Additional free downloadable resources are in the (1) Staying Alive Initiative Resources sub-section, located in the Nonprofit Capacity-Building Resources section of Resources, (2) in Community Voice, and (3) on the VNR Home page.
Resource Directory for Nonprofit Capacity Building in Los Angeles The sixth edition of this Directory
(June 2009) offers a starting place to identify
individuals and organizations providing
capacity-building services and resources to nonprofit
organizations in Los Angeles County. It provides
information on Consultants, Foundations, Grantseeker Information Centers, Human Resource
Provider Organizations, Information Centers, Management
Support Organizations, Nonprofit Management Higher
Education Programs, Nonprofit Resource Centers in
Surrounding Counties, Technology Resources and Volunteer
Centers. Contact and brief descriptive information
is provided. A free copy may be downloaded from Resource Directory (88KB PDF).
Achieving Diversity Step by Step: A Step by Step to Diversity and Inclusion is a guide for nonprofit organizations, written by Third Sector New England's Diversity & Inclusion Initiative Director Tyra Sidberry and writer Pat Dixon. It provides a step-by-step approach - in seven phases - to achieving diversity and inclusiveness in the nonprofit workplace. To access this guide, go to:
Achieving Diversity Step by Step
Adapting To Change: 22 Structural Strategies for Nonprofits is an online article by Sandy Jacobson and Stephanie Jacobs that examines structural strategies for nonprofits that are dealing with organizational change. When major external change happens, it's important to revisit and, if necessary, revise the nonprofit's mission and approach in order to serve the community in the best way possible. Included is a "real time" resource chart with information and examples of the three main types of structural strategies. To access:
http://www.fieldstonealliance.org/client/tools_you_can_use/05-06-09_structural_strategies.cfm
http://www.fieldstonealliance.org/client/tools_you_can_use/05-06-09_structural_strategies.cfm
Annual State of San Fernando Valley Nonprofit Sector Report A brief report on the nonprofit sector in the Valley is produced each year by VNR. The 2009 report features findings from a recent UCLA Center for Civil Society research study. A free copy is downloaded from 2009 State of San Fernando Valley Nonprofit Sector (28KB PDF).
The Board Chair-Executive Director Relationship: Dynamics that Create Value for Nonprofit Organizations, by Mary Hiland, shows how nurturing the relationship and establishing and sustaining trust between board chairs and executive directors is strategic work essential to organizational effectiveness. The importance of connection, caring and meaning should not be lost in an over-emphasis on more business-like practices and claims of harried busyness. The potential to leverage the board chair-executive director relationship and increase nonprofit organizations' stock of meaningful, productive relationships is great. To access the article go to: http://www.supportcenteronline.org/pdfs/journal-1-2008/board-chair-executive-director-relationship-hiland-scnm-journal08-2.pdf
Bridging Medicine and Management: A Profile of Community Clinic and Health Center Medical Directors in California is a study on California's community clinic leadership, completed by CompassPoint Nonprofit Services and commissioned by the California Primary Care Association, which used a similar research design as the previous study of CEO's to explore issues among Medical Directors. Among Medical Directors, the central issue is preventing turnover and developing the managerial skills of doctors who are bridging medicine and management. To access this study, go to: http://www.compasspoint.org/assets/16_bridgingmedicinemanagemen.pdf
Budget and Finance Tips are offered by Third Sector New England in a selection of articles including Financial Analysis in Turbulent Times, Navigating the New IRS Form 990, Spending Out Grant Budgets, and Keeping Your Nonprofit Strong In A Down Economy.
