RESOURCES FOR NONPROFITS

Staying on top of new and exciting innovations in nonprofits keeps your organization from going stale.
Here are some of the resources we have found that are consistently interesting, innovative and helpful.

Organizations:

Standards for Excellence

Standards for Excellence is a national initiative established to promote the highest standards of ethics, effectiveness, and accountability in nonprofit governance, management, and operations, and to help all nonprofit organizations meet these high benchmarks.

BoardSource

One of the leading organizations focused on nonprofit board leadership, and provides nonprofit organizations with an extensive range of tools, resources, and research data to increase board effectiveness and strengthen organizational impact. While many resources are for members only, others are available to the public.

National Council of Nonprofits

A trusted resource and advocate for America’s charitable nonprofits, National Council of Nonprofits connects the policy dots across all levels and branches of governments, and keeps nonprofits informed and empowered to create a positive public policy environment that best supports nonprofits in advancing their missions.

Association of Fundraising Professionals

The professional association of individuals and organizations that generate philanthropic support for a wide variety of charitable institutions. Helpful resources for resource development, including the fundraising Code of Ethics.

Periodicals/Blogs:

 

Harvard Business Review

Not specifically focused on the nonprofit sector, HBR has insights on management, leadership development and planning that are relevant to all kinds of organizations.

Nonprofit Quarterly

A source of deeply informed writing about the nonprofit sector from an independent nonprofit news organization, NPQ’s guiding philosophy is that an active, engaged, and sometimes disruptive civil sector is critical to a healthy democracy. NPQ’s articles are well researched and nuanced, reflecting an understanding of the complexity of the sector.

Stanford Social Innovation Review

Not limited to nonprofit / community benefit organizations, Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR) informs and inspires social change leaders from around the world and from all sectors of society—nonprofits, business, and government. Offers webinars, conferences, magazines, online articles, podcasts, and more, bringing research, theory, and practice on a wide range of topics, including human rights, impact investing, and nonprofit business models.

Nonprofit AF

Humorous and topically insightful, Nonprofit AF author Vu Le brings home observations and recommendations from the point of view of all nonprofit executives, and especially those who serve in organizations that are by and for people of color.

Know Your Own Bone

Written by Colleen Dilenschneider, Know Your Own Bone is a blog about engagement strategies with a focus on business-related best practices and achieving long-term organizational relevance. Primarily focused on cultural institutions (e.g., museums, aquariums, public gardens), KYOB provides data informed advice frequently relevant to all community benefit organizations. Successful nonprofit organizations do not choose between social mission and financial sustainability.

Blue Avocado

A publication of American Nonprofits, Blue Avocado has consistently high-quality columns on different aspects of nonprofit management. With a focus on finance and strategy, Blue Avocado also provides insights into issues such as “what size should our board be?”.