Making Nonprofits Work

Making Nonprofits Work PDF Author: Paul C. Light
Publisher: Brookings Institution Press
ISBN: 9780815796497
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 132

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Book Description
The nonprofit sector has never been under greater pressure to prove itself. With missions expanding and funding never more competitive, the sector suffers from a general impression that it is less efficient and more wasteful than its government and private competitors. Its funders, be they governments, charitable foundations, or individual givers, have never seemed so insistent about economy and results, while its clients, be they communities or individuals, have never been more demanding about efficiency and responsiveness. How the nonprofit sector does its work is becoming almost as important to funders and clients as what the sector actually delivers by way of goods and services.The problem is that there is virtually no agreement on just how nonprofits can improve. Unlike the federal government, the nonprofit sector is still at the beginning of its reform journey and its networks of consultants, management associations, and scholars are only beginning to develop the research base to know what reforms might work under what conditions. In Making Nonprofits Work, Paul C. Light charts the current trends of management reform in the nonprofit sector and assesses the climate for reform at the local and national levels. Light examines the four popular philosophies, or "tides," being advocated— scientific management, liberation management, war on waste, and watchful eye—offering examples and caveats from a portfolio of recent experience. Drawing on confidential interviews with leaders in nonprofit management reform, a detailed search of Internet sources, and a survey of state associations of nonprofit organizations, Light's findings suggest that the nonprofit sector has a remarkable opportunity to prevent the excesses and fadism that have dominated reform efforts in government and the private sector. He cautions leaders in the nonprofit sector to recognize the limits of various reform models, to set priorities carefully, and to limit investments of reform energ

Making Nonprofits Work

Making Nonprofits Work PDF Author: Paul C. Light
Publisher: Brookings Institution Press
ISBN: 9780815796497
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 132

Get Book Here

Book Description
The nonprofit sector has never been under greater pressure to prove itself. With missions expanding and funding never more competitive, the sector suffers from a general impression that it is less efficient and more wasteful than its government and private competitors. Its funders, be they governments, charitable foundations, or individual givers, have never seemed so insistent about economy and results, while its clients, be they communities or individuals, have never been more demanding about efficiency and responsiveness. How the nonprofit sector does its work is becoming almost as important to funders and clients as what the sector actually delivers by way of goods and services.The problem is that there is virtually no agreement on just how nonprofits can improve. Unlike the federal government, the nonprofit sector is still at the beginning of its reform journey and its networks of consultants, management associations, and scholars are only beginning to develop the research base to know what reforms might work under what conditions. In Making Nonprofits Work, Paul C. Light charts the current trends of management reform in the nonprofit sector and assesses the climate for reform at the local and national levels. Light examines the four popular philosophies, or "tides," being advocated— scientific management, liberation management, war on waste, and watchful eye—offering examples and caveats from a portfolio of recent experience. Drawing on confidential interviews with leaders in nonprofit management reform, a detailed search of Internet sources, and a survey of state associations of nonprofit organizations, Light's findings suggest that the nonprofit sector has a remarkable opportunity to prevent the excesses and fadism that have dominated reform efforts in government and the private sector. He cautions leaders in the nonprofit sector to recognize the limits of various reform models, to set priorities carefully, and to limit investments of reform energ

Joan Garry's Guide to Nonprofit Leadership

Joan Garry's Guide to Nonprofit Leadership PDF Author: Joan Garry
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119293065
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Book Description
Nonprofit leadership is messy Nonprofits leaders are optimistic by nature. They believe with time, energy, smarts, strategy and sheer will, they can change the world. But as staff or board leader, you know nonprofits present unique challenges. Too many cooks, not enough money, an abundance of passion. It’s enough to make you feel overwhelmed and alone. The people you help need you to be successful. But there are so many obstacles: a micromanaging board that doesn’t understand its true role; insufficient fundraising and donors who make unreasonable demands; unclear and inconsistent messaging and marketing; a leader who’s a star in her sector but a difficult boss… And yet, many nonprofits do thrive. Joan Garry’s Guide to Nonprofit Leadership will show you how to do just that. Funny, honest, intensely actionable, and based on her decades of experience, this is the book Joan Garry wishes she had when she led GLAAD out of a financial crisis in 1997. Joan will teach you how to: Build a powerhouse board Create an impressive and sustainable fundraising program Become seen as a ‘workplace of choice’ Be a compelling public face of your nonprofit This book will renew your passion for your mission and organization, and help you make a bigger difference in the world.

