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"Steve Rothschild has given the nonprofit community a vital, much-needed book at a crucial moment— when funding from all sources is tighter than ever. I believe The Non Nonprofit will become the how-to manual for improving strategy, execution, and organizational effectiveness in the nonprofit world. And with twenty-two years of outstanding executive leadership at General Mills, followed by twenty years of innovative leadership in the not-for-profit world, Steve brings the ideal set of experiences and lessons to the topic. A must-read for any executive and especially those who lead our nonprofit organizations."—Ken Powell, CEO, General Mills
"The lessons of The Non Nonprofit can improve the results of any nonprofit organization.It provides sound guidance to donors, agencies, and policy makers. This is the kind of thinking I encourage United Way leaders to apply while measuring community need and community impact."—Brian Gallagher, president and CEO, United Way Worldwide
"We need more practical visionaries like Steve Rothschild. He saw the problem of poverty, rolled up his sleeves, and carefully tested what works and what doesn't. The result: a powerful and effective program for reducing poverty and a set of clear principles that can be readily applied anywhere. The Non Nonprofit is a ground-breaking book."—Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senator, Minnesota
"The Non Nonprofit is this year's mandatory reading for anyone fortunate enough to be in leadership in the nonprofit sector. This book shows not only why but how nonprofit organizations can strategically move into a new framework that leads into the future, not simply react to circumstances beyond our control. The beauty here is that the principles are not only socially innovative but also grounded in proven experience. This is the book I will be passing out to the leaders in my network."—Father Larry Snyder, president, Catholic Charities USA
"Steve Rothschild, one of the country's best social entrepreneurs, has broken the back of multigenerational deep poverty. His clients, the formerly unemployable, have better track records at work than the average American. In The Non Nonprofit, he explains, simply and very clearly, how anyone can be just as effective."—Bill Drayton, CEO, Ashoka: Innovators for the Public
"For all of our many achievements, America remains a nation yet suffering from widespread poverty. Steve Rothschild's The Non Nonprofit reflects what he has learned from nearly seventeen years as the committed and inspired founder of Twin Cities RISE! These are proven ideas, practical and available to businesses and public leaders in our communities. I am pleased to recommend this fresh and creative approach to creating more opportunity for those in our midst who need it the most."—Walter Mondale, 42nd Vice President of the United States
Foreword: How This Book Will Benefit Us All ix
by Bill George
Introduction 1
1 Principle #1: Have a Clear and Appropriate Purpose 21
2 Principle #2: Measure What Counts 47
3 Principle #3: Be Market Driven 65
4 Principle #4: Create Mutual Accountability 85
5 Principle #5: Support Personal Empowerment 101
6 Principle #6: Create Economic Value from Social Benefit 141
7 Principle #7: Be Learning Driven 169
8 The Principles in Practice 191
Appendix A: What You Can Do to Make a Difference 203
Appendix B: A Note on the Organizations in This Book 211
Notes 217
Acknowledgments 225
About the Author 227
Index 229
Author Q&A with Steve Rothschild, author of The Non Nonprofit
What does it mean for a nonprofit organization to think like a private sector company?
For-profits and nonprofits are more alike than many think. While their missions and goals are obviously different, the same fundamental principles guide them. These include the abilities to (1) articulate a clear purpose that inspires and leads to appropriate goals and strategies; (2) serve their respective customers well; (3) empower their employees and clients to achieve high levels of accomplishment and be accountable; (4) create value from the strategies they pursue and the actions that they take; (5) measure and communicate that value to stakeholders; and (6) learn from their actions and those of their competitors so that they improve continuously. Applying these principles allows any organization, for-profit or nonprofit, to become more efficient, effective, and successful.
Are there any differences between how a nonprofit and a corporation should run themselves financially?
Organizations need to manage their finances according to the expectations and standards of their respective investors. In the case of for-profits, that would be market rate investors who seek high returns on their investment, whereas nonprofit investors are typically social investors like government, foundations, and donors more interested in a social return and therefore more focused on programatic results. Both nonprofits and for-profits require sound financial performance in order to thrive. Without sound financial results, both lose their ability to invest toward their goals.
Is this book only for nonprofits?
The book is subtitled "for-profit thinking for nonprofit success." The principles are based on successful for-profit strategies that any enterprise—for-profit or nonprofit—can benefit from.
What is your experience in both nonprofit and for-profit organizations?
I've benefited by spending half of my professional life in the for-profit world and half in the nonprofit sector. I've also served on numerous for-profit and nonprofit boards, two of which I founded. This experience has given me the opportunity to learn the best practices in both sectors and to understand where there are great opportunities to share knowledge.
Anonymous
Posted September 20, 2012
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Overview
"Steve Rothschild has given the nonprofit community a vital, much-needed book at a crucial moment— when funding from all sources is tighter than ever. I believe The Non Nonprofit will become the how-to manual for improving strategy, execution, and organizational effectiveness in the nonprofit world. And with twenty-two years of outstanding executive leadership at General Mills, followed by twenty years of innovative leadership in the not-for-profit world, Steve brings the ideal set of experiences and lessons to the topic. A must-read for any