Building and Sustaining Strong, Engaged Programs by Hildy Gottlieb of Help4Nonprofits, discusses how nonprofits need to focus on building their infrastructure as well as their financing, and can be accessed at:
www.help4nonprofits.com/NP_Fnd_Building_Sustaining_Programs-Pt1.htm
www.help4nonprofits.com/NP_Fnd_Building_Sustaining_Programs-Pt1.htm
Business Planning for Nonprofits: What It Is and Why It Matters is an in-depth article by Kelly Campbell and Betsy Haley of the Bridgespan Group. They explain every step of the business-planning process and give examples of some nonprofits' successful plans, and failures by those nonprofits who neglected to make a written business plan. To access this article go to:
http://www.bridgespan.org/LearningCenter/ResourceDetail.aspx?id=2382
http://www.bridgespan.org/LearningCenter/ResourceDetail.aspx?id=2382
The Case for Learning is a Case for Training: Capacity Building for Individuals Who Comprise Organizations by Jan Masaoka and Ken Goldstein is an article published by Compass Point. Two lines of thinking have recently gained ground in the nonprofit sector which unintentionally contradict each other. The first is a new appreciation for learning organizations and learning communities as essential to high performance organizations. The second is a disparaging attitude towards training: "Training doesn't do anything." One reason for this contradiction may be that the evaluation of training has used the wrong tools. This article addresses the question of supporting learning individuals just as learning communities are supported, and suggests a more complex role for training than is conventionally considered. To access the article: www.compasspoint.org/assets/61_casefortraining.pdf
Coaching Strengthens Nonprofit Leaders and Their Organizations by Carolyn J. Curran is an article addressing key questions about coaching such as: why is there a discrepancy between interest in, and practice of, coaching; what is the difference between coaching and consulting; when is a nonprofit leader ready for coaching; what happens in a coaching session; how can coaching top executives impact a whole organization; and how to pay for coaching. To access the article go to: www.supportcenteronline.org/pdfs/journal-1-2008/coaching-strengthens-nonprofit-leaders-and-their-organizations-curran-scnm-journal08-5.pdf
Communicating Your Organization's Culture to Job Candidates offers nonprofits suggestions for how to help potential new staff understand and fit into an organization's culture as well as do the job. The article can help a nonprofit determine its organizational particular culture, communicate that information to potential employees, develop a job announcement/posting, interview candidates and extend an offer. To access the article: www.guidestar.org/DisplayArticle.do?articleId=1177
Convergence: How Five Trends Will Reshape the Social Sector highlights five key factors that will shape the social sector of the future. Based on extensive review of existing research and in-depth interviews with thought leaders and nonprofit leaders and activists, it explores the trends (Demographic Shifts; Technological Advances; Networks Enabling Work to be Organized in New Ways; Rising Interest in Civic Engagement and Volunteerism; and Blurring of Sector Boundaries) and looks at the ways nonprofits can successfully navigate the changes. The monograph is by La Piana Consulting. To access the report, go to:
http://www.irvine.org/images/stories/pdf/eval/convergencereport.pdf
http://www.irvine.org/images/stories/pdf/eval/convergencereport.pdf
Creative Fundraising for Ensemble Theatres This handout from VNR's January 2009 workshop, done in collaboration with the Network of Ensemble Theatres, offers a wealth of resources on fundraising strategies theatres and other arts nonprofits can use. A free copy may be downloaded from Creative Fundraising (26KB PDF).
Creative Disruption: Nonprofit Sabbaticals Improve Organizational Capacity is a new study by CompassPoint that counters the myth that an executive sabbatical will be a chaotic disruption for a nonprofit, finding instead that the creative disruption of a well-planned sabbatical can be productive for the entire leadership of an organization. To access all or part of this study go to: http://www.compasspoint.org/creativedisruption
Creating Pathways Out of Poverty is a quarterly newsletter produced by United Way of Los Angeles that provides statistics about the homeless and the poor in Los Angeles, as well as success stories, events and information about many of the programs being offered by the agency. To read the current newsletter, go to:
http://www.unitedwayla.org/getinformed/rr/newsletter/Pages/prcnewsletter.aspx
http://www.unitedwayla.org/getinformed/rr/newsletter/Pages/prcnewsletter.aspx
Crossing Borders, Sharing Journeys Lead Writer: Sarah Gleason. Publisher: Fieldstone Alliance. This report outlines seven broad factors found to contribute to effective capacity building with immigrant and refugee lead organizations (IRLOs). Case studies illustrate practices used when working with IRLOs and highlights principles that other capacity builders can apply when working with similar groups. A print copy can be ordered from Fieldstone (cost: $15.00 plus shipping), or a free copy may be downloaded from Crossing Borders, Sharing Journeys (1.5MB PDF).
