Philanthropy Front and Center-Cleveland

From the Answer Desk. Contingency and Scenario Planning: What's the Difference and How Do Nonprofits Get Started?

A: Both are structured ways for organizations to think about the future. In the context of planning, the terms "contingency" and "scenario" are sometimes used interchangeably. In simple terms, a contingency plan can be described as your organization’s “Plan B” or "worst case scenario" and is often tied to something specific, like a natural disaster. They are also sometimes called business continuity plans or disaster recovery plans. Scenario planning, on the other hand, is a “strategic planning method expressly developed to test the viability of alternative strategies," according to Mal Warwick in his book, Fundraising When Money is Tight. Warwick suggests six steps for creating an effective scenario plan, starting with exploring answers to the question, "What keeps you awake at night?," to draw out fundamental issues, and concluding with testing your strategic choices using “what-if” reasoning. Warwick describes scenario planning in detail and goes on to suggest Peter Schwartz’s classic 1991 book, The Art of the Long View, for further reading. (Listen to our February 2009 podcast with Mal Warwick here.)

In the July 2, 2009 Chronicle of Philanthropy article “Worst Case Scenarios,” author Ben Gose advocates that forming a contingency plan can help a nonprofit navigate the recession more successfully. Offering tips ranging from setting priorities and identifying "trip wires" (actions to take when revenues drop, for example), Gose cautions that organizations must come to terms with the fact that “painful decisions will still have to be made.” However, Mr. Gose goes on to note that during contingency planning “a charity may find that a program it considered cutting is in fact worth saving, and that finding can make a compelling story for donors.”

Additional resources:

Financial Scenario Planning for an Uncertain Future
Slides from a presentation made by Emil Angelica at the June 2009 annual conference of Dance USA.

Nonprofits Assistance Fund Scenario Planning Worksheet
A "step by step guide to nonprofit contingency planning."

ScenarioThinking.org
Open community on scenario thinking and scenario planning where you can publish scenarios, reflect on the planning processes and share online resources about scenario planning in a democratic and inclusive manner.

Do you have a question? Ask Us!

(This post is from Rob Bruno, Foundation Center librarian.)

From The Answer Desk: What is Microfinance?

A: According to a Forbes article on the World's Top Microfinance Institutions, private investor microfinance funding totaled $2 billion in 2006. So what is microfinance and who benefits? MIX Market, a web-based information portal that disseminates information on public and private funds that invest in microfinance globally, introduces the idea of microfinance in these terms:

"To most, microfinance means providing very poor families with very small loans (microcredit) to help them engage in productive activities or grow their tiny businesses. Over time, microfinance has come to include a broader range of services (credit, savings, insurance, etc.) as we have come to realize that the poor and the very poor who lack access to traditional formal financial institutions require a variety of financial products."

In case anyone wonders whether microfinance is a profitable venture, the Capco Institute reported in the Journal of Financial Transformation that of a sample group of about 700 microfinance institutions (MFIs), the top 176 MFIs experienced a return on equity (RoE) of 17.2%. But what of the effects of the global financial crisis? A new surveyby the UK-based Centre for the Study of Financial Information reports that while the sector itself has a growing client base, microlending may be faced with its first major "stress test", tackling the immediate concerns of liquidity shortages, bad loans and credit risk.

In the US, microlending seemed to be making an upswing in the midst of the recession among small business entrepreneurs, according to a February MSNBC article. One of the major global microlending institutions, Kiva, recently launched Online Microfinance in the US, which enables individual lenders to make small loans to US-based entrepreneurs.

Other major players in the arena, both nationally and internationally, include ACCION and The Grameen Foundation, both of which provide stories and updates on their websites of ongoing microlending projects and opportunities around the globe. 

Do you have a question? Ask Us!

(This post is from Katie Artzner, the Foundation Center's online librarian)

From the Answer Desk: What Information are Foundations Typically Looking for in Program Evaluations?

A: When accepting foundation grant dollars for your organization's programs and services, it is expected, and, in many cases, required, that you report to your foundation donors at the end of the grant period exactly what was accomplished, including a financial reporting of how the dollars were spent. Foundations are interested in receiving reported feedback about how your organization met the goals and objectives outlined in your proposal. Funding reports typically contain information about the overall success of the program along with detailed information about the activities offered to clients, your organization's methods (what did you do? what worked? what surprised you?), and progress made toward reaching the targeted outcome(s) or impact of the funded program.

What follows are a few online resources that provide more insight into program evaluation:

Aimed at the grantmaking community, the Evaluation Techniques Series at GrantCraft, a project of the Ford Foundation, includes information about several common evaluation techniques: participatory action research, collaborative inquiry, outcomes and evaluation, theory of change, collaborative inquiry, and ethnographic approaches to evaluation. Free registration is required to view the full-text documents.

