This was a terrifically useful overview, Lucy. Thanks for writing about the column. I’m getting a lot of mail from grateful nonprofits, with the occasional naysayer. In case others are interested, there’s a discussion a’brewing over on my blog, hybridvigor.
Why should NGOs be funded? Cannot the best business schools of the world suggest a business model for philanthropic organizations so that they can generate cash with their activities and stop begging?
I would like to congratulate Ms. Bernholtz on this article. It is one of the best celebrations of American philanthropy I have read. It beautifully details its central glories: passionate individualism and the freedom of an astounding array of choices.
Ashley March
Director of Foundation Relations
Cato Institute
To respond to the comment above, I believe it is possible to generate cash with activities as long as outcomes—changes in behaviors and attitudes—are measured. There is no model yet, since every organization has its own mission statement, and the measures need to be custom crafted to fit each mission. A mission statement that is tangibly measurable is the most compelling way to generate investment. Interviewing philanthropists and foundations that support an organization is a first step to determining appropriate outcomes that would effectively measure the impact of programs and result in increased funding support, volunteer support, and awareness. Organizations such as the Nature Conservancy and Duke Children’s Hospital have undertaken efforts to implement mission-related outcome measurement with positive results. These and other examples can be found in our firm’s whitepaper at http://www.spm-nonprofit.com.
COMMENTS
BY Denise Caruso
ON January 9, 2008 01:15 PM
This was a terrifically useful overview, Lucy. Thanks for writing about the column. I’m getting a lot of mail from grateful nonprofits, with the occasional naysayer. In case others are interested, there’s a discussion a’brewing over on my blog, hybridvigor.
BY Susan Sharma
ON January 17, 2008 07:59 PM
Why should NGOs be funded? Cannot the best business schools of the world suggest a business model for philanthropic organizations so that they can generate cash with their activities and stop begging?
BY Ashley March
ON January 18, 2008 08:32 AM
I would like to congratulate Ms. Bernholtz on this article. It is one of the best celebrations of American philanthropy I have read. It beautifully details its central glories: passionate individualism and the freedom of an astounding array of choices.
Ashley March
Director of Foundation Relations
Cato Institute
BY Andrea
ON January 28, 2008 10:33 AM
To respond to the comment above, I believe it is possible to generate cash with activities as long as outcomes—changes in behaviors and attitudes—are measured. There is no model yet, since every organization has its own mission statement, and the measures need to be custom crafted to fit each mission. A mission statement that is tangibly measurable is the most compelling way to generate investment. Interviewing philanthropists and foundations that support an organization is a first step to determining appropriate outcomes that would effectively measure the impact of programs and result in increased funding support, volunteer support, and awareness. Organizations such as the Nature Conservancy and Duke Children’s Hospital have undertaken efforts to implement mission-related outcome measurement with positive results. These and other examples can be found in our firm’s whitepaper at http://www.spm-nonprofit.com.