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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Fachliteratur
- Sprache: Englisch
A new edition of the essential guide to nonprofit management
This intensely practical, comprehensive guidebook is for both leaders new to the nonprofit sector looking for a quick primer on all the issues that matter, as well as established veterans looking to understand how all the pieces fit together. Showcasing practical tips and takeaways, this how-to manual and resource guide provides easy to implement solutions for organizations seeking to expand impact and meet mission. Seasoned veterans including Van Jones, Fair Trade founder Paul Rice, Lynne Twist, Kay Sprinkel Grace, Joan Garry, and more share knowledge and useful insights on all aspects of nonprofit management, including:
- Fundraising from individuals, companies, and foundations
- Online fundraising, social networking, and effective use of technology
- Marketing, public relations, and events
- Board and volunteer engagement
- Human resources and career planning
- Lobbying and advocacy
- Legal and financial management
- Leadership and strategic planning
This is essential reading for anyone in the nonprofit sector looking for the latest information in the field.
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Seitenzahl: 965
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019
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Table of Contents
COVER
INTRODUCTION
Lesson One: Self-Promote
Lesson Two: Steal
Lesson Three: Embrace Unlikely Allies
Lesson Four: Do Less
In Conclusion: We Need
You
FOREWORD
ABOUT THE BOOK
Book Overview and Purpose
How to Read This Book – In Search of Maps, Picks and Shovels, and Nuggets
Flow of the Book and Chapter Structure
Formatting
Flow of the Book
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Part One: The Big Picture – What the Field Is All About and Where You Fit In
CHAPTER 1: Nonprofits in the United States
Introduction
What Is a Nonprofit Organization?
Nonprofits in the United States Today
The History of Nonprofits in the US
What's Next: Trends and Implications
Conclusion
Nonprofit History Resource Review
CHAPTER 2: Taking Charge of Your Nonprofit Sector Career
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Conclusion
Career-Building Resource Review
CHAPTER 3: Building Strong Social Movements
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Conclusion
Movement Building Resource Review
Part Two: Managing Organizations and People
CHAPTER 4: Thriving as an Executive Director
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Conclusion
Nonprofit Leadership Resource Review
CHAPTER 5: Strategic Planning: Turning a Dream into Reality
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
The Nonprofit Dashboard
Conclusion
Strategic Planning Resource Review
CHAPTER 6: Nonprofit Partnerships: Collaboration, Alliances, and Strategic Restructuring
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Five Things We Wish We Had Known
Conclusion
Nonprofit Partnerships Resource Review
CHAPTER 7: Risk Management and Insurance
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Conclusion
Risk Management Resource Review
CHAPTER 8: Attracting and Hiring Staff: Acquiring the Best Talent
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Must-Haves in Human Capital Management Strategy
Implementing an Effective Hiring Process
Conclusion
Acquiring Talent Resource Review
CHAPTER 9: How to Promote Diversity and Inclusion
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Integrating Diversity into Your Organization
What I Wish I Knew
A Guide to Making Your Diversity Plan Succeed
Take Charge of Your Education
Definitions and Background
Conclusion
Diversity Resource Review
Part Three: Nonprofit Law and Finance
CHAPTER 10: Nonprofit Law
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Conclusion
Nonprofit Law Resource Review
CHAPTER 11: Nonprofit Advocacy and Lobbying
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Don't Do It Alone!
And Yes, It
Is
Legal!
Conclusion
Lobbying and Advocacy Resource Review
CHAPTER 12: Nonprofit Financial Management
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Expense Dynamics
Conclusion
Financial Management Resource Review
Part Four: Nonprofit Technology and IT
CHAPTER 13: Technology Planning
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Conclusion
Technology Planning Resource Review
CHAPTER 14: The Nonprofit Guide to Web Design
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Growing Your Assets: Traffic and Lists
Conclusion
Website Design Resource Review
CHAPTER 15: Measurement, Evaluation, and Learning Plans
1
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Conclusion
Measurement and Evaluation Resource Review
CHAPTER 16: Constituent Relationship Management
Introduction: What Is Constituent Relationship Management (CRM)?
What Does CRM
Do
?
What Are the Benefits of CRM?
Core Skills and Competencies: Using CRM
Outreach: Measuring Financial and Other Forms of Value
User Adoption
Business Intelligence: Reporting, Analytics … and AI?