Cultural Competency: Concepts and Definitions is an information sheet that compares three definitions of cultural competency relevant to capacity building in the nonprofit sector, including the definition generated by the Alliance People of Color Affinity Group. To access the sheet go to:
http://www.allianceonline.org/assets/library/13_cciconceptsanddefinitions.pdf
http://www.allianceonline.org/assets/library/13_cciconceptsanddefinitions.pdf
Deeper Capacity Building for Greater Impact: Designing a Long-term Initiative to Strengthen a Set of Nonprofit Organizations Author: Paul Connolly, 2007. This paper, funded by a grant from the James Irvine Foundation, explains how to design a long-term capacity-building initiative. It is written primarily for funders, including foundations or corporate community involvement departments. The article may be downloaded from Deeper Capacity Building for Greater Impact (2MB PDF).
Delivering on the Promise of Nonprofits is an article by Jeffrey L. Bradach, Thomas J. Tierney and Nan Stone of The Bridgespan Group for the Harvard Business Review. In it they explore four important questions every nonprofit should use to evaluate their performance: Which results will we hold ourselves accountable for? How will we achieve them? What will the results really cost, and how can we fund them? How do we build the organization we need to deliver those results? To read a brief summary in which they explain how one nonprofit used this method to create a successful plan to meet their objectives, and for the link to buy the complete article, go to:
http://www.bridgespan.org/LearningCenter/ResourceDetail.aspx?id=2938.
http://www.bridgespan.org/LearningCenter/ResourceDetail.aspx?id=2938.
Developing Leadership on Boards of Directors by Barbara S. Miller and Jean Bergman is an article from the Journal of Nonprofit Management, published by the Support Center for Nonprofit Management, New York. It summarizes the results of a study of fifteen exemplary nonprofits, and provides insights into how boards can create a culture of leadership and transform themselves into an active, engaged, and knowledgeable team. These changes can help a nonprofit organization anticipate and respond to the myriad challenges in the sector today. To access the article:
http://www.supportcenteronline.org/pdfs/journal-1-2008/developing-leadership-on-boards-of-directors-miller-and-bergman-scnm-journal08-1.pdf (619KB PDF).
http://www.supportcenteronline.org/pdfs/journal-1-2008/developing-leadership-on-boards-of-directors-miller-and-bergman-scnm-journal08-1.pdf (619KB PDF).
The Facebook Philanthropos: How much giving do online contests and networks really generate? Author: Georgia Levenson Keohane. Nonprofits increasingly are using “social
networking” approaches to reach potential donors, and
some have sponsored online contests to draw in
donations. This article from Slate Magazine discusses
how these approaches are created and how well they work.
The article may be read online at: The Facebook Philanthropos.
Fair, Consistent Staff Lay-Offs was the topic of a recent workshop at Third Sector New England. Realizing the personal and organizational disruption that layoffs can wreak, TSNE brought more than a dozen human resource directors, executive directors and consultants together in February 2009 to look at ways to help both nonprofit employees and organizations cope with layoffs. Lyn Freundlich, TSNE's director of human resources and administration, facilitated the discussion. To access a report on findings of this workshop go to: Layoffs Consistent with Mission.
