virginia Hodgkinson, Béatrice Leydier, Cindy M. Lott, Jasmine McGinnis Johnson, Brice McKeever, Susan D. Phillips, Steven Rathgeb Smith, Ellen Steele, C. Eugene Steuerle, Dennis R. Young, and Mary K. Winkler.

A detailed overview of the non-profit realm—what these organizations do, how they work, and how they can fulfill their missions for a better future. Famed for his visionary leadership and creation of The Business Tree,™ Hank Moore has worked with and advised hundreds of non-profit organizations, including charities, educational institutions, public sector entities, associations, and corporate citizenship programs. In Non-Profit Legends you will learn much about this realm, as well as discover a dynamic panorama of humanitarian contributions to society. Board members and CEOs, employees and volunteers, funders and fundraisers—all can find extensive information about: The history of community service • The art of volunteering • Categories of NPOs • Fundraising • Special events • Community relations for corporations, businesses, and organizations • Public service announcements • Strategic planning • Board development • Collaborations, partnering, and joint-venturing • Ethics and governance • Awards and recognition • and more

Social Justice and the Power of Compassion looks at how a single person, or a small organization, working at the grassroots level can make great strides in helping the marginalized and disenfranchised. Marguerite Guzman Bouvard weaves the personal stories of the founders and directors of such organizations as the Polaris Project, MADRE, and the Harpswell Foundation to show how they have dealt with social problems of many kinds that have been invisible for too long. From dealing with climate change to giving housing and giving medical care to the homeless these people and their organizations have created models that have been replicated around the country and successfully given widespread attention to these important issues.

The Nonprofit Almanac, Ninth Edition, completely updated to include the most recent data available,assembles into one compact and well-organized volume an accessible and reader-friendly bible of data on America's extraordinary and rapidly growing civic sector. In many cases, the data cover spans of ten years or more, allowing for a detailed retrospective look at trends in the sector. This edition, celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the Urban Institute's Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy, traces the growth of nonprofits in the post-recession period, providing insights into which subsectors have not fully recovered from the recession and which flourished throughout the period. Other key results include the shifting of revenue streams for nonprofits, as well as post-recession trends in giving and volunteering. New to this edition is a series of analyses on nonprofit growth and finances at the metropolitan level. Building on the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy's two decades of experience in analyzing the size, scope, and performance of the nonprofit field, The Nonprofit Almanac, Ninth Edition, is an invaluable reference for managers of nonprofit organizations, foundations, and corporate social responsibility programs, as well as scholars, teachers, students, and journalists.

Understanding the Social Economy of the United States is a comprehensive introduction to the operation and study of organizations with social goals – public sector nonprofits, civil society organizations, social enterprises, cooperatives and other organizations with a social mission – under the rubric of the social economy.This text is rich in examples and case studies that explain the social economy framework in the context of the United States. The book not only highlights the differences between these organizations and traditional businesses, but also provides applied chapters on organizational development, strategic management and leadership, human resources, finance, and social accounting and accountability in social economy organizations.The perfect introduction to the social economy framework for students of nonprofit management, business, social entrepreneurship, and public policy, Understanding the Social Economy of the United States an invaluable resource for the classroom and for practitioners working in the social economy sector.

Packed with case studies and ripped-from-the-headlines examples, Non-Profit Organizations: Real Issues for Public Administrators introduces critical issues commonly encountered when managing non-profit organizations and gives you the tools to develop policies and procedures to meet the challenges that arise when these issues occur. The authors use

Nonprofit America is one of the least understood segments of national life, yet also one of the most crucial.Author Lester Salamon, who pioneered the empirical study of the nonprofit sector in the United States, provides a wealth of new data to paint a compelling picture of a set of institutions being buffeted by a withering set of challenges, yet still finding ways to survive and prosper. These challenges, however, are posing enormous risks to the historic character and role of nonprofits.Operating in an increasingly competitive environment in which traditional sources of government and philanthropic support are difficult to maintain, nonprofits have turned decisively to the market. In the process, however, they may be losing their raison d'être, sacrificing their most crucial missions, and risking loss of public understanding and support.To remedy this situation, Salamon recommends a'renewal strategy'for the nation's nonprofit sector that begins with a wider articulation and application of the sector's'value proposition'—the attributes that continue to make it deserving of the special privileges and benefits it enjoys. Salamon's pithy and accessible book is perfect for nonprofit boards, leaders of charitable foundations, government officials, and students of the nonprofit sector and of public policy, as well as anyone looking for guidance on how we go about dealing with public problems in America's increasingly collaborative system of governance.