Conclusion
CRM Resource Review
Part Five: Fundraising
CHAPTER 17: Fundraising: Knowing When to Do What
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Conclusion: A Noble Calling
Nonprofit Fundraising Resource Review
CHAPTER 18: Individual Donor and Major Gift Strategies: The 80% Solution to Fundraising
Introduction: The Biggest Slice of the Pie
Critical Skills and Competencies
Volunteer and Board Fundraising: Training Makes All the Difference
Conclusion
Individual Donor Resource Review
CHAPTER 19: How to Seek a Grant
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Other Areas of Importance
If I Knew Then
Conclusion
Grant Seeking Resource Review
CHAPTER 20: Online Fundraising
Introduction: The Precision of A NASCAR Pit Crew
Why Online Fundraising Matters
Critical Skills and Competencies
In Focus: Messaging, Website Fundraising, and Email
Conclusion
Online Fundraising Resource Review
CHAPTER 21: Online Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Conclusion
Online Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Resource Review
CHAPTER 22: Cause Marketing 101: Moving Beyond Corporate Sponsorships to Strategic Partnerships
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Conclusion
Cause Marketing Resource Review
CHAPTER 23: Social Enterprise 101: An Overview of Earned Income Strategies
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Conclusion
Social Enterprise Resource Review
Part Six: Marketing and Communications
CHAPTER 24: Nonprofit Marketing: The Why and How of Branding
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
The Benefits of Branding
Get Your Organization Ready for Branding
The Elements of Your Brand
Establish Your Brand Positioning
Conclusion
Nonprofit Marketing Resource Review
CHAPTER 25: Moving Millennials to Act: Strategies and Tactics for Marketing, Fundraising, and Activism
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Reconfiguring Your Nonprofit to Steward a New Type of Donor
Conclusion
Millennial Engagement Resource Review
CHAPTER 26: Using Digital Tools to Tell Your Story
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Conclusion
Storytelling 2.0 Resource Review
CHAPTER 27: Crafting an Effective Newsletter Strategy
Introduction: The Evolution of Nonprofit Newsletters
Critical Skills and Competencies
Conclusion
Nonprofit Newsletter Resource Review
CHAPTER 28: Painless and Effective Event Planning: Let's Get This Party Started!
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Conclusion
Event Planning Resource Review
CHAPTER 29: Public Relations for Nonprofits: Getting Exposure for Your Cause
Introduction
Core Skills and Competencies
Conclusion
Public Relations Resource Review
Part Seven: Boards and Volunteers
CHAPTER 30: Board Governance
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Fundamentals of Working With the Board
Conclusion
Board Governance Resource Review
CHAPTER 31: Getting Your Board to Fundraise
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Key Principles of Board Fundraising
Conclusion
Board Fundraising Resource Review
CHAPTER 32: Volunteer Recruitment
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Conclusion
Volunteer Recruitment Resource Review
CHAPTER 33: Volunteer Engagement and Management
Introduction
Critical Skills and Competencies
Engaging Volunteers Strategically to Meet Your Mission
Creating an Onboarding Process
Ensuring Quality Experiences for Volunteers
Developing and Utilizing Volunteer Leaders
Recognition and Retention
Tracking Volunteer Activity
Skills-Based Volunteering
Conclusion
Volunteer Management Resource Review
CLOSING THOUGHTS
AFTERWORD: WE ALL HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BE SOCIAL PROPHETS
BOOK PARTNERS
Underwriters:
Core Book Partner:
Outreach Partners:
ABOUT THE EDITORS
END NOTES
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CLOSING THOUGHTS
AFTERWORD
NAME INDEX
SUBJECT INDEX
END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT
List of Tables
Chapter 1
Table 1.1: Nonprofit Numbers in the USA
Table 1.2: Types of Tax-Exempt Organizations Under US Tax Law
Table 1.3: Nonprofit Categories: 501(C)(3) Public Charities by Purpose / Activi...
Chapter 5
Table 5.1: The Components of a Dashboard
Chapter 7
Table 7.1: Representative Nonprofit Insurance Claims and Relevant Insurance Cov...
Chapter 8
Table 8.1: Sample Competency Models
Table 8.2: Characteristics of Effective Interview Questions
Table 8.3: Standard Annual Salary Adjustments
Chapter 9
Table 9.1: Sample Nonprofit Diversity Analysis Matrix
Table 9.2: Neighborhood Nonprofit Volunteer Analysis by Age
Chapter 12
Table 12.1: Statement of Activities (Income Statement)
Table 12.2: Statement of Activities – What You Need to Know
Table 12.3: Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet)
Chapter 17
Table 17.1: Identifying What Works
Chapter 25
Table 25.1: Percentage of Millennial Engagement by Actions
Chapter 26
Table 26.1: The Storytelling 2.0 Ladder of Engagement
Chapter 28
Table 28.1: Sample Event Planning Timeline
Chapter 30
Table 30.1: Sample Board Matrix
List of Illustrations
Chapter 4
Figure 4.1: Your Dream Job
Figure 4.2: Your Power Comes From All Around You
Chapter 6
Figure 6.1: The Collaborative Map
Chapter 9
Figure 9.1: When Whites Become a Minority in America
Figure 9.2: Projections of the Older Adult Population: 2020 to 2060
Chapter 12
Figure 12.1: Net Assets on the Balance Sheet
Figure 12.2: Calculating LUNA/Operating Cash Reserves
Chapter 14
Figure 14.1: The Digital Logic Model
Figure 14.2: The Impact Marketing Funnel
Figure 14.3: Conceptualizing Your Website
Figure 14.4: The Steps of a Website Build Project
Chapter 15
Figure 15.1: Sample Theory of Change
Chapter 24
Figure 24.1: Curious Theatre's Brand Architecture
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
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Praise for Nonprofit Management 101
“This intensely practical book does an incredible job of providing readers with all the tools, resources, and best practices needed to be constructive at creating the world we want. From tech, to fundraising, and boards, Nonprofit Management 101 is the leadership hack you've been looking for.”