Finding Leaders for America's Nonprofits is a report by the Bridgespan Group that documents how, even at a time when layoffs have put a lot of private sector talent back on the market, good nonprofit leaders are hard to find. The report is based on interviews with 433 executive directors of nonprofits across the country. It reveals a coming leadership crisis for nonprofits and documents the gap of 73,000 unfilled senior leadership vacancies in 2008. To read the full report go to:
www.bridgespan.org/finding-leaders-for-americas-nonprofits.aspx?utm_source=CNM+E-Newsletter&utm_campaign=186db2f519-6-30_2009&utm_medium=email
www.bridgespan.org/finding-leaders-for-americas-nonprofits.aspx?utm_source=CNM+E-Newsletter&utm_campaign=186db2f519-6-30_2009&utm_medium=email
Fostering Effective Relationships among Nonprofit Boards and Executive Directors by Jodie Butler Markey and Dwight V. Denison is a study of nonprofits that identifies key factors contributing to a good board chair-executive director relationship. Those factors include the length of time that the executive director has worked for an organization and the number of hours per week that the executive director communicates with board members. To access the article go to: http://www.supportcenteronline.org/pdfs/journal-1-2008/fostering-effective-relationships-among-nonprofit-boards-and-executive-directors-markey-and-denison-scnm-journal08-3.pdf
Fostering Sustainable Collaborative Relationships is an article by John Vogelsang, Associate Director of the Support Center for Nonprofit Management which was published in the Journal of Nonprofit Management. It presents the experiences nonprofits have with collaboration efforts. To access this article, go to:
http://www.supportcenteronline.org/images/fostering_sustainable_collaborative_relationships.pdf
14 Steps to Developing a Top-Notch Volunteer Program is a guide to building a successful volunteer program by Mary Quirk, Volunteer Resources Leadership Project Manager for the Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration. It presents 14 action steps that can help build or improve its volunteer program, such as gathering ideas and developing a case statement, getting a buy-in from the entire organization, creating an initial program design and developing the resources for a volunteer program. To access: http://www.fieldstonealliance.org/client/tools_you_can_use/02-19-09_start_volunteer_program.cfm
Fundamentals for North Hollywood Based Nonprofit Arts Organizations - Board Governance This handout from VNR's January 2009 workshop, done in collaboration with the Los Angeles Stage Alliance and the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency, focuses on how to develop and operate an effective nonprofit Board of Directors, including the Board's responsibility for fundraising during tough times. A free copy may be downloaded from Fundamentals - Board Governance (20KB PDF).
Fundraising articles have been gathered together by Third Sector New England, including Turning Crisis Into an Opportunity,
Integrating Online and Offline Fundraising, and Tips For Cultivating Donors.
Fundraising Guides for Animal Welfare Nonprofits Presented by ASPCA and PETCO Foundation at an October 2009 VNR workshop, these three publications provide guidance for animal welfare nonprofits in applying for grants from these two funders and others. To download a free copy click on: ASPCA - Tips for Grantseekers (66KB PDF), PETCO Foundation - Applying for Support and ASPCA - Creative Fundraising Strategies for Animal Welfare Agencies.
Good Practices for Nonprofit Board Governance The California State Board of Equalization's 2008 conference for Valley Nonprofits included this session on board governance. The session's handout presents a variety of tips and information resources on how to set up and run a good nonprofit board of directors. A free copy may be downloaded from
Good Practices for Nonprofit Board Governance (19KB PDF).
Hanging Together: Capacity Building and Collaboration in Tough Times Recent research was presented at this presentation to the Glendale Healthier Community Coalition about how to keep collaborations alive and well, including sustainability and evaluation approaches. The session handout also includes a brief presentation of strategies for raising funds in tough times. Each section includes resources for further learning. A free copy may be downloaded from Hanging Together: Capacity Building and Collaboration in Tough Times (16KB PDF).
