What makes great nonprofits great? Not large budgets. Not snazzy marketing. Not perfect management. The answer is not what you might think. Great nonprofits spend as much time working with institutions outside their four walls as they do managing their internal operations. They use the power of leverage to become greater forces for good. This landmark book reveals the six powerful practices of 12 high-impact nonprofits and tells their compelling stories. Leslie Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant spent four years surveying thousands of nonprofit leaders, conducting hundreds of interviews, and studying in-depth a dozen high-impact organizations to uncover their secrets to success. Their quest took them from the well-known (Habitat for Humanity) to the less well-known (YouthBuild USA) and to the unexpected (the Exploratorium). What the authors discovered surprised them. How did seeing a pile of McDonald's trash lead Environmental Defense's president to join forces with business instead of treating it as the enemy? Why did a school bus driver prompt Self-Help Credit Union to move from serving low-income groups in North Carolina to launching a national advocacy campaign against predatory lenders? And how did Teach For America turn the teachers it places in underserved public schools into a national vanguard for education reform? At a time when the social sector has grown to more than $1 trillion, understanding what leads to impact is essential. Whether you're a nonprofit leader, philanthropist, business executive, board member, volunteer, or simply interested in changing the world, this book will inspire you to be a stronger force for good.
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"I enjoyed this book. A must-read for people working in non-profits, with many good suggestions. I particularly appreciated that the strategies the authors recommend are based on research and analysis, and not just rooted in their personal experiences and opinions. "
— Tania (4 out of 5 stars)
“A serious piece of research.”
— Economist (London)“A Best Book of the Year.”
— Globe and Mail (Toronto)“Inspired and inspiring, this book can change the way the world works by changing how leaders think. Leslie Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant have made a significant contribution with a very big idea: the shift in focus from building an organization to building a movement.”
— Jim Collins, author, Good to Great“Global problems like abject poverty require innovative, scalable solutions. We have so much to learn from these six practices because they're what lead to wide-scale social change.”
— Sheryl Sandberg, COO, Facebook" A must read for anyone working in the third sector. "
— Line, 12/3/2010" Forces for Good was an interesting look at how to make non-profits more effective. <br/>Major tips are: 1. Advocate and serve 2. Make Markets Work 3. Inspire evangelists 4. Nurture nonprofit networks 5. Master the art of adaptation 6. Share leadership "
— Eric, 11/11/2010" skimmed this book. It was recommended in a webinar I listened to. "
— Susan, 11/1/2010" <br/>Puts the proper emphasis on impact and not simply resource generation "
— Bo, 10/7/2009" Excellent and useful tool for NPO management. "
— Maree, 9/7/2009" Loved this one. Some new info on what distinguishes top-performing nonprofits in all sectors. Advocacy is key. "
— Lynsey, 7/14/2009" Provides the 6 practices that have made American nonprofits the most successful at creating social change. Data driven and research based. Insightful and inspiring. "
— Nick, 3/21/2009" I listened to the audio book, I think I would have preferred reading it. <br/> <br/>Still, very interesting. "
— Chade66, 1/28/2009" My office's second "work book club" book. "
— Lell, 1/23/2009" Loved this book. Inspiring for anyone who wants to make a difference and make an impact. "
— Joseph, 12/29/2008" A great read for those interested in nonprofit/ social justice work. "
— James, 9/8/2008
Leslie R. Crutchfield is an author, speaker, philanthropic and nonprofit advisor, and leading authority on scaling social innovation and high-impact philanthropy. She is a senior advisor at FSG, a nonprofit consulting firm specializing in social sector strategy, evaluation, and research. Crutchfield has written a number of books, including of Forces for Good and Do More Than Give: The Six Practices of Donors Who Change the World, which was recognized as a top business book by the Economist.
Erik Synnestvedt has recorded nearly two hundred audiobooks for trade publishers as well as for the Library of Congress Talking Books for the Blind program. They include The Day We Found the Universe by Marcia Bartusiak, A Game as Old as Empire edited by Steven Hiatt, and Twitter Power by Joel Comm.
Erik Synnestvedt has recorded nearly two hundred audiobooks for trade publishers as well as for the Library of Congress Talking Books for the Blind program. They include The Day We Found the Universe by Marcia Bartusiak, A Game as Old as Empire edited by Steven Hiatt, and Twitter Power by Joel Comm.