—Steve Wozniak, Co-founder, Apple, Inc.
“To all those who want to change their world, you now have a how-to operator's manual for the nonprofit sector. This invaluable tool is sure to help you advance your cause and develop your organization – it's a must-read.”
—Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1997); Chair, Nobel Women's Initiative
“Social change isn't possible without the resources needed to fuel its movements, and this book unearths the ideas, best practices, and pitfalls to avoid that provide the boost your cause needs to lift off.”
—Dan Pallotta, Entrepreneur, Author, Human Rights Activist
“Brilliant! This on point, how-to guide for nonprofit leaders and social entrepreneurs fills a needed gap and provides emerging and established leaders with the tips, tools, and insights they need to change the world.”
—Michael Brune, Executive Director, Sierra Club
“Whether you're a newbie looking for a great place to start or a pro wanting a quick reference guide, Nonprofit Management 101 has something good for every nonprofit employee or volunteer.”
—Bill Strathmann, CEO, Network for Good
“The social sector exists to serve; but service is far from easy. Nonprofit Management 101 offers a wide range of tools and perspectives for servant leaders seeking a better world.”
—Jacob Harold, Executive Vice President, Candid and former CEO, GuideStar USA
“Innovative nonprofits continue to play a vital role in building a world that works for everyone, and their leaders will find this guide incredibly insightful, honest and actionable.”
—Jacqueline Novogratz, CEO, Acumen
“Whether you're passionate about advancing equity, sustainability, or any other good cause, this book is a great tool to help you achieve the change you seek in the world.”
—Annie Leonard, Executive Director, Greenpeace USA
“In these troubled times, the work of nonprofits is more important than ever. But sorting through all the available support resources can be daunting. This book does an impressive job of highlighting only the most valuable lessons, tactics, and go-to resources, and is sure to benefit anyone looking to succeed in the nonprofit world.”
—Arianna Huffington, Cofounder and Editor in Chief, The Huffington Post (now owned by AOL)
“Nonprofit Management 101 is a big deal for nonprofit professionals who want to get the job done. If you're new to the nonprofit world, or doing something new, this will really help out.”
—Craig Newmark, Customer Service Representative and Founder, craigslist.org
“If you do one thing to support someone who dreams of building a better world, buy them this book.”
—Van Jones, Host of CNN's “The Van Jones Show” and Cofounder of The Dream Corps and Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
“Nonprofit Management 101 belongs on the desk of every emerging leader – it's chock-full of crucial resources, practical tips, and insights from some of the sector's leading minds.”
—Randi Zuckberberg, Former Director of Marketing, Facebook
“There are a few indispensable tools for budding social entrepreneurs looking to change the world, and in compiling Nonprofit Management 101, Heyman added another gem to that short list. The cast of expert authors and the impressive list of go-to resources provided is sure to serve the cause of any reader.”
—Premal Shah, President, Kiva.org
“Whether your work is in climate change, homelessness, or literacy, there are a basic set of nonprofit management skills and competencies that must be mastered if you are to be effective in your work. Heyman has done a great job bringing all of these into one place, and clearly conveys the most important lessons to be learned across this crucial spectrum.”
—Daniel M. Kammen, member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
“I've been working with young, aspiring nonprofit leaders and social entrepreneurs for years and Nonprofit Management 101 is one of the most practical and robust resources I've seen – a must-read reference for everyone who seeks to build a better world.”
—Professor Nora Silver, Director, Center for Nonprofit & Public Leadership, The Haas School of Business at University of California Berkeley
Our communities and our nation need more people from all backgrounds to step up and lead. Nonprofit Management 101 is an incredible compilation of practical tips and strategies broken down into bite-sized chunks that will be a prized resource for all emerging leaders.
—Paul Schmitz, Former CEO, Public Allies
Nonprofit Management 101
A COMPLETE AND PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR LEADERS AND PROFESSIONALS
SECOND EDITION
Essential Resources, Tools, and Hard-Earned Wisdom from 55 Leading Experts
Edited by
DARIAN RODRIGUEZ HEYMAN and LAILA BRENNER
Copyright © 2019 by Darian Rodriguez Heyman. All rights reserved.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.Published simultaneously in Canada.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750–8400, fax (978) 646–8600, or on the Web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748–6011, fax (201) 748–6008, or online at www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is AvailableISBN 978-1-119-58545-9 (Paperback)ISBN 978-1-119-58552-7 (ePDF)ISBN 978-1-119-58547-3 (ePub)
Cover Design: WileyCover Image: © EtiAmmos/iStockphoto
Tomy beloved son, Rafael, and my incredible wife, Becca. Rafi: You inspire me to make this world a better place for you. And Becca: I feel truly blessed to have found you and to have the chance to share our lives together. I love you both with all my heart. – DRH
To Zavier and Isador who make my world better every day and inspire me to do the same for others. – LB
INTRODUCTION
By Van Jones, Co-Founder, Dream Corps, and Host, CNN's The Van Jones Show
I want to start this book by saying that I've got a message for you – the person reading this who thinks that your nonprofit is simply not going to make it. The reader who believes your cause is too marginal, your vision too big. I want to talk directly to you and ask you to stay the course. Because we need you.