Human Resources Issues to Consider is a compilation by Third Sector New England of articles dealing with the various topics that can greatly affect the productiveness and survival of nonprofits. Titles include: Fair, Consistent Staff Layoffs, Tips for Working Effectively With Temps, Be a Better, Adaptive Supervisor, and The Future of Nonprofits: and Developing Generation Y. To access these articles, go to:
www.tsne.org/site/c.ghLUK3PCLoF/b.2809187/k.989A/Articles__Staff.htm
www.tsne.org/site/c.ghLUK3PCLoF/b.2809187/k.989A/Articles__Staff.htm
Investing in Nonprofit Mergers and Alliances is a paper written by Bruce Boyd and Reginald Jones, and released through Arabella Philanthropic Investment Advisors. It explores the benefits of strategic collaboration by nonprofits as another means of surviving today's economic crisis. Nonprofit mergers and alliances are a sensitive subject for some. Donors are cautious of the changes and some nonprofit organizations view it as a last-ditch means of survival. However, such concerns shouldn't prevent an organization from investigating the potential benefits of these practices. To access this Brief go to: http://arabellaadvisors.com/images/IB_files/Mergers.pdf.
Is Grantmaking Getting Smarter? presents findings of a survey by Grantmakers for Effective Organizations of executives and staff members of both nonprofits and foundations. Foundations in the study with staff and board members with nonprofit experience were significantly more likely than those without any experience to engage in grantee-friendly practices. To access the full report or a summary of it, go to: www.geofunders.org/getting-smarter.aspx
Latino MFG—Involving Spanish-Speaking Families in Mental Health Services (forthcoming) A manual is being developed for implementing the Multifamily Group (MFG) program, culturally adapted and in Spanish, to involve families in services for an adolescent mentally ill family member. It will be available in 2010, after
pilot testing in public mental health agencies in the San Fernando Valley. A project overview may be downloaded from Latino MFG Project Overview (13KB PDF).
Lessons from the Field: Improving the Grantee Experience at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation This report describes how the Packard Foundation, one of America’s
largest philanthropies, developed and implemented
“Grantee Experience Standards,” a set of criteria for
high-quality interactions and clear communications
between grantmaker and grantee. A free copy may be downloaded from Lessons from the Field (1.4MB PDF).
The M Word: A Board Member's Guide to Mergers: How, Why & Why Not to Merge Nonprofit Organizations by Alfredo Vergara-Lobo, Jan Masaoka & Sabrina L. Smith of CompassPoint is a booklet designed as a practical guide to help nonprofit board members, executives and funders think through a merger. It gives a quick trip through a merger's terrain, and provides a rough guide to expectations, processes and obstacles often encountered in a merger experience. To access the booklet go to:http://www.compasspoint.org/assets/445_mwordfinal2005.pdf
.
Mobilizing Change: 10 Nonprofit Policy Proposals to Strengthen U.S. Communities is the Aspen Institute's compilation of proposals from leading thinkers in the nonprofit sector who are working to address social problems and improve the lives of those in need through improved nonprofit/government policies. The report summarizes each proposal and explains how it would work, who would be affected, and what actions are required to make it happen. To access the report go to:
Mobilizing Change: 10 Nonprofit Policy Proposals to Strengthen U.S. Communities.
MENDing Poverty Conference Newspaper Articles. Feature coverage of the June 18, 2008 MENDing Poverty conference was provided in articles by Susan Abram in the Daily News and by Paula Doyle in The Tidings. Susan Abram also wrote an article about the June 4, 2009 MENDing Poverty conference in the Daily News.
MENDing Poverty Conference Outcomes Reports summarize activities of the June 18, 2008 (18KB PDF) and June 4, 2009 (16KB PDF) conferences, held at MEND and co-hosted by VNR. The 2008 report includes a link to a handout about Millennials and the nonprofit sector from one of the keynote speakers.
Millennial Strategy Program This PowerPoint provides an overview of facts and figures about the emerging Milliennial generation, which have many implications for the nonprofit sector. It was part of a workshop at the June 2008 MENDing Poverty conference, led by Jack MacKenzie, Executive Vice President of Frank N. Magid Associates and head of its Sherman Oaks-based office. A free copy may be downloaded from Millennial Strategy Program (2.7 MB PDF).