Making the Nonprofit Sector in the United States

Making the Nonprofit Sector in the United States PDF Author: David C. Hammack
Publisher: Indiana University Press
ISBN: 9780253214102
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 508

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Book Description
Now in paperback Making the Nonprofit Sector in the United States A Reader Edited with Introductions by David C. Hammack "Masterfully mining and sifting a four-century historical record, David Hammack has composed an extraordinarily valuable volume: a 'one-stop-shopping' sourcebook on the secular and religious origins and the astonishing growth (and periodic growing pains) of America's nonprofit sector--and the challenges and dilemmas it confronts today." --John Simon, Yale University "It is a delight to see an anthology on nonprofit history done so well." --Barry Karl, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University "This is a volume that everyone concerned about nonprofits--scholar, practitioner, and citizen--will find useful and illuminating." --Peter Dobkin Hall, Program on Non-Profit Organizations Yale Divinity School "A remarkable book." --Robert Putnam, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University "An outstanding and timely collection of essential readings for students, researchers and practitioners, carefully edited and introduced by one of the leading historical authorities on the nonprofit sector." --Roseanne M. Mirabella, Center for Public Service, Seton Hall University Unique among nations, the United States conducts almost all of its formally organized religious activity, as well as many cultural, arts, human service, educational, and research activities, through private nonprofit organizations. This reader explores their history by presenting some of the classic documents in the development of the nonprofit sector along with important interpretations and critiques by recent scholars. David C. Hammack is Hiram C. Haydon Professor of History and Chair of the Committee on Educational Programs of the Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Case Western Reserve University. Philanthropic Studies--Dwight F. Burlingame and David C. Hammack, general editors

Leap of Reason

Leap of Reason PDF Author: Mario Morino
Publisher: Mario Morino
ISBN: 098349200X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 179

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Book Description
Leap of Reason is the product of decades of hard-won insights from philanthropist Mario Morino, McKinsey & Company, and top social-sector innovators. It is intended to spark the critically important conversations that every nonprofit board and leadership team should have in this new era of austerity. The authors make a convincing case that the nation's growing fiscal crisis will force all of us in the social sector to be clearer about our aspirations, more intentional in defining our approaches, more rigorous in gauging our progress, more willing to admit mistakes, more capable of quickly adapting and improving--all with an unrelenting focus on improving lives.

How Nonprofits Work

How Nonprofits Work PDF Author: Grace Budrys
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1442221054
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 243

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Book Description
How Nonprofits Work looks at nonprofit organizations through a sociological lens, identifying characteristics that make some nonprofits successful and characteristics that cause challenges, focusing on nonprofts in the health services sector. The book opens with helpful background information about nonprofit organizations, then shares case studies that take readers more deeply into the challenges and successes of various organizations. Given the trials nonprofits face in the current economic climate, this timely book helps readers move beyond the good intentions in nonprofits to find successful practices.

Working Across Boundaries

Working Across Boundaries PDF Author: Russell M. Linden
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0787967998
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 334

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Book Description
Working Across Boundaries is a practical guide for nonprofit and government professionals who want to learn the techniques and strategies of successful collaboration. Written by Russell M. Linden, one of the most widely recognized experts in organizational change, this no nonsense book shows how to make collaboration work in the real world. It offers practitioners a framework for developing collaborative relationships and shows them how to adopt strategies that have proven to be successful with a wide range of organizations. Filled with in-depth case studies—including a particularly challenging case in which police officers and social workers overcome the inherent differences in their cultures to help abused children—the book clearly shows how organizations have dealt with the hard issues of collaboration. Working Across Boundaries includes Information on how to select potential partners Guidelines for determining what kinds of projects lend themselves to collaboration and which do not Suggestions on how to avoid common pitfalls of collaboration Strategies proven to work consistently The phases most collaborative projects go through The nature of collaborative leadership

Forces for Good

Forces for Good PDF Author: Leslie R. Crutchfield
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118118804
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 469

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Book Description
An updated edition of a groundbreaking book on best practices for nonprofits What makes great nonprofits great? In the original book, authors Crutchfield and McLeod Grant employed a rigorous research methodology derived from for-profit books like Built to Last. They studied 12 nonprofits that have achieved extraordinary levels of impact—from Habitat for Humanity to the Heritage Foundation—and distilled six counterintuitive practices that these organizations use to change the world. Features a new introduction that explores the new context in which nonprofits operate and the consequences for these organizations Includes a new chapter on applying the Six Practices to small, local nonprofits, including some examples of these organizations Contains an update on the 12 organizations featured in the original book—how they have fared, what they've learned, and where they are now in their growth trajectory This book has lessons for all readers interested in creating significant social change, including nonprofit managers, donors, and volunteers.