Does nonprofit mean nonpolitical?When the Susan G. Komen foundation pulled funding for Planned Parenthood's breast exam program, the public uproar brought new focus to the high political and economic stakes faced by nonprofit organizations. The missions of 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations, political action committees, and now Super PACs have become blurred as issues of advocacy and political influence have become increasingly entangled.Questions abound: Should a nonprofit advocate for its mission and its constituents with a goal of affecting public policy? What are the limits of such advocacy work? Will such efforts fundamentally jeopardize nonprofit work? What can studies of nonprofit advocacy efforts reveal? Editors Robert J. Pekkanen, Steven Rathgeb Smith, and Yutaka Tsujinaka recognize the urgent need for relevant research and insight into these issues as direct and indirect government services are squeezed by federal cutbacks.Nonprofits and Advocacy defines advocacy and clarifies the differences among advocacy, lobbying, political activity, and education, as well as advocacy measurements. Providing original empirical data and innovative theoretical arguments, this comparative study is organized into two parts. The first part focuses on local and national dimensions of nonprofit advocacy, and the second part looks at organizational politics and strategies. The conclusion considers basic questions about nonprofit advocacy and seeks to draw lessons from research efforts and practice.Providing a critical look at the multidimensional roles and advocacy efforts of nonprofits, this volume will be valued by scholars, students, leaders, and activists—many of whom advocate for the interests of their organizations while delivering services to their organizations'constituents. The research is also relevant for policymakers involved in cross-sector public policy initiatives as they strive to provide more efficient public-private solutions to challenging governance issues.

Meet the challenge of coordinating effective board-staff teamwork!Using specific real-life examples and informed recommendations for board management, The New Board: Changing Issues, Roles and Relationships explains why and how to consider redesigning your board form and practice. The innovations suggested here, from minor adjustments to far-reaching reorganization, can help you find and keep board members, make board functioning more efficient, and help you comply with the new, stricter rules of managed care.The New Board informs the boards and staff of nonprofit residential service agencies about the nature of major contemporary challenges to board functioning. This innovative book offers an unusually diverse collection of contributors, including board members, executive staff, and academics. The resulting diversity of viewpoint produces a satisfying range of theoretical conversation and detailed description of actual practice.The New Board explores all the issues that affect boards in these days of rapid change: variations of board structures the pressures of managed care the increased complexity of service reduced board member availability the challenge of fund raising by modern boards contemporary considerations of legal liability of nonprofit boards The innovative ideas found in The New Board will help you and your nonprofit organization face the changes and challenges of the world of managed care. It is an essential resource for anyone interested in nonprofit organizations: CEOs and executive staff, academics and students in the field of nonprofit management, and board members themselves.

The already vibrant charitable sector in the US is in the midst of a transformation that is altering both the manner in which donations occur and the causes that are supported. Philanthropy in Transition examines the unique role that charitable giving has played in the US, from colonial times to the present. The rising importance of new means of contributing, particularly giving through buying or investing, is considered. These new models of philanthropy have expanded the ways by which ethical consumers or investors can support a cause. Although these innovations represent a revolution in the structure of philanthropy, they introduce significant complexity to the act of giving – donors are far removed from recipients – and this may weaken the impact of contributing. This transformation is also likely to accelerate the rising importance of web-based promotion and fund-raising, as traditional nonprofits compete with social market enterprises and social impact investmentsfor funds.

Whether you want to serve a community need, assist citizens, or advocate for animals—your aspiration is a noble one and likely an ideal mission for a nonprofit organization. The experts at Entrepreneur show you how to turn your desire for change into a successful—and satisfying—business.This indispensable guide helps you determine if your business idea is nonprofit or for-profit, understand and identify their business mission and vision, staff and run a lean operation, select and manage a board of directors, manage finances to the satisfaction of the IRS, find a location and set up shop, master fundraising, use social media and other cost-effective outreach, and manage sustainability and growth. All startup steps are supported by insider knowledge from successful entrepreneurs, dollar-stretching tips, missteps to avoid, resources, and more.

