Nonprofit Administration and Management Commons^™

At-A-Glance Chart: How Nonprofits Can Use Ai/Chatgpt, Sam Calhoun, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Authorship In The Age Of Algorithms: Adapting Copyright Law For Ai-Generated Content, Sydney Thomas

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

In the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the relationship between technological advancement and legal protection for human creators has become increasingly critical. From Stephen Hawking's admonition of the potential risks of unregulated AI to Sam Altman's advocacy for proactive regulation, this paper navigates the evolving landscape of AI innovation and copyright law. By examining the challenges posed by AI-generated content, including issues of intellectual property infringement and privacy concerns, it highlights the need for adaptive legal frameworks. Strategic enhancements to copyright law must be developed, such as bolstering fair use doctrine and expanding creator rights, to ensure the protection of …

A Blueprint For Future Achievements For Nonprofits, William B. Calder

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Nonprofit organizations hire strong leaders to articulate a vivid and persuasive picture of how the organization will be better, in a significant way, than what currently exists. Leaders should not underestimate the use of a powerful vision, as it is needed to help define the issues and challenges for stakeholders (inside and outside the organization). Leaders need to describe what success looks like and continue to task all stakeholders to assist in building the “dream.”

Operational and staffing challenges are more difficult for NPOs without an articulated, compelling, and concise vision statement. The resultant costs of not having this statement …

Revolutionising Nonprofit Verification With Ai Powered Intelligence, J Unsdorfer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

In an era where stakeholders increasingly demand clarity and honesty, the importance of corporate transparency has reached unprecedented levels. Both businesses and nonprofits are now faced with the challenge of effectively demonstrating their integrity and trustworthiness. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers promising solutions to these challenges by enabling deeper insights into corporate relationships. Venturefy, an Israel-based company, is at the forefront of this movement, using AI to decode complex data sets and verify corporate connections. This article explores how AI works, Venturefy’s unique approach to transparency, and its significant partnership with WikiCharities to enhance transparency in the nonprofit sector.

Research Summaries: Artificial Intelligence And Data For Nonprofits, Erica Jensen

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Editorial, Hanh Cao Yu

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Four Network Principles For Collaboration Success – With 2024 Prologue, Jane Wei-Skillern, Nora Silver

The Foundation Review

Editor’s Note: This article, first published in print and online in 2013, has been republished by The Foundation Review with minor updates.

This article identifies a set of four counterintuitive principles that are critical to collaboration success and offers insights for how nonprofit leaders can ensure that their collaborations can have an impact that is dramatically greater than the sum of the individual parts.

Based on a decade of research developing detailed case studies on a range of successful networks, the authors have identified a common pattern of factors that are essential to effective networking.The principles are to focus on …

Raising The Bar — Integrating Cultural Competence And Equity: Equitable Evaluation – With 2024 Prologue, Jara Dean-Coffey, Jill Casey, Leon D. Caldwell

The Foundation Review

Editor’s Note: This article, first published in print and online in 2014, has been republished by The Foundation Review with minor updates.

Whether implicit or explicit, social justice and human rights are part of the mission of many philanthropies. Evaluation produced, sponsored, or consumed by these philanthropies that doesn’t pay attention to the imperatives of cultural competency may be inconsistent with their missions.

The American Evaluation Association’s Statement on Cultural Competence provides those who produce, sponsor, and use evaluation an opportunity to examine and align their practices and policies within a context of racial and cultural equity and inclusion. The …

Internal Culture, External Impact: How A Changemaking Culture Positions Foundations To Achieve Transformational Change – With 2024 Prologue, Amy Celep, Sara Brenner, Rachel Mosher-Williams

The Foundation Review

Editor’s Note: This article, first published in print and online in 2016, has been republished by The Foundation Review with minor updates.

This article argues that a foundation’s internal culture is critical to achieving large-scale social change, but that efforts to build a changemaking culture too often are left out of strategy conversations.