When I started Bay Area Police Watch over 20 years ago, we had $10,000 and a closet as office space, literally. We went from opening up a hotline for survivors of police brutality and police misconduct to running a national organization that won international awards and recognition for our human rights efforts. We stopped jails from being built and got a horrible officer off of the street. And looking back on it, you know how we got there? A series of miracles: unexpected donations the day before we went broke, game-changing victories that propelled us forward after being on the brink of closure. But the only way we were able to get to those miracles was by persisting through a lot of challenges and believing in what we were doing.
We were often broke and sometimes ignorant, but steadfast, passionate, and focused on that dream we had inside ourselves – the same kind of dream you have now – that we could make this world a little more just, a little more equitable.
I can't give you miracles, but what I can offer you is a few of my hard-earned lessons. These seemingly counterintuitive secrets are the four most useful insights I've gathered in my many years fighting and speaking truth to power. One: self-promote. Two: steal. Three: embrace unlikely allies. And four: do less.
Lesson One: Self-Promote
When people accuse me of being a shameless self-promoter, I say no, I'm a proud self-promoter. Because I'm proud of this work, I'm proud of the people doing it, and I'm proud of the fights that we take on. And if we don't tell the stories, share the victories, and broadcast the lessons, then who will?
One of the most important things you can do to advance your mission is to be proud to talk about your work. I call it the Three M's: Mobilization, Media, and Money.
This is tough work, and we know that to make change we have to build a movement, mobilize, and get things done. But too many of us stop there. Then we wonder why the support that we need doesn't come. We get bitter and look at the group over there that has two more dollars than we do, and soon they become the competition we're fighting, rather than focusing on the injustice that started us down this path.
Instead we need to focus on doing good stuff – and here's the important part: getting coverage for it. Which brings us to the second M: media. Write press releases, take photos, interview the people you help on video, and document your work so you can share it with others. When doing the hard work of building stronger communities, we often forget this important step, which is critical for the third M: money. By documenting your work, you can share it with people with resources who can invest in your mission and vision for the world and help make it possible. You need to help people understand the problems you're tackling and offer them a role in the solutions you champion through your nonprofit. Without effective stories and proof of your work, you'll have a hard time raising the funds needed to move it forward.
To truly succeed, you have to be as passionate about talking to people about your work as you are doing it.
Lesson Two: Steal
Steal! No, I don't mean steal money. Steal ideas. Talk to other people who don't work with you. If you go to New York to see your parents, look up the other groups working in a similar area. Go by, say hello. If you can't meet with the executive director, that's good, because if the nonprofit is more than five years old, the executive director likely has no idea what's going on anyway. So, don't even try to meet with the ED. Talk to the program director. Talk to the deputy director. Talk to the receptionist. And steal ideas and brag on the people that you stole the ideas from.
If you go overseas, to Europe or Africa, make sure to go by some of the NGOs in other countries. It's amazing how many problems have already been solved that you are sitting in, stewing in, and suffering through. Our first two years, 100% of all of the paperwork that we used – you know, to check people in and interview them – every single page we stole from a similar project in Los Angeles! And when I say stole, I mean I went down there, I knocked on the door, I said hello, I told ‘em what we were trying to do. They were very friendly. They said, “This is our paperwork. Take it!” I said, “Thank you.” And I got a Bic pen, because we were poor – remember I told you we were broke. I got a Bic pen, and I wrote on the top of it, “Bay Area Police Watch,” and we photocopied that thing and used it for two years. We made sure to recognize their contribution, which left our new friends in LA feeling great, since they could say, “We're now the thought leaders in the field; our model is being replicated.” Am I wrong? So, it's good for them, and I'm not saying anything immoral here.
Lesson Three: Embrace Unlikely Allies
If you're going to make a difference for the people who have the least human freedom and dignity – the ones who are trapped in poverty, addiction, and a broken criminal justice system – you're going to have to work with people who don't look like you, who don't love like you, who don't pray like you.
If you erase most of society from your list of allies, you're left with you and your housemate, and that's not going to work if you want to change the world! You need power, strength, and leverage, and that comes with numbers.
If you want to make true progress, you have to work across all lines – class, gender, religion, race, politics, and more. And let it be known from the beginning that you will work with or against anybody to accomplish your vision and solve the problem you're working on.
In my criminal justice and prison reform work, I said very clearly: I will work with or against any Democrat or Republican to get people out of prison, and that's my stand.
