[Printer Friendly Version]

Sustaining Nonprofit Performance

Paul Light has written several books for the Brookings Institution Press and while I recommend all of them, the most recent title is the one I've enjoyed best: Sustaining Nonprofit Performance: The Case for Capacity Building and the Evidence to Support It. Although the book is based upon a survey, a methodology that is good at assessing attitudes but not always so good at determining the facts, I found the analysis to be sound. I especially like the chapter on Improving the Odds of Success, in which the author addresses structural issues in the sector that stand in the way of building organizational capacity. Posted: 10/27/04; 11:20:57 AM #

Employee Ownership Concepts in Nonprofits and Government

I've long had an interest in employee ownership models and alternative forms of workplace management and equity. I'm particularly interested in how these might apply to the nonprofit sector, where almost every organization is locked into a corporate model. Employee Ownership Concepts in Nonprofits and Government, by Corey Rosen, starts out with ideas on how to spin off or collaborate on projects and distribute equity. My attention was most engaged in a later chapter on Ownership Culture, where the author encourages the use of Open Book Management and high involvement decision making structures. Although I believe that ownership is only one dimension of engagement, it is encouraging to me to see a book that is encouraging nonprofits to think beyond the traditional trustee model. Posted: 10/27/04; 11:20:35 AM #