New Ways to Strengthen Nonprofits This workshop at the California Association of Nonprofits 2008 Annual Conference focused on cost-effective and creative approaches to capacity building that can help keep nonprofits strong, especially when resources are as limited as they are now. It featured four innovative capacity-building programs, including one sponsored by the Annenberg Foundation, each described briefly in this resource document. A free copy may be downloaded from New Ways to Strengthen Nonprofits (169KB PDF).
Nonprofit Social Networking Report This study report, prepared by the Nonprofit Technology Network, Common Knowledge, and ThePort, gives the results of a survey completed in early 2009 that examined nonprofits' use of social networks. Nearly 1,000 professionals from small, large, and medium size nonprofits participated in the survey. They were asked about their use of commercial social networks, such as Facebook or MySpace, and use of constructed social networks through their websites. Major findings include: (1) use of social networks by nonprofits is popular but community sizes and presence remains small, (2) there is little fundraising and advertising revenue being generated so far from these communities, and (3) a small group of nonprofits have built their own social networks on their websites and membership on them remains small. The study report is available for free download at: http://nonprofitsocialnetworkingsurvey.com
The Nonprofit Starvation Cycle is an article that appeared in the Stanford Social Innovation Review and outlines the "vicious cycle" of under-investment in nonprofit infrastructure, which leads to reduced program effectiveness and, ultimately, the waste of precious resources. The cycle begins with funders' unrealistic expectations about how much it costs to run a nonprofit, continues with nonprofits' desperate attempts to conform to those expectations by under-spending on necessary overhead and under-reporting of expenditures, which then reinforces the unrealistic expectations of funders. And the cycle begins again. To access the article go to:
http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/the_nonprofit_starvation_cycle/?utm_source=CNM+E-Newsletter&utm_campaign=d7dbc0e05b-At_the_Center_October_200910_13_2009&utm_medium=email
http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/the_nonprofit_starvation_cycle/?utm_source=CNM+E-Newsletter&utm_campaign=d7dbc0e05b-At_the_Center_October_200910_13_2009&utm_medium=email
Opportunities for Nonprofits Within Los Angeles Communities of Color is a report published in July 2009 by CompassPoint and the Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training, that is the result of a joint study of nonprofits based in communities of color in Los Angeles (including the San Fernando Valley) to learn about their approaches to income generation, their staffing strategies, successes and challenges. To access the report, go to: www.compasspoint.org/assets/862_faccreportonlanonprofits.pdf.
Panel of Female Leaders in Nonprofit Sector Offer Insightful Tips For Success On January 21, 2009, Third Sector New England and the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network cosponsored a panel of prominent female nonprofit leaders who shared their life experiences and offered tips about how to change the current reality that while women fill nearly 70% of nonprofit staff positions, a majority of senior management positions are held by men. For a summary of the panel, go to: Events - Women and Nonprofit Leadership.
Planning for the Next Generation of Nonprofit Leadership This workshop, co-sponsored by the Valley Care Community Consortium, highlighted challenges of leadership transition faced by Valley health and human service nonprofits. One workshop handout provides information about executive director and board transition management, and about characteristics of young nonprofit staff. A free copy may be downloaded from Planning for the Next Generation Handout 1 (21KB PDF). A second handout is in the form of a PowerPoint, with detailed information on transition challenges and strategies, including a description of "executive transition management," to obtain a free copy by e-mail, contact VNR and request Planning for the Next Generation Handout 2.
