More Seats at the Table

By Katey Lauer & Stephen Smith

How the West Virginia Can’t Wait movement is using a gubernatorial race as a platform to raise up new leaders for the future, win or lose.

Collaboration

On Hiatus: Call for Submissions to SSIR Series on Social Change in an Era of Extreme Polarization

By SSIR Editors

In response to the coronavirus epidemic, SSIR has temporarily halted seeking submissions for a series on extreme polarization and how it affects civil society's efforts to solve social problems, and how to build collaborations, communicate with the public, and manage conflict in a divided world.

Beware the Perfectly Average Nonprofit

By Jeremy Avins & Nathan Huttner 1

Typical capacity building focuses on fixing nonprofits' weaknesses. It instead should start with the premise that every organization has core strengths on which it can build.

Reframing Human Services for Greater Impact

By Susan N. Dreyfus & Tracy Wareing Evans

To realize the full value of human services community-based organizations, we need to change both the narrative around what they do and the structures for funding them, stressing shared values and a commitment to outcomes.

A ‘Balancing Test’ for Foundation Spending

By Dimple Abichandani 10

Instead of plugging numbers into a traditional formula, taking another look at foundation spending policies is an opportunity for an engaged board to grapple with central strategic questions.

SSIR Guide to Influencing Public Policy

By SSIR Editors

A list of SSIR articles to help nonprofits, advocates, and other civil society organizations build support for addressing the social issues brought to the fore by the 2020 US presidential election cycle.

How Philanthropy Can Help Lead on Data Justice

By Louise Lief

By embracing community-based participatory research and other equity approaches to data, philanthropy can change the game, revitalize research and communities, and realize greater impact.

Getting the Numbers That Matter for Public Policy

By Philip Setel

Unregistered births and deaths and other failures to officially document people's lives have compromised public policy around the world. Governments, nonprofits, public health groups, and other organizations that play a critical role in civil registration and vital statistics can start improving their efforts with these six insights.