The Non Nonprofit

The Non Nonprofit PDF Author: Steve Rothschild
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118180224
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 261

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Book Description
A top business leader shares the business principles he used to launch both a top company and a thriving nonprofit Nonprofit leaders know that solving pervasive social problems requires passion and creativity as well as tangible results. The Non Nonprofit shares the same business principles that drive the world's best companies, showing how they can (and should) be applied to the realm of nonprofits. Steve Rothschild personally crossed sectors when he left corporate America to found Twin Cities RISE!, a highly successful poverty reduction program. His honest story, and success and missteps, create an essential roadmap for any social venture looking to prove and boost its impact. Distills essential nonprofit principles such as having a clear and appropriate purpose, creating economic value from social benefit, and establishing mutual accountability Shares successful approaches from innovative organizations such as Grameen Bank, Playworks, Common Ground, Habitat for Humanity, Lumni, Caring Bridge, College Summit and RISE! Draws from the author's success in founding and building Twin Cities RISE!, which trains unemployed Minnesotans for living wage jobs. RISE! serves 1,500 participants each year As insightful as it is inspiring, The Non Nonprofit can help maximize the positive impact of any nonprofit.

Understanding Nonprofit Work

Understanding Nonprofit Work PDF Author: Matthew A. Koschmann
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119431255
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 192

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Book Description
Offers a valuable resource for scholars, teachers, students, and nonprofit practitioners interested in understanding nonprofit work from a communication perspective This sophisticated yet accessible book explores the dynamics of organizational communication in the context of nonprofit work. It delves deeply into the subjects of communication and social construction and develops several key subject areas and issues including leadership, management, and governance; the marketization of nonprofit work; collaboration and organizational partnerships; meaningful labor; and international nonprofit work. Understanding Nonprofit Work: A Communication Perspective is the first resource to bring together the considerable and voluminous amount of communication scholarship and nonprofit research available in academia. Moving beyond the simplistic notion of communication as merely the transmission of information, it instead develops a more insightful approach to nonprofit work based on the concept of communication as social construction, explaining the implications and applications of this distinct communication perspective in ways that will benefit both communication scholars and nonprofit practitioners. Additionally, this book: Brings together a wealth of information in communication theory and nonprofit organizations in a thoughtful, approachable style Demonstrates the application and utility of a communication perspective across several key aspects of nonprofit work Written by two well-known scholars in the field with considerable experience in nonprofit work—teaching, research, volunteering, consulting, and board membership Understanding Nonprofit Work is an ideal book for advanced undergraduate and graduate level students in courses on nonprofit work, or broader classes on organizational communication and public administration that have units on the nonprofit sector. This book is also perfect for nonprofit professionals looking to develop a more sophisticated and insightful approach to their work.

101 Biggest Mistakes Nonprofits Make and How You Can Avoid Them

101 Biggest Mistakes Nonprofits Make and How You Can Avoid Them PDF Author: Andrew Olsen, CFRE
Publisher: Newport One Press
ISBN: 1642375705
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 344

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Book Description
Nonprofits are some of the scrappiest organizations you’ll ever experience. In many respects, they resemble start-ups. Think about it. Small groups (generally) of highly dedicated, focused believers coming together to achieve something greater than they could ever achieve on their own. They’re often cash-strapped, moving faster than their infrastructures can keep up with, and frequently learning and adapting as quickly as they can. The majority of nonprofit staff are able to do so much good with so few resources. The general public has come to expect nonprofits to behave this way. But one thing I’ve noticed is that unlike the corporate sector, there is little in the way of generally accepted “best practices” across the nonprofit sector. This results in organizations that serially make mistakes — often resulting in detrimental impacts to their staff, their donors, their revenue, and ultimately to the achievement of their mission. In 101 Biggest Mistakes Nonprofits Make and How You Can Avoid Them, you’ll hear directly from industry veterans who have over 300 years of combined experience inside nonprofit organizations and leading consulting firms serving nonprofits. They are experts in strategic planning, government relations, leadership, finance and administration, program development, marketing, and philanthropy. Contrary to what the title might suggest, this book is NOT an admonishment of the nonprofit sector and those who make their career within it. Far from it. I know that one of the least-funded areas in the nonprofit sector is staff training and development. That is at the core of what brought me to envision this book, to assemble this group of expert contributors, and to bring this work to market. Everyone makes mistakes, whether you work in the nonprofit sector, the commercial sector, or anywhere in between. In the corporate sector there are entire industries designed to provide coaching and teaching at all levels of an organization, even customized to market niches. These industries help teach leaders how to improve and do their jobs at the highest possible levels. There are also plenty of works outlining best practices in strategy, design, staffing, leadership, management, finance, etc. Roadmaps, if you will, to help corporate executives, leaders, and individual contributors avoid costly mistakes and maximize impact for their customers and businesses. The same can’t yet be said for the nonprofit sector. In this book I’ve compiled the 101 biggest mistakes that cost nonprofits the most, and given you expert recommendations to help you avoid making these mistakes yourself.