Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits

What can good-hearted nonprofit organizations do in the face of huge sometimes seemingly insurmountable social problems? It is easy to recognize the importance of civil society and social entrepreneurship and why it is a growing sector. Our world and communities today need the best efforts of nonprofit organizations to respond to today's challenges. Progress has also been made in some areas, thanks to the actions of both civil society and large agencies such as the UN. Nevertheless, the scale and complexity of the problems of the world today are only increasing - not least of which include extreme poverty, climate change, health care, archaic education systems, unjust economical and judicial systems, and who knows what epidemic challenges are around the corner? What are the best practices for nonprofits seeking to respond? Jim Collins has written business books like Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap ... and Others Don't (New York: HarperCollins, 2001) and with Jerry Porras, Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies (New York: HarperBusiness 1997), but what is it that make nonprofits "great" and lasting in what they attempt to do to make their communities and their world a better place?These are the questions that grab the imagination of coauthors Leslie R. Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant. Crutchfield is a senior advisor with Foundation Strategy Group and a respected authority on scaling social innovation and high-impact philanthropy, and lives in Washington DC. Grant is a senior consultant with Monitor Institute focusing on networking, transforming legacy organizations and scaling social innovations, and lives in the Bay Area. Both have MBA and AB degrees and serve as board members and contribute to the field through writing and speaking. What they have done uniquely in this volume is an extensive and rigorous research project into "what makes great nonprofits great?"The research approach was to identify and learn from twelve national-scale nonprofits that demonstrate extraordinary impact - from the Environment Defense Fund to Habitat for Humanity, Exploratorium to Teach for America. Borrowing from Collins' research methods for businesses, they surveyed nonprofit executives to nominate nonprofits with significant impact. They followed up the survey with selected expert interviews (2004), and then case study analysis over two years (2005-2006) and pattern identification (2006). Originally publishing their findings in 2007, the authors have now substantially revised the book including evaluating how the organizations have weathered the financial crisis and expanded the sample to include case studies of thirteen smaller local organizations.Basically they tell the stories of a number of extraordinary nonprofits and discuss the six practices they use to change their world in extraordinary ways:1. Advocate and Serve. The best organizations integrate grassroots programs with policy advocacy. This is consistent with a theological perspective of mission as expressing mercy as well as advocating for justice. For example, Self-Help provided loans to low-income clients, but felt drawn to leverage its expertise to advocate politically against unscrupulous lending practices.2. Make Markets Work. Nonprofits can invite business to "do well while doing good" through better business practice, corporate partnerships and earned income. For example, Environmental Defense Fund helped McDonalds reduce its waste and use more recyclable wrapping, It is important to find the right partner and not sell out, but business brings valuable assets to the table.3. Inspire Evangelists. The more mentoring, community building and social networking nonprofits can put into their volunteer base, the better motivated they will be to recruit for the cause. For example, Habitat for Humanity gets people involved in physically building houses but also mobilizing their communities to solve housing problems. Founder Millard Fuller explained: "I was more interested in building a movement than an organization. They key ingredient of a movement is abandon - you can't hold back. It takes passion, commitment, dedication. But you can only have a movement if you attract a lot of people. That's what Habitat did - it attracted a huge following of hundreds of thousands of people" (p.103).4. Nurture Nonprofit Networks. Other nonprofits are not competitors. It helps the cause to share expertise, wealth and talent and give away leaders and ideas. For example, Frank Oppenheimer dreamed up Exploratorium as a museum that can be interactive and mind-expanding. Instead of hoarding or franchising their ideas, they have generously shared to the point of giving away their genius and catalyzing a worldwide hands-on science education movement.5. Master the Art of Adaptation. In a changing world nonprofits need to be able to listen, learn and adapt (and decide what not to do so they can focus on their sweet spot). For example, Share Our Strength sought to fight hunger, but instead of mailing the usual donors they enlisted the help of a target group who cared about food - chefs and restaurateurs - to share their time and resources.6. Share Leadership. The best leaders distribute leadership through their organization and networks, with good team building, succession planning, board engagement and utilizing a strong complementary second-in-command. For example, smaller nonprofits often share leadership beyond their organization, such as MEND in California that focuses on holistic care for the homeless, delivered by volunteers and other organizations who decide together the best strategy for service delivery.The updated edition explained how the twelve original nonprofits continued to exercise the practices through and beyond recession (most of them grew - which they needed to as social need increased), and how the practices work for local and smaller organizations as well as large nonprofits.The book is full of practical wisdom on how to practice the principles, to plan and utilize the best experts and accessible funding, and navigate the political minefields. It argues organizations cannot achieve broad and lasting change just through internal management, but acknowledges that cannot be ignored either and so offers counsel on staffing, capital and infrastructure management.But underlining the practical advice, the research argued greatness on nonprofits is not from having the lowest overheads or the largest reach or the highest growth, but who has the greatest impact on the world. And the best way to do that is not by importing the latest business management tools, crafting the neatest mission statement or adding more charity to ever-increasing need. The most effective way to bring change is not for any one nonprofit to build its own organization, but to collaborate with government, business, individuals and other nonprofits for broad and lasting change, undergirded by adaptation and shared leadership: "Greatness is about working with and through others ... It's about leveraging every sector of society to become a force for good" (p.320). Great nonprofit CEOs take Level 5 leadership beyond putting organizational interest ahead of their own, to putting the overall cause ahead of their organization! Great nonprofits do not just deliver services but foster movements for lasting change and thus function as "catalytic agents of change". For example, Teach for America is not just about recruiting teachers but shaking up the education establishment.Forces for Good went beyond business organizations to nonprofits, but excluded churches and religious organizations. As a pastor of a local church, a researcher for a church denomination and a teacher of emerging leaders, I would be interested in exploring further to what extent Crutchfield and Grant's principles apply to church and Christian educational organizations. The diagnostic tool at the end of the book that helps organizations understand where they are and how they can better apply the six principles would be a helpful place to start.This is an excellent resource for any nonprofit or business executive, activist, researcher, volunteer or donor to help equip them and their organization be a catalytic force for good <[...]>.This review is an expanded version of a review originally published in Journal of Religious Leadership 13:1 (Spring 2014)