The fight for human dignity and freedom for those at the very bottom of society is not a “progressive versus conservative” fight. It is not a “right versus left” fight. This is a right versus wrong fight. I've never seen a bird fly with only a left wing, and I've never seen a bird fly with only a right wing. The two sides will fight and disagree on many things. But to help the truly disadvantaged, both sides have a duty to come together.
At the core of conservative movement is the belief in liberty and the fight for individual rights and limited government. At the core of the progressive movement is the belief in justice and the fight to ensure that the most vulnerable among us aren't run over by the most powerful. These two beliefs are what make our nation so great. We cannot have a successful society without both. If you have justice without liberty, you have totalitarianism and a government that takes away your rights. If you have liberty in a free market without social justice, you end up with poverty, pollution, and corporate domination. That is why our kids recite a pledge that ends with “Liberty and justice for all” each morning. That is the genius of the American experiment – those two opposite concepts, working together. As much as we work against each other, at the end of the day we still need each other.
That's why – as a strong progressive – I went ahead and worked with the Trump administration on three things: the opioid crisis, the creation of Opportunity Zones, and prison reform. I fought Trump on 97 other issues, but on those three I was willing to set our differences aside. My decision to do that made some progressives very angry. Their dismay and outrage hurt my feelings, but I had to do what I thought was right.
Folks say you have to make friends, but don't forget that you also have to be willing to lose friends, too. You have to believe in your calling enough to let go of people's hands when those hands are holding you back from what's right. There have been times where I had to break away from my pack, break away from the people I loved and cared about most. Like when I challenged both the mainstream environmental movement and the traditional racial justice movement to come together under new slogans – like “green jobs not jails” and “green for all.” People on both sides thought I was crazy. The urban activists couldn't understand why I was talking about climate change and polar bears. The green crowd liked my environmental message but couldn't understand why I kept talking about people in prison. I said, “We don't have any throwaway resources or species. And we don't have any throwaway neighborhoods or children. It's all precious. Let's work together to create urban jobs in green industries.” A lot of my urban friends didn't get it, and they walked away. But my stand helped to catalyze and grow the movement for green jobs. That led to $80 billion moving to green and clean solutions under President Obama.
There was another time when the NAACP, 100 civil rights and civil liberties groups, and even civil rights hero US Rep. John Lewis denounced the First Step Act, a criminal justice reform bill that I was pushing hard to pass. I had to tell them they were wrong and carry on with what I believed was right. I am proud to say that our bill passed both the US House and Senate by a landslide, and Trump signed it. Now thousands of people are coming home from the federal prisons who would otherwise have been stuck there for years or decades.
The messy truth is that you don't just need to love yourself. You need to love yourself enough to know when it is time to walk beyond the folks who have walked with you in the past. You have to know when to put your own calling first – which requires loving and trusting yourself on a really deep level.
Lesson Four: Do Less
When I first came into this movement, we named our nonprofit after Civil Rights heroine Ms. Ella Jo Baker, who once said: “Until the killing of black men, black mothers' sons, becomes as important to the rest of the country as the killing of a white mother's son, we who believe in freedom cannot rest until this happens.”
This mantra rang loud in my head all throughout my early career, “We who believe in freedom cannot rest. We cannot rest, we cannot rest…” Until I hurt myself. After years of burning the candle at both ends, working around the clock, never taking a break or vacation, never stopping to care for myself because I put the work ahead of everything else – I broke. Physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. I had completely burned out and didn't recognize it. It took me a couple years of counseling, therapy, and self-care before I could return to doing this work at my full strength.
So, I want to say to you clearly now – don't let this happen to you. You have emotional and physical needs that you need to put first. You have to find time to recharge and be your best self, because this work is a lifelong commitment. And if you don't bring your best self to the table, you won't be able to persist and stay the course for the long run. You simply cannot change the world if you don't take care of yourself in the process. We who believe in freedom have to rest. We have to rest.
In Conclusion: We Need You
The words I'd like to leave you with are: we need you. We're facing difficult days in our country and in the world. And we need you – fighting for what is right, devoting your career to making a difference in the nonprofit sector – to revive what is best about the United States and the world.
In our movement, we tend to forget who we are, the legacy that we are carrying out, the shoes that we're standing in, the call that we're answering. Dr. Martin Luther King never gave a speech called, “I Have A Complaint.” He had a dream, and you have dreams. You have big, beautiful dreams. You will not be able to meet them alone. You need friends, you need solidarity, you need partnership, you need a movement. But in difficult periods like the one we are living through, that's when there are opportunities for sheroes and heroes to step forward. And I want you to be the people who in the difficult times stood up for this country, for the just and equitable world we all know is possible, and for the values you hold dear.
It is in that spirit that I encourage you to stay the course, to work across lines – past left and right, past black and white and everything else – to make progress and get back to the very basics of who we are as people. People who stand for something greater than themselves. People who understand that at the end of the day our love, our hope, our faith, our commitment, is stronger than anything standing in our way.