The experts at Entrepreneur provide a two-part guide to success. First, learn how to turn your desire for change into a successful—and satisfying—nonprofit organization. Then, master the fundamentals of business startup including defining your business structure, funding, staffing and more.This kit includes:• Essential industry-specific startup essentials including industry trends, best practices, important resources, possible pitfalls, marketing musts, and more• Entrepreneur Editors'Start Your Own Business, a guide to starting any business and surviving the first three years• Interviews and advice from successful entrepreneurs in the industry• Worksheets, brainstorming sections, and checklists• Entrepreneur's Startup Resource Kit (downloadable)More about Entrepreneur's Startup Resource KitEvery small business is unique. Therefore, it's essential to have tools that are customizable depending on your business's needs. That's why with Entrepreneur is also offering you access to our Startup Resource Kit. Get instant access to thousands of business letters, sales letters, sample documents and more – all at your fingertips!You'll find the following:• The Small Business Legal Toolkit• Sample Business Letters• Sample Sales Letters

Today,'social entrepreneurship'describes a host of new initiatives, and often refers to approaches that are breaking from traditional philanthropic and charitable organizational behavior. Nowhere is this more true than in the United States—where, from 1995–2005, the number of non-profit organizations registered with the IRS grew by 53%. But, what types of change have these social entrepreneurial efforts brought to the world of civil society and philanthropy? What works in today's environment? And, what barriers are these new efforts breaking down as they endeavor to make the world a better place? The Real Problem Solvers brings together leading entrepreneurs, funders, investors, thinkers, and champions in the field to answer these questions from their own, first-person perspectives. Contributors include marquee figures, such as Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, Ashoka Founder Bill Drayton, Jacqueline Novogratz, Founder of the Acumen Fund, and Sally Osberg, CEO of the Skoll Foundation. The core chapters are anchored by an introduction, a conclusion, and question-and-answers sections that weave together the voices of various contributors. In no other book are so many leaders presented side-by-side. Therefore, this is the ideal accessible and personal introduction for students of and newcomers to social entrepreneurship.

Today, America's nonprofit organizations seem caught in a force field, buffeted by four impulses—voluntarism, professionalism, civic activism, and commercialism. Too little attention, however, has been paid to the significant tensions among these impulses. Understanding this force field and the factors shaping its dynamics thus becomes central to understanding the future of particular organizations and of the nonprofit sector as a whole.In this second edition of an immensely successful volume, Lester Salamon and his colleagues offer an overview of the current state of America's nonprofit sector, examining the forces that are shaping its future and identifying the changes that might be needed. The State of Nonprofit America has been completely revised and updated to reflect changing political realities and the punishing economic climate currently battering the nonprofit sector, which faces significant financial challenges during a time when its services are needed more than ever. The result is a comprehensive analysis of a set of institutions that Alexis de Tocqueville recognized to be'more deserving of our attention'than any other part of the American experiment.

A decade ago, Thomas J. Tierney left Bain & Company to cofound The Bridgespan Group, a nonprofit focused on helping donors and nonprofit leaders to develop and execute strategies to accelerate social change. In Give Smart, Tierney pools his hands-on knowledge with Duke professor Joel L. Fleishman's expertise to create a much-needed primer for philanthropists and the nonprofit organizations they support. Drawing from personal experiences, research spanning twentieth- and twenty-first-century philanthropy, contemporary interviews, and Bridgespan's extensive field work, Give Smart presents the definitive guide to engaged philanthropy.

In 2004, Independent Sector, the major trade organization for US nonprofits, convened a panel to recommend actions to strengthen nonprofit governance and ethical standards. The panel's report, some three years in the making, highlighted 33 principles that it recommended nonprofits adopt. The report was overwhelmingly welcomed by the nonprofit sector, but the task of translating principles into practice remains a challenge. In Advancing Nonprofit Stewardship Through Self-Regulation, Christopher Corbett points the way forward for nonprofits by identifying specific strategies for implementing Independent Sector's principles. Corbett shows how organizations can navigate demands for increased accountability and transparency within a setting of integrity and trust. His book is essential reading not only for the leaders of US nonprofits, but also for those in NGOs facing similar challenges around the world.

A number of policy issues have direct or indirect consequences for the nonprofit and charitable sector, including the establishment of a social innovation initiative, changes in the tax treatment of charitable donations, responses to the economic downturn, and health care reform. The nonprofit and charitable sector represents a significant portion of the U.S. economy. This book provides a formal definition of the nonprofit and charitable sector, its size and scope. Also explored are how charities are funded and an overview of the charitable sector's relationship with government and policy considerations.