Helped me learn how to stove for the best in my non profit

Forces for Good is an extremely readable book about what makes a great non-profit GREAT, and it is written by Leslie Crutchfield and Heather Grant, the two women who did the research and put their findings on paper so all involved in the non-profit sector might benefit from their conclusions.Based on several years' research involving twelve of the most successful nonprofits in recent U.S. history, Forces for Good looks closely at the six practices that high-impact non-profits use to maximize social change.What makes the book so engaging is that it is NOT about America's most well-managed non-profits, nor is it about America's best-marketed organizations with the most recognized brands. It's NOT even about the groups with the highest revenues or the lowest overhead ratios.Rather, Forces for Good is about one dozen exemplary organizations that have created real social change - organizations that can be considered cousins to companies like Google or eBay in what they have accomplished. Very exciting stuff!The best news is that the book is well-written and engaging - with several good stories and logical explanations, as well as authentic suggestions and even fantastical ideas (for those real dreamers out there who still like to read.) If you are a leader in the non-profit sector, I believe you will agree with me that Forces for Good not only makes sense, it opens up the mind to new ways of thinking and acting. It is a blueprint for turning your non-profit into a force for good.

Leaders of non profits are constantly asking themselves, how can we make our organization more effective and more secure. The authors set out to find commonality among disparate non profits, each of whom however is successful and highly effective. They succeed marvelously. From The Heritage Foundation to Environmental Defense (can you think of two more different non profits?), the six practices they outline can be models for each of us as we seek to make our organizations better, more effective, and more sustainable. It's an easy read. The concepts are clear and understandable. It's changed the way I look at my non profit leadership.

I so often hear that the nonprofit sector needs to learn from the busines world. Although books like Built to Last and Good to Great offer insights, what the nonprofit sector really needed was a book that focused on our sector. Thanks to these authors, we now have that book. Their insight into what makes a great nonprofit great have already impacted how I think about organizations I work with -- and which organizations I want to support.This is a must read for those who work in the nonprofit sector or for students interested in entering the field.

This book was required for a course in my masters program at Central Michigan University, and I am so glad it was! In addition to learning about organizations I was unfamiliar with, this book addresses the topic of nonprofits as policy advocates for change. An excellent read for anyone working in the nonprofit sector.

I really enjoyed the updated content and in my mind it made it much more relevant to what the agency that I am interviewing with is going through. In addition,

Good addition to my collection

Another Economist recommended read which is essentially boring. Outside their usual area but I think fits in with their business friendly agenda while seeming a choice which shows concerns and commitment. Good for making execs of Charities feel like they are real business people I suppose (and so, perhaps helping to attract some of those sharks too - at least while the moneys good). Didn't finish it, despite best intentions.

Excellent book. A must read for Not for Profit leaders.

Its decent