While there is no one culture that suits every foundation, a particular set of characteristics must be present in those that seek largescale social change: a focus on outcomes, transparency, authenticity, collaboration, racial equity and inclusion, continuous learning, and openness to risk.

This article offers insights into …

Donor-Advised Funds And Impact Investing: A Practitioner’S View – With 2024 Prologue, Sam Marks

The Foundation Review

Editor’s Note: This article, first published in print and online in 2022, has been republished by The Foundation Review with minor updates.

Any discussion of foundations embracing impact investing must include some discussion of one of the largest — and growing — sources of philanthropic capital: donor-advised funds. These philanthropic accounts allow donors of all sizes to access many of the functions of a private foundation, including the potential to invest for impact. Sponsors of these funds, however, face unique challenges in catalyzing impact investments.

Like the larger institutional foundations that have led the way as mission investors, sponsors must …

Emergent Learning: A Framework For Whole-System Strategy, Learning, And Adaptation – With 2024 Prologue, Marilyn J. Darling, Jillaine S. Smith, James E. M. Stiles, Heidi Sparkes Guber

The Foundation Review

Editor’s Note: This article, first published in print and online in 2016, has been republished by The Foundation Review with minor updates.

The field of philanthropy is exploring what it takes to achieve impact in complex environments. The terms “adaptive” and “emergent” are beginning to be used, often interchangeably, to describe strategies by which funders can tackle complexity. This article proposes distinguishing between the two and explores more deeply how the research into complexity can inform philanthropic practice.

While approaches like systems mapping, scenario planning, and appreciative inquiry have been put forward as useful approaches to expanding perspectives and seeing …

Executive Summaries

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Lost Causal: Debunking Myths About Causal Analysis In Philanthropy – With 2024 Prologue, Jewlya Lynn, Sarah Stachowiak, Julia Coffman

The Foundation Review

Editor’s Note: This article, first published in print and online in 2022, has been republished by The Foundation Review with minor updates.

What if philanthropic evaluations told us that changes in the world had occurred, as well as how and why they occurred, including whether what foundations funded and grantees did contributed to those changes? What if evaluations made change pathways more visible, tested hypotheses and assumptions, and generated new insights based on what happened in the “black box” of systems change strategies? This type of learning comes from causal analysis — inquiry that explores cause-and-effect relationships.

Yet currently in …

Tfr 16.1 Full Issue

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Goal-Free Evaluation: An Orientation For Foundations’ Evaluations – Updated 2024, Brandon W. Youker, Allyssa Ballard

The Foundation Review

Editor’s Note: This article, first published in print and online in 2014, has been revised for The Foundation Review with substantive additions, new examples, and minor updates.

Goal-free evaluation is a model in which official or stated program goals and objectives are unknown by the evaluator, serving as a counter to assessing impact solely according to goal achievement. Foundation-supported program evaluation, however, has historically focused on goal attainment as intuitively and inextricably linked to evaluation.

This focus has persisted despite the fact that goal-free product evaluations have been a norm for more than 75 years. Yet persuading funders to consider …

Systems Thinking For Social Change: A Practical Guide To Solving Complex Problems, Avoiding Unintended Consequences, And Achieving Lasting Results, Hilda Vega

The Foundation Review

Editor’s Note: This article, first published in print and online in 2015, has been republished by The Foundation Review with minor updates.

Passing In The Dark: Making Visible Philanthropy’S Hidden And Conflicting Mental Models For Systems Change, Jewlya Lynn, Julia Coffman

The Foundation Review

While the need for philanthropy to focus on systems change as a way to scale and sustain impact is now widely accepted, we see the sector largely failing to recognize that there are different mental models for how to change systems. Sometimes the approaches foundations use are based on competing mental models or models that are not a good fit for the systems, problems, strategies, or practices they are using.