How can today′s nonprofits demonstrate effective use of funds? How can they motivate employees and volunteers and combat burnout and high turnover? How can they ensure that they are performing in accordance with their mission and purpose? Author Stephen J. Gill answers these questions and more in Developing a Learning Culture in Nonprofit Organizations. Filled with practical tips and tools, the book shows students and managers of human services, arts, education, civic, and environmental agencies how to implement a learning culture with individuals, teams, the organization as a whole, and the larger community. Key Features Draws on the author′s more than 25 years of consulting experience Demonstrates how to create a culture of intentional learning that uses reflection and feedback, focuses on successes and failures, and builds a strong organization that motivates employees and volunteers Offers specific, hands-on tools for each level of the organization, from the individual and team to the whole organization and the community Discusses not only the need for a learning culture but also the barriers that may stand in the way Takes a step-by-step approach that facilitates managers′ and students′ understanding and learning Incorporates practical tools that can be used in nonprofit management and in actual field instruction Developing a Learning Culture in Nonprofit Organizations is appropriate for courses in Social Work Evaluation, Public and Nonprofit Management, and Evaluation.

The quasi government, not surprisingly, is a controversial subject. Tosupporters of this trend toward greater reliance upon hybrid organizations, the proper objective of governmental management is to maximize performance and results, however defined. In their view, the private and governmental sectors are alike in their essentials, and thus subject to the same economically derived behavioral norms.They tend to welcome this trend toward greater use of quasi governmental entities. Critics of the quasi government, on the other hand, tend to view hybrid organizations as contributing to a weakened capacity of government to perform its fundamental constitutional duties, and to an erosion in political accountability, acrucial element in democratic governance. They tend to consider the governmental and private sectors as being legally distinct, with relatively little overlap in behavioral norms. Congress is increasingly engaged with the quasi government. The issues run thegamut from enacting legislation to encourage the creation of nonprofit organizations to promote individual national parks, to proposals to strengthen regulation of government-sponsored enterprises such as Fannie Mae, to oversight hearings respecting national security issues at Los Alamos Laboratory. There is nothing modest about the size, scope, and impact of the quasi government. Time will tell whether the emergence of the quasi government is to be viewed as a symptom of decline in our democratic government, or a harbinger of a new, creative management era where the purportedly artificial barriers between the governmental and private sectors are breached as a matter of principle.

Winner of the 2009 Skystone Ryan Prize for Research, Association of Fundraising Professionals Research Council “All outstanding philanthropic successes have one thing in common: They started with a smart strategic plan,” say authors Paul Brest, president of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and Hal Harvey, president of ClimateWorks. Money Well Spent explains how to create and implement a strategy that ensures meaningful results. Components of a smart strategy include: Achieving great clarity about one's philanthropic goals Specifying indicators of success before beginning a project Designing and implementing a plan commensurate with available resources Evidence-based understanding of the world in which the plan will operate Paying careful attention to milestones to determine if you are on the path to success or if midcourse corrections are necessary Drawing on examples from over 100 foundations and non-profits, Money Well Spent gives readers the framework they need to design a smart strategy, addressing such key issues as: Effective use of tools—education, science, direct services, advocacy—that can achieve your objectives. How to choose the forms of funding to achieve stated goals How to measure the impact of grants or programs When to be patient and stick with a winning strategy and when to abandon a strategy that isn't working This is a book for everyone who wants to get the most from a philanthropic dollar: donors, foundations, and non-profits.

This is a no-holds-barred, comprehensive, real-world guide to building political power and successfully lobbying for nonprofits in the 21st century, written by an insider who has been in the trenches as both a lobbyist and a government official.

Praise for Mapping the New World of American Philanthropy Causes and Consequences of the Transfer of Wealth'This book does a wonderful job of guiding the reader through the increasingly changing world of philanthropy. These changes must drive dramatic change in the not-for-profit sector if it is to respond efficiently and effectively. Only then will we be able to maintain the quality of our society.'--Thomas J. Moran, Chairman, President, and CEO of Mutual of America'The Great Wealth Transfer has been a mantra for years for fundraisers and donors alike. What does it really mean? Susan Raymond and Mary Beth Martin bring rigorous analysis and profound insights to the phenomenon in this book, which provides the definitive map for navigating a brave new world of philanthropy.'--Fiona K. Hodgson, Vice President for Leadership Giving, Save the Children The anticipated transfer of wealth between generations--and its practical implications for philanthropy--is the subject of much interest in the nonprofit community. Edited by noted nonprofit experts Susan Raymond and Mary Beth Martin, Mapping the New World of American Philanthropy offers candid, insightful essays that offer an insider's look at every angle of wealth transfer, with contributions by leaders in the field of philanthropy, including: • Marc H. Morial • Preston H. Koster • Steven DiSalvo • Nora Campbell Wood • Rodney W. Nichols With hard-to-find data, graphs, and charts, as well as other practical tools, Mapping the New World of American Philanthropy is your seminal guide to prepare for the coming intergenerational transfer of wealth that will affect your nonprofit and?philanthropy in general. Get practical insights and strategies from the most experienced wealth transfer leaders and practitioners in America.