Peace and Love for One Another,
Van
Van Jones is a social entrepreneur and the host of both “The Van Jones Show” and “The Redemption Project” on CNN. He is the founding CEO of the REFORM Alliance, which works for criminal justice reform. He is the founder of the Dream Corps, a nonprofit that works to close prison doors and open doors of opportunity for all. The Dream Corps is the home to world-changing initiatives like #YesWeCode, Green For All, and #cut50. Van has founded and led three other nonprofits engaged in social and environmental justice, including Rebuild The Dream, which promotes innovative policy solutions for the US economy; the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, which promotes economic and criminal justice in California; and Color of Change, an online powerhouse that works for racial equality and fairness. Van is also the author of three New York Times best-selling books: The Green Collar Economy, Rebuild the Dream, and Beyond the Messy Truth: How We Came Apart, How We Come Together. He helped pass the Green Jobs Act in 2007 and worked as the green jobs advisor to the Obama White House in 2009. For his accomplishments, TIME Magazine honored him as one of their “100 Most Influential People in The World” in 2009.
FOREWORD
By Ami Dar, Founder and Executive Director, Idealist.org/Action Without Borders
When Darian told me about this book and asked me to write a Foreword, two thoughts immediately came to mind. The first was, “Really? Another introduction to the sector? Do we really need this?” But then I saw the list of authors that Darian had assembled – many of whom I've known for years – and it was clear that he couldn't have found a better group of people to write this.
The second thought was more of a wish: the wish that when I started Idealist.org in 1995 I could have had this amazing group of people whispering in my ear and stopping me from making some of the bigger mistakes I've made over the years.
So, in thinking about this Foreword I decided that the most useful thing I could do was share some of those mistakes with you and then encourage you to read this book in the hope that you can avoid repeating them.
Here then are my Top Ten Lessons from the past 20+ years:
Focus. Focus! Mission creep is Enemy #1.
Once you know what you want to do, do
that
and nothing else
. Resist temptations, especially from funders who have their own agendas and who can blow you off-course with a sweet-sounding grant. If the grant is not for something you
want
to do, the money is not worth it.
Build a good board, but first decide what “good” means for you. More or less engaged? More or less supportive? More or less meddlesome? The key here is that
serious people who take on a task usually also want the authority to do it well
. And so, you need to decide: Do you want a board that
does
a lot but then also wants a say in how the work is done? Or do you want a board that is more hands-off, but gives you and your staff more freedom?
What you should avoid at all costs is the worst of both worlds: a board that meddles but doesn't help
.
Hire good people. Skilled and smart, of course, but what I really mean is people you
like
. You'll spend long days with this group, so hire kind and interesting people who make you laugh.
When you make a hiring mistake, and you probably will, try to fix it as soon as possible
. There is one test that usually works well. Think about your entire team once in a while, and ask yourself, “If that person resigned, would I be upset, or would I be relieved?” If the answer is that you'd be relieved, you should probably not wait for them to resign.
Learn some accounting.
Money is the fuel on which your organization will run, and you should
always
know your numbers
. Some people start nonprofits as a way of avoiding what they see as the money-centeredness of the corporate world. But the truth is that money is at least as important in our sector as in any other, and you should know enough accounting to always know how your organization is doing.
Use free stuff; there is so much of it now. Blogs, Google Apps, Facebook Pages, Twitter accounts, Salesforce licenses, and much, much more. We run our whole organization on Google Apps, for example, which means that all our email and office software is free, and there is no reason why you should pay for it, either.
Build your network. And I don't mean by “networking,” going to conferences, and exchanging business cards or Facebook connections. What I really mean is to try, wherever possible, to treat people the way you like to be treated. If you do this, over time you'll have a real network of people who will be there when you need them most.
Collaborations, coalitions, alliances, mergers – before jumping in, can you imagine a way out? Working closely with other organizations can be both good and necessary, but
exactly at the point when the collaboration seems most tempting, stop for a moment and see if you can imagine a way out in case things go wrong
. If you can't, and the thought makes you queasy, it might be worth looking at the whole thing again.
Be careful with your time. Fight hyperbolic discounting!
Hyperbolic discounting
is a fancy term for the tendency that many of us have to make choices today that our future self would prefer not to make. For example, someone invites you to attend a conference across the country five months from now. It sounds good, and it's easy to say “yes” at that moment, but when the day arrives and you have to take the trip, you deeply regret that quick “yes.” Most of us do this with all kinds of commitments, but these days, having regretted a “yes” once too often,
I make a conscious effort not to commit to doing anything in the future without trying to imagine myself then
.
Think big! Having said all this, what's the worst thing that could happen if you fail?
Think big and go for it!
Some days will be challenging and frustrating, but if you are doing what you want, they will never be boring. What more can we ask for?
Good luck!
Ami Dar
Ami Dar is the founder and executive director of Idealist.org. Built in 1996 with $3,500, Idealist has become one of the most popular nonprofit resources on the web, with information provided by 100,000 organizations around the world and 70,000 visitors every day. Ami was born in Jerusalem, grew up in Peru and Mexico, and lives in New York.
ABOUT THE BOOK
You don't have to know all the answers, you just need to know where to find them.
