Where Most Needed

Acorn and Wall Street Have the Same Problem

The Wall Street Journal accidentally connects the dots between two current scandals making it plain that compensation issues are at the heart of management problems with US organizations: non-profit and for-profit, small and large. 

Be Wary of Lawyers Bearing Best Practices

Some in the legal profession seem to be stuck in an obsolete paradigm of compliance, transparency, and good board governance for nonprofits—while the accounting profession (and Sarbanes-Oxley) advocates a holistic approach with an integrated system of internal controls as its centerpiece. 

Big Churches, Small Groups

Mega churches concentrate efforts on developing small group leadership skills to keep their members engaged on a personal level.  Perhaps secular nonprofits need to pay attention. 

James Irvine Foundation Turns Whoops into White Paper

When a huge foundation initiative failed to show much progress, they brought in outside help to turn it around, completely revamped the project, and wrote it all up for the world to see. 

Levi Strauss Heirs Pursue a New Vision of Philanthropy

And yet, despite initiatives in community development, gay & lesbian rights, and immigration policy, large civic gestures still define the principal foundation of the Haas family. 

Barbershop Harmony Society Restyles

The group has achieved a name change, headquarters relocation, and acceptance of a modern repertoire to attract younger members, despite grumbling from the old guard.  And the organization offers a wealth of accessible, online help for local groups that want to organize—better than what many nonprofit advisors have to offer. 

Harvard Business School's Modest Social Entrepreneurs

Compared with their enterprising west coast rivals, social entrepreneurs at HBS seem downright genteel.

How Charities and Nonprofits Jump the Strategic Planning Hurdle

Strategic planning, a management technique long ago rejected by for profit businesses, thrives in the charity industry mostly because funders insist on it.  And the exercise has drifted from both strategy and planning to emphasize consensus-building instead. 

Jock Philanthropy Sports Few Superstars

The Wall Street Journal surveys charities started by professional athletes and finds a mixed bag of programs and effectiveness.

Executive Transition Loses Something in the Execution

Philadelphia is waking up to the reality that no one is waiting to take the place of retiring boomers in the city's many small scale charities.  Interim directors can turn into executioners when they lack fundraising ability.