The philanthropic landscape is changing dramatically as a new generation of wealthy donors seeks to leave its mark on the public sphere. Peter Frumkin reveals in Strategic Giving why these donors could benefit from having a comprehensive plan to guide their giving. And with this thoughtful and timely book, he provides the much-needed framework to understand and develop this kind of philanthropic strategy. After listening for years to scores of individual and institutional funders discuss the challenges of giving wisely, Frumkin argues here that contemporary philanthropy requires a thorough rethinking of its underlying logic. Philanthropy should be seen, he contends, as both a powerful way to meet public needs and a meaningful way to express private beliefs and commitments. He demonstrates that finding a way to simultaneously fulfill both of these functions is crucial to the survival of philanthropy and its potential to support pluralism in society. And he goes on to identify the five essential elements donors must consider when developing a philanthropic strategy—the vehicle through which giving will flow, the way impact will be achieved, the level of engagement and profile sought, the time frame for giving, and the underlying purpose of the gift. Frumkin's point is that donors must understand strategic giving as the integration of these five critical dimensions to giving. Essential reading for donors, researchers, and anyone involved with the world of philanthropy, Strategic Giving provides a new basis for understanding philanthropic effectiveness and a promising new way for philanthropy to achieve the legitimacy that has at times eluded it.

While the number of think tanks active in American politics has more than quadrupled since the 1970s, their influence has not expanded proportionally. Instead, the known ideological proclivities of many, especially newer think tanks with their aggressive efforts to obtain high profiles, have come to undermine the credibility with which experts and expertise are generally viewed by public officials. This book explains this paradox. The analysis is based on 135 in-depth interviews with officials at think tanks and those in the policy making and funding organizations that draw upon and support their work. The book reports on results from a survey of congressional staff and journalists and detailed case studies of the role of experts in health care and telecommunications reform debates in the 1990s and tax reduction in 2001.

From Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO)--a community of grantmakers dedicated to building strong organizations--comes a guide to promising practices in capacity building. Written for leaders of both grantmaking and nonprofit organizations who are dedicated to improving the sector's effectiveness, Funding Effectiveness offers a compelling collection of essays from many of the most highly regarded practitioners in the field. Throughout the book these experts share their personal and their organizations'lessons learned in the area of organizational effectiveness, and they offer practical suggestions and action steps for implementation.

Managing Risk in Nonprofit Organizations explains and defines risk management, especially as it applies to nonprofits. It provides comprehensive guidance on such topics as identifying risk, prioritising risk, selecting appropriate risk management techniques, implementing risk management techniques, monitoring risk management, and financing. • Includes diagrams of the risk management cycle and dimensions of risk graphic • The nature of these unique risks and the special challenges facing a nonprofit that embarks on a risk management program will also be addressed. • Written by two leaders at the Nonprofit Risk Management Center, a management assistance organization that provides informational resources, technical assistance, and training to an estimated 20,000 nonprofits annually

'Published in collaboration with the Aspen Institute'

Nonprofit organizations are playing an increasingly important role in delivering basic government services. Yet they are discouraged by federal law from participating in legislative lobbying efforts—even on issues that affect their clients directly. Without the involvement of nonprofits in the governmental process, the vulnerable populations they serve are left without effective representation in the political system. A Voice for Nonprofits analyzes the effect of government restrictions on the participation of nonprofits in the policymaking process and suggests ways to address the problems. The relationship between nonprofits and the government is ideal in many respects, according to Jeffrey M. Berry and David F. Arons. By underwriting operating budgets and subcontracting the administration of programs to nonprofits, governments at all levels are able to take advantage of nonprofits'dedication, imagination, and private fund-raising skills. However, as nonprofits assume greater responsibility for delivering services traditionally provided by government, that responsibility is not matched by a congruous increase in policy influence. Berry and Arons believe the lobbying restrictions should be eased so that nonprofits may become more involved in public policymaking. Their recommendations are designed to ensure that nonprofit organizations—and the constituencies they serve—are effectively represented in the American political system.