—Albert Einstein
Eight years ago, I collected insights and strategies for success from 50 of the nonprofit sector's most accomplished leaders, many of whom I met during my tenure as executive director of Craigslist Foundation. Since then, the world has changed, technology has evolved rapidly, and we thought it was time to update and enhance this operator's manual for social change. When working with old contributors and new, we were heartened to find that many of the lessons documented here almost a decade ago still hold true today.
What follows are tales from the trenches, critical lessons, and practical, tactical do's and don'ts. Think of Nonprofit Management 101 as boot camp in a book. I asked all 55 contributors for this second edition to write from the perspective of “if I knew then what I know now,” with an eye toward offering real-world advice to people in the early stages of their careers and positions in the social benefit sector.
The cast of experts assembled here will guide you through the entire nonprofit management landscape, offering real-world advice, and pointing you in the right direction at every turn.
Book Overview and Purpose
Perhaps the clearest way to describe this book is to explain what it's not. It is not a textbook, written by and for academics. This book is not a how-to or a do-it-yourself manual designed to help you start a new nonprofit, nor is it a book that zeros in on only one nonprofit management discipline like fundraising, marketing, board governance, etc. All of these kinds of books exist many times over, and our intention here is to provide a truly unique contribution to the sector.
So, what is this book, then?
This book is a reference guide for leaders, professionals taking on new responsibilities, and nonprofit practitioners looking for help and inspiration. This book will allow you to benefit from the experience of those who came before you. Also, by covering such a broad spectrum of management issues, our hope is that you will gain a clear sense of the implicit interconnectedness of all the topics addressed in this book. It is not through the mastery of any one of these disciplines that you will lead your cause to success, but rather by cohesively weaving them all together. So, let's talk about how to connect these important dots.
How to Read This Book – In Search of Maps, Picks and Shovels, and Nuggets
When we fail to ask ourselves “What does success look like?” at the beginning of any endeavor, we curtail the power of mindfulness and intention, leading us to react instead of create. So, what does success look like for you as the reader of this book? The best answer lies in an analogy to the forty-niners, those intrepid souls who went West, seeking their fortunes in California during the gold rush. As we all know, most of them didn't strike it rich, but the ones that did all possessed three things: maps, picks and shovels, and nuggets.
Maps
are the
strategic frameworks
needed to plan your approach to your goals. Think of these as the philosophies and paradigms that guide your efforts.
Picks and shovels
, which represent the
tools
you will use on a day-to-day basis to go about your work, are the resources that make your job and life easier.
Nuggets
, the object of your pursuit; the actionable insights or
kernels of wisdom
that allow you to distill a complex idea into its simplest form.
Most books, conferences, and other educational forums focus on relaying maps. How many times have you participated in a workshop, only to be lectured about how to think about a concept or field? Although strategy cannot be discounted, we have learned that as an emerging leader, you will benefit most from the actual tools and resources that help facilitate your daily work. As such, we've ended each chapter with resource lists for those who want to dive deeper into a topic and highlighted actionable insights throughout every chapter. At the same time, nuggets like Kay Sprinkel Grace's “people don't give to you, they give through you” have helped reframe our take on the work, making it easier and more exciting; may they have the same impact on you.
Flow of the Book and Chapter Structure
Our objective is to provide you with easy-to-implement, high-value practices across seven major nonprofit management disciplines: strategy and leadership; operations; law and finance; technology; fundraising; marketing; and board and volunteer management. Each part of the book, which roughly map to these topics, is arranged into several chapters, which represent important elements of that discipline. We recruited leading practitioners to write each chapter with a focus on practical, tactical takeaways and tips for emerging nonprofit leaders and social entrepreneurs.
Part One focuses on the role, history, and significance of our mission-based sector and offers insights around how you can step up within it, not just as a manager but as a leader. Part Two gets into some of the most important strategic considerations and factors that are integral to the success of any nonprofit. How do you get started, how do you plan, and why is it important to seek out opportunities to collaborate? Part Two also covers some of the core operational issues that face nonprofits, including insurance, HR, and tips on how to recruit and lead a diverse, competent staff. Parts Three and Four deal with some of the more specialized areas of nonprofit operations: legal considerations, lobbying and advocacy, finance, and then technology.
Parts Five and Six cover fundraising and marketing, respectively. These sections are squarely focused on spreading the good word and securing the resources and attention needed to make change. Finally, a linchpin of any successful nonprofit, especially one in its early stages, is the strength and engagement of its board and volunteers, which are addressed in Part Seven. The contributors provide tangible insights and strategies for identifying, recruiting, maintaining, and engaging the best quality talent.
Anytime you bring this many leading minds together and you attempt to cover so much ground, a lot of thought needs to be put into ensuring the content is somehow connected. We've done everything possible to allow the contributors to speak in their own voice, but at the same time integrated an overarching structure and common chapter format to increase readability and usefulness.
