Two legal experts discuss the “new accountability environment” but for most nonprofits not much has changed.
Citizen Monitoring and Action
In this era of struggle over the future of government social programs and cynicism about the overwhelming power and lack of accountability of major public and private institutions, grassroots community groups, community-oriented academics, and others have developed important new techniques for helping ordinary citizens understand and influence key policies and institutions.
The Power of Inquiry: Betsy Santiago-Layne
FROM THE ARCHIVES:
This first-person narrative about the effects of participatory research on fields of practice and on the constituents or beneficiaries of those fields is one of those timeless pieces that should be read slowly and considered regularly.
Evaluation for the Way We Work
One of the best outcomes of a well executed evaluation is to create an appetite within and around the organization for more creative as well as critical thinking.
The Challenge of Assessing Policy and Advocacy Activities
The California Endowment lays out a strategy for a prospective evaluation approach.
Hand in Hand: Evaluation and Organizational Development
It is essential that evaluations of grassroots efforts be designed to help organizations learn and build capacity.
Fides: Faith and Money in the Bush Administration
Are politicians and nonprofits consenting partners in the federal faith-based initiative? An investigative report of this loudly touted program shows it may be far less substantive and effective than was originally promised.
Roadmap to Data on Nonprofit Organizations
Yes, we have 990s, but also a raft of other data that is available for those who want to do nonprofit analysis.
Financial Strategy Tools: Cohort Analysis
Cohort analysis is an essential step in strategic planning; instructions and spreadsheet included.
Evaluation and Foundations: Can We Have an Honest Conversation?
There are a number of aspects of the culture of foundations that contribute to their ambivalence. Tom David poses a few questions, and makes a few recommendations, to help improve the nonprofit/foundation relationship.
Caribbean Techies Snare Innocent Bystander in Charity Wealth Scam
Marijo asked if I knew how contributions were made from the charitable gift funds at the big companies like Fidelity, and that’s how the whole mess started.
Bleeding-Edge Technologies: New Challenges for Nonprofits
Web 2.0 and open source have opened new potential at lower risk for nonprofits who need to build capacity at lower cost.