A Brookings Institution Press and the Aspen Institute publicationThe thousands of organizations that comprise America's private nonprofit sector represent a national treasure. Yet serious pressures are altering the playing field on which nonprofits operate, and many are responding in ways that may undermine their popular support. Despite the significance of these developments, little has been done to analyze and interpret them in a clear and understandable way. Lester M. Salamon, a leading authority on the nonprofit sector, has joined forces with more than a dozen other experts and the Aspen Institute to produce this volume, an integrated, authoritative assessment of the state of nonprofit America and the key trends affecting its evolution. The book is organized into three sections. The first summarizes critical trends and issues; the second examines each of the sector's major subsectors (e.g., health, education, social services, arts and culture, international assistance, advocacy); the third focuses on major cross-cutting trends and issues (commercialization, changing government policy, accountability, and demographic and technological imperatives). The Resilient Sector will be updated every two years. It provides a basic sourcebook for sector leaders, the press, public officials, and citizens concerned about the future of America's nonprofit sector and eager to understand the forces affecting it.

From their experience in nonprofit operations and their understanding of the realities of urban politics, the editors of this wide-ranging volume and their contributors dig into issues seldom explored in the literature. They study the role of nonprofits in local governing coalitions, the potential of nonprofits to replace social welfare programs, their efforts to restructure key elements of the local political process, and the unanticipated internal impacts of the changing roles of nonprofit organizations in the urban community. The result is a compelling argument that to understand life in contemporary American cities, we must take into account the expanding role of nonprofit organizations, their response to increased service demands, and their participation in common efforts to direct policy choices.Hula, Jackson-Elmoore, and their panel of scholars, researchers, and close observers of urban policymaking focus on the delivery of social services to illustrate the complex and important set of roles that nonprofits have assumed. As social programs are cut at all levels of government, it is often believed that nonprofits can and should take up the slack and restore at least some portion of the cutbacks in such services. They examine how some nonprofit organizations have taken a proactive stance in this regard by implementing efforts that do not simply react to political and social change, but attempt to initiate and guide it instead. They attempt to change the political environment in which they operate, and the result has been to change the face of local politics in many jurisdictions. Each chapter of their book explores these expanding and emerging roles. Themes and focuses vary, which in turn reflects the variation and complexity within the nonprofit sector itself. At the same time, each chapter presents an emerging political or policy role now being played by today's nonprofits and voluntary associations, and a theoretical context in which such activities and behavior can best be understood. Scholars and advanced students in public administration, economics, and nonprofit management, as well as executive-level nonprofit managers, will find here an important update on what is happening in their special worlds, and the knowledge they need to make sense of it.

This volume explores the world of grassroots organizations and outlines their history while differentiating them from the more familiar paid-staff nonprofit organizations. David Horton Smith, a leading scholar on the nonprofit and voluntary sector, examines the available empirical research on the topic and analyzes the theoretical concepts that have come to define such associations. He affords the reader a complete, detailed description of the nature and characteristics of grassroots organizations, their formation, structure, leadership, life cycle, effectiveness, and their integral role in postmodern societies.

Nonprofit organizations are all around us. Many people send their children to nonprofit day-care centers, schools, and colleges, and their elderly parents to nonprofit nursing homes; when they are ill, they may well go to a nonprofit hospital; they may visit a nonprofit museum, read the magazine of the nonprofit National Geographic Society, donate money to a nonprofit arts organization, watch the nonprofit public television station, exercise at the nonprofit YMCA. Nonprofits surround us, but we rarely think about their role in the economy, or the possibility of their competing unfairly with private enterprise.Burton Weisbrod asks the important questions: What is the rationale for public subsidy of nonprofit organizations? In which sectors of the economy are they of real importance? Why do people contribute money and time to them and why should donations be tax deductible? What motivates managers of nonprofits? Why are these organizations exempt from taxes on income, property, and sales? When the search for revenue brings nonprofits into competition with proprietary firms—as when colleges sell computers or museum gift shops sell books and jewelry—is that desirable?Weisbrod examines the raison d'être for nonprofits. The evidence he assembles shows that nonprofits are particularly useful in situations where consumers have little information on what they are purchasing and must therefore rely on the probity of the seller.Written in a clear, direct style without technicalities, The Nonprofit Economy is addressed to a broad audience, dealing comprehensively with what nonprofits do, how well they do it, how they are financed, and how they interact with private enterprises and government. At the same time, the book presents important new evidence on the size and composition of the nonprofit part of the economy, the relationship between financial sources and outputs, and the different roles of nonprofits and for-profit organizations in the same industries. The Nonprofit Economy will become a basic source for anyone with a serious interest in nonprofit organizations.