Each chapter found in this handbook includes the following:
Introduction to the Topic:
No-nonsense background and context to help you appreciate why the content is relevant, including basic concepts in the field and possibly statistics, facts, and trends
Critical Skills and Competencies:
The key things you must know to succeed in the given area, including the concepts, resources, and tactics the authors wish they would have known early on in their careers, with an emphasis on how-to's and practical guidance
Do's and Don'ts:
A synopsis of key points and practical, tactical tips and takeaways, often reiterated in the Critical Skills and Competencies portion of each chapter
Conclusion:
Brief wrap-up and inspiration
Resource Review:
A list of some of the most helpful resources on the topic, including websites, support organizations, books, conferences, newsletters, blogs, reports, FAQs, and more, along with a short description of the value of each
In addition to the standardized components found in every chapter, several also include case studies to success and horror stories from the field, highlighting major pitfalls and tips for success. Others include a range of insets used to share insightful research, tips and tools, and more helpful additions that are all intended to provide you with a better working understanding of the topic.
Formatting
Nonprofit leaders are busy. So, to make your job easier, we've used the following formatting throughout the book to highlight helpful insights:
Bold italics:
Salient, key takeaways and clear directions for action. These are the poignant phrases and sentences you'd typically highlight, so by underscoring these we hope to make the book as useful and efficient as possible by helping the top tips jump off the page, even if you only have a minute to glance at a chapter before that big meeting.
Bold:
Often used for headers like the one just before this list to help clarify when there's a useful list or content that follows.
Italics:
Words and phrases worthy of emphasis, or specialized terms.
Flow of the Book
One final note about this book: feel free to skip around. We've laid out the content in what is hopefully the most logical progression, and we strongly believe that it behooves any nonprofit professional to have at least a cursory, working knowledge of all these areas. With that said, if you're immediate priority is foundation fundraising, then by all means, just flip directly to Chapter Nineteen. If you're fixing to redesign your website, then knock yourself out with Chapter Fourteen. This book can serve you as an encyclopedia or a cookbook, just as it can be read as a novel that takes you on a linear journey to a finale. Ultimately, this book is a tool to help you change the world, so use it however it best suits you. That said, please take the time to explore the Resource Reviews at the end of the chapters most relevant to your work.
In the end, we had to make some hard decisions. Beyond the content and contributors featured, there is no shortage of other topics we could have addressed, nor is there a lack of additional brilliant minds with a lot to share. The filter for deciding what and who made the cut revolved squarely around what we felt would be most useful to leaders and practitioners. These “101” techniques and resources cover the basic building blocks of great nonprofit management. When combined with strong leadership and a bold vision, eureka, you will strike gold!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This publication is the result of the hard work of a large community of dedicated experts, leaders, and organizations, all committed to developing the next generation of nonprofit leaders. Their participation proves that “many hands make light work,” for this book would have taken many years to write on our own, much less even be possible. Our deep gratitude goes to the 55 authors who helped create and update this book.
We'd also like to thank our families, especially our mothers, for teaching us that philanthropy starts in the home. And to our children and spouses, who were gracious with their support and understanding of the long hours on evenings and weekends we invested into this project. Finally, to the rest of our beloved family members: please know the love, support, and understanding that you showered us with since birth have given us the confidence to pursue the lives we lead.
And most of all, we want to acknowledge and thank you, the reader. Thank you for the good work that you do in our beloved communities, for your tireless efforts to build the world we all know is possible. Together we can – and are – building a better tomorrow.
Part OneThe Big Picture – What the Field Is All About and Where You Fit In
What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
—Robert H. Schuller
So, you want to change the world, huh? Well, welcome to the movement – to the “Movement” with a capital “M,” actually. The Movement for peace, for social justice, for sustainability, for the world we all know is possible. There is an infinite amount of work to be done, so we can use all the help we can get, and we need all of you on board giving it your best. All of this begs the question, how can you most effectively channel your passion, your vision, and your time toward a cause that you care about?
Welcome to Nonprofit Management 101: A Complete and Practical Guide forLeaders and Professionals. You've already decided to work in the nonprofit sector, whether you started an organization or joined one. We don't know what kind of nonprofit, how large, how fast it's growing, or how long it's been around, but we do know this: there are a common set of management needs that all nonprofits face. And those are the issues that are addressed in this manual, this handbook.
Before we get into it, let us offer a reality check for those of you talking and thinking about “my cause” or “my community.” You may be in for a rough ride. You see, it's important to realize that all nonprofits, at least in the United States, have the same owner. “Who is that?” you ask. “The board?” “The staff?” “The founder?” “Me?” Well, not quite. Every one of the over 1.5 million registered 501(c)(3)s in this country is owned by…the public. Point being, it's not about “my cause,” it's about the cause. A board of directors is merely a group of people entrusted to represent the public interest – that's why they're sometimes called “trustees.”
So please, please remember who you work for.
We bring this point up at this early juncture because all too often people run out and start a nonprofit or launch a program without taking the time to see who else is out there working on similar issues. The fact is, you owe it to the cause and to the community to do your homework and survey the landscape before you pitch your tent. In fact, we'll take it one step further and say that