We see two mental models for systems change being used in philanthropy: systems dynamics and systems emergence. Strategies that use the systems-dynamics mental model aim at points of high leverage …

The Soft Stuff Doesn’T Have To Be Hard: Foundation Investments In Grantee Workers Are Necessary, Valuable, And Measurable – With 2024 Prologue, Rusty M. Stahl

The Foundation Review

Editor’s Note: This article, first published in print and online in 2022, has been republished by The Foundation Review with minor updates.

There is an urgent need for funder investments in the ability of grantee nonprofit organizations to support their staff. Such investments, when done well, can yield significant value for individuals, organizations, and fields of work or movements. Furthermore, the value of these investments can be evaluated and communicated.

This article explores the reasons for and implications of the inadequate response by funders, offers a path forward for designing investments in grantee staff, and documents how funders can capture …

A Foundation’S Theory Of Philanthropy: What It Is, What It Provides, How To Do It – With 2024 Prologue, Michael Quinn Patton, Nathaniel Foote, James Radner

The Foundation Review

Editor’s Note: This article, first published in print and online in 2015, has been republished by The Foundation Review with minor updates.

This article argues that philanthropic endeavors should be undergirded by a theory of philanthropy. Articulating a theory of philanthropy is a way for a foundation to make explicit what is often only implicit, thereby enabling internal and external actors to pose and resolve significant questions, understand and play important roles more fully and effectively, and improve performance by enhancing alignment across complex systems.

A theory of philanthropy articulates how and why a foundation will use its resources to …

Orienting Volunteers On Cultural Awareness And Empathy While Working With Refugees, Sangya Dhungana

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

It is imperative to recognize that effective volunteer engagement in refugee resettlement hinges upon a deep understanding of cultural dynamics and sensitivities. This paper explores the challenges and complexities of volunteer engagement with refugees, offering insights from the author's experiences, scholarly literature, and theoretical frameworks. The writing highlights the importance of cultural awareness, empathy, and reflective practice in supporting refugees during resettlement while acknowledging the need for ongoing learning and evaluation of volunteer approaches. Relevant concepts and theories from the Critical and Creative Thinking courses are included, integrating perspectives into the author’s analysis of volunteer experiences. Additionally, the paper incorporates …

Sea Turtle Conservation At Tortuguero: A Case On How To Turn An Ecological Challenge Into A Collaborative Opportunity For Research, Education Outreach, And Business Development, Minh Q. Huynh, Jose Noguera, Roldán A. Valverde

Southwestern Business Administration Journal

This paper provides an overview of sea turtle research and conservation at Tortuguero. The conservation work began in 1950 and is still active. How did this effort to conserve sea turtles get started and how did this process help turn an ecological challenge into a global collaborative initiative? This case is not just about sea turtle conservation, but more importantly it is about approaching a complex problem from multiple perspectives and finding innovative ways to mitigate the problem. Though the focus is on sea turtles, the process, approach, and experience learned from this case can be adapted for guidance in …

Personalization: University Fundraising, Jasmine O'Neal, Akib Hossain, Yogesh Bhalerao

SMU Data Science Review

University fundraising campaigns, which are typically a multi-year endeavor, help institutions build a strong financial foundation to enable a unique student experience. At the heart of effective fundraising is having strong relationships and partnerships with certain audiences that provide the best donation opportunities. Generally, alumni networks and the local community makeup these audiences as strong fundraising bases. Therefore, universities have a significant responsibility in developing these relationships to gain deeper insights into their constituents' needs and interests. This enables them to tailor effective engagement strategies, thereby increasing the likelihood of meeting donation expectations. This research explores how machine learning techniques …

1 A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Hospital-Based Physical Therapy Department Leaders’ Most Successful Change Management Initiative, Joseph Patanella

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

ABSTRACT

A phenomenological study of the lived experiences of hospital-based physical therapy department leaders’ most successful change management initiative

Problem: Change management initiatives are consistently employed in healthcare to promote quality care. Of concern is that not all initiatives are successful. Individuals involved in successful change management can offer insight to those approaching initiatives.