A Public Policy Primer: How To Get Off the Sidelines and Into the Game is intended to demystify policymaking and provide the average person with the guidelines, insights, and a "know-how recipe" to be able to help shape local, state and national policy decisions. Written by David C. Hollister, former mayor of Lansing, MI, the book uses his personal experience to illustrate key elements of effective (or ineffective) policymaking. Published by the Institute for Educational Leadership and the Michigan Education Policy Fellowship Program, a PDF is available for free downloading from: www.iel.org/pubs/publicpolicy.pdf
Raising the Bar—Involving Families in Mental Health Services (forthcoming) A set of resource materials is being developed for implementing the Multifamily Group (MFG) program to involve families in services for adult mentally ill family members. These materials will be available in 2009, after implementation in mental health agencies throughout the San Fernando Valley. A free copy may be downloaded from Raising the Bar (13KB PDF).
Ready to Lead? Next Generation Leaders Speak Out is a national study produced in partnership by CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Meyer Foundation and Idealist.org that compiled information from numerous reports (and did original research), revealing that the nonprofit sector is facing large-scale executive turnover and has turned its attention to strengthening its leadership pipeline by focusing on the recruitment, retention and development of next generation of leaders. Findings suggest that there are indicators of strength within the leadership pipeline, with projections of future needs as far as 2016. Despite these promising indicators, it was also found that next generation leaders face significant barriers to pursuing executive positions. To access the study, go to:
www.compasspoint.org/assets/521_readytolead2008.pdf
www.compasspoint.org/assets/521_readytolead2008.pdf
Resource Guide for Writing Successful Proposals: A First Course for Young Nonprofit Leaders describes a number of resources that can help nonprofit staff or boards learn how to write effective proposals for public or private funders. This brief document was created for a September 3, 2008 VNR "lunch and learn" workshop. A free copy may be downloaded from Resource Guide (70KB PDF).
Role of the Executive Committee, by Hildy Gottlieb of Help4Nonprofits, points out how new technology has rendered the most critical role of the Executive Committee obsolete, and suggests ways the EC still can be relevant to nonprofit governance. This article can be accessed at:
www.help4nonprofits.com/BrainTeaser/BrainTeaser-Role_of_Executive_Committee.htm.
www.help4nonprofits.com/BrainTeaser/BrainTeaser-Role_of_Executive_Committee.htm.
San Fernando Valley Economic Research Center Economic Report This annual report focuses on the economy and demographics of the San Fernando Valley. Information on the Center, as well as a downloadable copy of the report, can be found at www.csun.edu/sfverc.
Scaling What Works is an article by Nancy Roob and Jeffrey L. Bradach of The Bridgespan Group. Despite the major downturn in the economy, the money potentially available in the federal budget and stimulus package may create a unique moment for making real progress on seemingly intractable social problems. To access the article go to: http://www.bridgespan.org/scaling-what-works-for-nonprofits.aspx.
Securing the Safety Net: A Profile of Community Clinic and Health Center Leadership in California, is a study by CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, commissioned by the regional and statewide clinic consortia, which examines the demographics, career paths, and job challenges of clinic CEOs. Among CEOs the data suggest a need for attention to succession planning as many founders and long-time CEOs approach retirement. To access the study go to:
http://www.compasspoint.org/assets/14_securingsafetynet.pdf .
http://www.compasspoint.org/assets/14_securingsafetynet.pdf .
Seven Steps to Authentic Leadership is a handout from a 2009 VNR workshop led by Marta Segura, The Inspired Planet. It focused on preparing Latino nonprofit professionals for leadership positions in the nonprofit sector. To download a copy, click Seven Steps to Authentic Leadership (79KB PDF).
So Many Leadership Programs, So Little Change: Why Many Leadership Development Efforts Fall Short is an article by Mary Genis. Its premise is that too many seminars billed as executive leadership are really basic skill building endeavors that do not develop leadership potential. The article suggests ways to shift the focus to leadership capacity building and utilize the best practices of adult education. To access the article go to: http://www.supportcenteronline.org/pdfs/journal-1-2008/so-many-leadership-programs-so-little-change-genis-scnm-journal08-4.pdf.
