Sustaining Collaborative Action
As more cross-sector collaborations gain traction, we must understand what it takes to keep them running over the long term and ensure that progress continues despite changes in leadership.
Government - Articles
Innovative public sector policies and programs (more)
The Johnson Amendment: Fact-checking the Narrative
There is more to the story of the Johnson Amendment than is generally being presented to the nonprofit community.
Civil Society and the Foundations of Democratic Citizenship
Civil society can act directly to solve critical problems, but its indirect effect might be just as important: allowing individuals to participate, collaborate, and—in the process—develop into citizens capable of upholding democracy.
Does the Tax Code Define Civil Society or Vice Versa?
Civil society wasn’t invented by the tax code, but changes in the law can have serious, if unintended, consequences on the public good. Nothing is final, however; with change comes new opportunity.
The American Context of Civil Society
In both the conservative and progressive imagination, civil society is valued—for opposite reasons—as an arbiter between the individual and the national state. But by viewing civil society as the core of America’s social life, we can see our way toward a politics that might overcome some of the dysfunctions of our day.
Ten Reasons Not to Measure Impact—and What to Do Instead
Impact evaluations are an important tool for learning about effective solutions to social problems, but they are a good investment only in the right circumstances.
A New Form of Capitalism
The Peterborough Social Impact Bond was the first of its kind. Does its success in improving recidivism rates while rewarding investors herald a new way of using finance for social impact?
Civil Society Confronts Authoritarianism
My experience in Erdoğan’s Turkey has taught me that NGOs need to avoid polarizing politics, focus on core values, and find allies to survive and thrive in closing societies.
Putting the Invisible Hand to Work for Health
In an environment of declining aid budgets dwarfed by pools of private capital, some decades-old donor organizations are turning to market-based tools to address global health challenges.
A Critical Reflection on Social Impact Bonds
Far from being a win-win financial instrument, SIBs come with significant technical burdens and exemplify an ideological shift in welfare service provision.