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the lived experiences of hospital-based physical therapy department leaders’ most successful change management initiative.

Methods: The research design was a qualitative approach. A phenomenological research design was employed, using the voice of a group that has …

Smart Meetings, Morgan Forster, Arthur Durity, Cathy Cole

Operations Transformation

A one year look at how the CHA executive team focused on opportunities to have fewer yet more productive meetings! In this presentation we will discuss the details that help shape improvement around the challenge of too many meetings and share the results from lessons learned at PBMC and Waldo.

Enhancing Ethical Leadership: The Impact Of Governance Mechanisms On Nonprofit Organizations, Norma Guerrero

Master's Projects and Capstones

This research is dedicated to uncovering the complex connections between ethics and effective governance within nonprofit organizations. The study focuses on identifying factors that influence ethical behavior, addressing ethical challenges specific to the nonprofit sector, and developing strategies to encourage ethical practices within these entities. By integrating literature reviews, case studies, and expert interviews, the research underscores the vital link between ethical decision-making and organizational efficiency, as well as public trust. The study aims to enrich the ongoing discourse on nonprofit governance, providing key insights and actionable recommendations for board members, executives, professionals, volunteers, and scholars to strengthen governance and …

Leveraging Collaboration In Advocacy: An Examination Of The 501(C)(4) Regulatory Framework And Its Utility For Advancing Immigrant Rights, Christine D. Ambegia

Master's Projects and Capstones

The nonprofit sector is uniquely positioned for leading the charge in advocacy through various social justice movements, and their capacity to engage in lobbying work plays a crucial role in advancing policies that contribute to the collective good. The regulations on lobbying that are set forth and enforced by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for nonprofit 501(c)(3) public charities can limit them from aggressively engaging in policy and advocacy work that holds legislators accountable to their constituents. Nonprofit 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations are governed by a regulatory framework that has the potential to expand on 501(c)(3) charities’ work because they …

Unified In Christ, David Morris

Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses

Statement of the Question/Problem

The United Methodist Church is facing a season of incredible struggle. The modern American United Methodist Church is facing a crisis of Division during this season of disaffiliation and restructuring. Division within church is not a new phenomenon. In fact, it is not new in the Methodist tradition. This repeating cycle of denominational fracture begs the question, “why does division in the church happen, and how can we avoid it in the future?” Currently the United Methodist Church is dividing supposedly over the issue of human sexuality. I would argue these divisions do not solely rely …

Philanthropy In The Helping Profession: An Overview And Introductory Workshop Intended To Support Counselors And Counselors In Training, Matthew Higgins

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Many new counseling professionals enter the field with a deep understanding of the therapeutic relationship but lack knowledge of the financial realities that sustain counseling services. Traditional training prioritizes building rapport with clients, leaving a gap in understanding the business side of the helping profession. As the demand for therapy increases, particularly in the United States, it's crucial for counselors to explore innovative solutions to sustain the field in the long term. Integrating education on philanthropic support into counselor training offers a creative approach that would fall in line with the ACA Code of Ethics. While more research needs to …

The Port Of San Diego's Maritime Clean Air Strategy: Enhancing Public Health With Innovative Clean Air Strategies, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Gabriela Yamhure, Alexis Padilla

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

The Port of San Diego (The Port), established in 1962 under the Port act, is the Maritime agency that manages and stewards the thirty-four miles of coastal working waterfront along the San Diego Bay. The Port develops and promotes commerce, navigation, recreation, a healthy environment and fisheries around the San Diego Bay, contributes billions to San Diego’s economy, and is home to international cargo and trade operations. In a concerted effort to lessen greenhouse gas emissions impact of operations on local, often underserved communities, the Port developed and is implementing a Maritime Clean Air Strategy (MCAS), an update to the …