Social Media for Nonprofits Resource Guide This VNR publication provides tips for nonprofits as they make more systematic use of social media for community outreach, professional collaboration and other purposes. It also identifies a number of social media websites, and provides resources for further exploration. To download a free copy click VNR Social Media Guide (88KB PDF).
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Study on Boards of Midsize Nonprofits
The Urban Institute has released the report of a study about the needs and challenges of boards of midsize nonprofit organizations. For an excerpt from that report: www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=411659.
The Sustainability Formula: How Nonprofit Organizations Can Thrive In The Emerging Economy is an article by the TCC Group that presents an analysis and a series of suggestions for nonprofit boards and executive directors to consider about how to maintain organizational sustainability in the current rapidly-changing economic environment. To access the publication go to:
www.ideaencore.com/search/node/The+Sustainability+Formula.
www.ideaencore.com/search/node/The+Sustainability+Formula.
Ten Nonprofit Funding Models Written by William Foster, Peter Kim, and Barbara Christiansen, this article from the Stanford Social Innovation Review identifies ten nonprofit models that are commonly used by the largest nonprofits in the United States. It describes the models so that nonprofit leaders can more clearly the models they believe could suppose support the growth of their organizations. The article is available for download free of charge at www.bridgespan.org/ten-nonprofit-funding-models.aspx.
Too Many Nonprofits? Sez Who? is an article by Johnathan Spack, Executive Director of Third Sector New England in which he explores the constant complaint in the philanthropic community that there are "too many nonprofits" and points out the truth of the matter. To access this article go to:
ED_Forum__A_Modest_Proposal_or_Too_Many_Nonprofits.htm.
ED_Forum__A_Modest_Proposal_or_Too_Many_Nonprofits.htm.
Understanding the Philanthropic Landscape
Grantstation offers information about grantseeking, including a series of articles written by Grantstation CEO Cynthia Adams, "Understanding the Philanthropic Landscape." Six articles are available (1) Facts and More Facts; (2) Breaking the Foundation Barrier; (3) Getting Your Share of Government Funding; (4) Government Grant Writing Tips (5) Associations, Organizations, and Clubs: Knowing Who to Approach; and (6) Small Businesses and Corporations: Tapping Corporate Giving During a Recession. Additional articles will be published in the future. To access these articles go to www.grantstation.com.
What Helps Leaders Grow: Highlights from the Fund For Leadership Advancement presents key insights from Irvine Foundation's Fund for Leadership Advancement, an initiative to improve the leadership abilities of executive directors of selected grantee organizations. Based on an evaluation of the first 20 participating organizations, it finds that relatively small investments in leadership support can yield important gains in organizational effectiveness. And it suggests that the fund's approach, which includes executive coaching and consulting on organizational development, is an effective one, although it identifies some areas for improvement. The evaluation was conducted by BTW informing change. To access the report, go to:
http://www.irvine.org/images/stories/pdf/eval/flainsightreport.pdf
http://www.irvine.org/images/stories/pdf/eval/flainsightreport.pdf
What Science and Common Sense Say About Collaboration and Sustainability This handout presents science-based principles about collaboration and sustainability, presented in a keynote speech by VNR Executive Director Thomas E. Backer, PhD to the 2007 annual conference of the Valley Community Care Consortium. A set of readings for further exploration of these topics also is provided. A free copy may be downloaded from VCCC Speech (19KB PDF).
Workshop on Capacity Building for Small Family Foundations—Resources Information resources are provided in this workshop handout to help smaller foundations in the Valley get stronger and meet their philanthropic goals. A free copy may be downloaded from Workshop on Capacity Building for Small Family Foundations—Resources (33KB PDF).
Workshop on Board Governance and Development—Resources Information resources are provided in this workshop handout about operating a board efficiently and recruiting new board members. A free copy may be downloaded from Workshop on Board Governance and Development (14KB PDF).