Local nonprofit organizations are often small, loosely structured, and democratically governed, and therefore do not fit conveniently into traditional theories of organizational behavior that are rooted in administrative science and bureaucratic structure. Treating community organizations as parts of larger systems--organizational fields or ecologies and communities--this collection of papers presents various perspectives on local nonprofit organizations from the standpoint of organizational theory. The essays draw on an array of methods and theoretical approaches taken from population ecology theories of organizations, laying the foundation for the structural analysis of community organizations.

“Thoughtful essays on the morality, obligations, practice, and virtues of trusteeship.” —ARNOVA NewsIn Entrusted, David H. Smith offers some ideas and raises some issues that may put trusteeship into perspective. The main idea presented in these pages is that trustees should be reflective, that the board should be a community of inquiry, more precisely, a community of interpretation. And, because the trustee's historically and currently important role has been little studied by moralists, philosophers, or theologians, moral issues associated with nonprofit governance have fallen into the cracks. This book serves to suggest the need for academically sophisticated discussions of the moral parameters of trusteeship, studies that will go beyond and improve on this attempt.“Entrusted provides a much-needed contribution to the literature on ethics in the healthcare arena.” —Health Progress“A splendid and invaluable book, one every trustee with an active conscience would want to read and one every trustee with a dormant conscience ought to read.” —Richard Chait, Center for Higher Education Governance and Leadership“[Smith's] contribution breaks some new and difficult ground by helping us to think beyond the routine and mundane dimensions of trusteeship.” —Academe“Essential reading for trustees.” —Ethics“Entrusted should be required reading for trustees of any not-for-profit.” —Advancing Philanthropy

Taking the dichotomy of nonprofit'high culture'and for-profit'popular culture'into consideration, this volume assesses the relationship between social purpose in the arts and industrial organization. DiMaggio brings together some of the best works in several disciplines that focus on the significance of the nonprofit form for our cultural industries, the ways in which nonprofit arts organizations are financed, and the constraints that patterns of funding place on the missions that artists and trustees may wish to pursue. Showing how the production and distribution of art are organized in the United States, the book delineates the differing roles of nonprofit organizations, proprietary firms, and government agencies. In doing so, it brings to the surface some of the special tensions that beset arts management and policy, the way the arts are changing or are likely to change, and the policy alternatives'high culture'faces.

The investor-owned corporation is the conventional form for structuring large-scale enterprise in market economies. But it is not the only one. Even in the United States, noncapitalist firms play a vital role in many sectors. Employee-owned firms have long been prominent in the service professions--law, accounting, investment banking, medicine--and are becoming increasingly important in other industries. The buyout of United Airlines by its employees is the most conspicuous recent instance. Farmer-owned produce cooperatives dominate the market for most basic agricultural commodities. Consumer-owned utilities provide electricity to one out of eight households. Key firms such as MasterCard, Associated Press, and Ace Hardware are service and supply cooperatives owned by local businesses. Occupant-owned condominiums and cooperatives are rapidly displacing investor-owned rental housing. Mutual companies owned by their policyholders sell half of all life insurance and one-quarter of all property and liability insurance. And nonprofit firms, which have no owners at all, account for 90 percent of all nongovernmental schools and colleges, two-thirds of all hospitals, half of all day-care centers, and one-quarter of all nursing homes.Henry Hansmann explores the reasons for this diverse pattern of ownership. He explains why different industries and different national economies exhibit different distributions of ownership forms. The key to the success of a particular form, he shows, depends on the balance between the costs of contracting in the market and the costs of ownership. And he examines how this balance is affected by history and by the legal and regulatory framework within which firms are organized.With noncapitalist firms now playing an expanding role in the former socialist countries of Eastern Europe and Asia as well as in the developed market economies of the West, The Ownership of Enterprise will be an important book for business people, policymakers, and scholars.