To equip grantees with program evaluation skills for ensuring that their programs achieve their desired outcomes, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation makes available an Evaluation Toolkit, Evaluation Handbook, and additional resources.

The United Way's Outcome Measurement Resource Network offers information, documents, and resources for "identifying and measuring program- and community-level outcomes."

The Urban Institute and Center for What Works publication, Building a Common Outcome Framework to Measure Nonprofit Performance [PDF], suggests core indicators for 14 categories of nonprofit organizations and then expands the notion of common core indicators to a much wider variety of programs by suggesting a common framework of outcome indicators for all nonprofit programs. 

To locate additional resources, search our Catalog of Nonprofit Literature on the subject "Program evaluations."

To learn how to measure the impact of your organization's programs, register for our seminar, Outcome Thinking and Management: Shifting Focus From Activities to Results.

Do you have a question? Ask Us.

(This post is from Katie Artzner, the Foundation Center's online librarian.)

From The Answer Desk: How Much Should My Nonprofit Have in Operating Reserves?

A: Keeping cash in reserve for a "rainy day" may seem like a luxury during an economic downturn, but maintaining a nest egg might ensure your organization's long-term financial health.

The Nonprofits Assistance Fund, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit whose mission is to build financially healthy nonprofits that foster community vitality, provides this explanation of how an operating reserve works:

[A]n unrestricted fund balance set aside to stabilize a nonprofit's finances by providing a “rainy day savings account” for unexpected cash flow shortages, expense or losses. These might be caused by delayed payments, unexpected building repairs, or economic conditions.

Reserves should not be used to make up for income shortfalls, unless the organization has a plan to replace the income or reduce expenses in the near-term future. In short, reserves should be used to solve timing problems, not deficit problems.

A commonly used reserve goal is 3-6 months' expenses. At the high end, reserves should not exceed the amount of two years' budget. At the low end, reserves should be enough to cover at least one full payroll.

However, each nonprofit should set its own reserve goal based on its cash flow and expenses. Organizations that have contracts or fees with regular and reliable payments don't need as much in cash reserves as organizations that rely on periodic grants, fundraising events or campaigns, or seasonal activities.

To be a viable operating reserve, there should be a board agreement and policy about how reserve funds can be used: When they can be used, who is authorized to use them, and how this is reported to the board.

To learn more about this topic, selected resources below may be helpful.

Web Resources

Nonprofit Operating Reserves Initiative Workgroup, NCCS: Maintaining Nonprofit Operating Reserves: An Organizational Imperative for Nonprofit Financial Stability [PDF]
This white paper contends that many nonprofits have inadequate operating reserves, argues why a reserve is vital for financial stability, and offers tips on how to start creating one.

Nonprofits Assistance Fund: The Yin and Yang of Operating Reserves: What You Need to Know [PDF]
Executive director Kate Barr advises on how large a nonprofit's operating reserve should be and how to fund it. Includes a table that aligns an organization's income characteristics with a recommended amount of reserves.

iKnow: Criteria for Nonprofits' Operating Reserves
This brief article by Thomas J. Raffa defines operating reserves and presents circumstances in which a nonprofit should plan for a larger reserve.

Nonprofits Assistance Fund: The Cash Reserves Myth
Kate Barr argues that a 3-month minimum of operating reserve may not suit all nonprofits. Instead, each nonprofit needs to analyze its cash flow, then create a workable and customized policy.

Nonprofit Times: Nonprofits and Squirrels
Richard F. Larkin, CPA, discusses how to decide on the size of your nonprofit's operating reserve.

Books & Articles

• Cash flow Strategies: Innovation in Nonprofit Financial Management by Richard Linzer and Anna Linzer (2008)
• "Improving Cash Flow Management in Challenging Times: A Primer" by Murray Dropkin, Nonprofit Quarterly vol. 10 (Summer 2003) p. 34-41.
• "Make Working Capital Work" by Susan Kenny Stevens, Foundation News & Commentary vol. 41 (July-August 2000) p. 42-5.

Do you have questions? Ask Us!

(This post is from Sandy Pon, virtual library/learning center specialist at the Foundation Center)

From the Answer Desk: Where Can I Find Case Studies of Nonprofit Collaborations, Mergers, and Other Strategic Alliances?

A: Reviewing strategic alliance case studies is a good way to analyze the factors leading to the successful (or failed) coming together of two or more organizations. You may want to review our other post, "What do I need to know about collaboration and other kinds of strategic alliances?" for basic information about and definitions of various types of alliances into which nonprofits enter.

The following case studies are available online:

Nonprofit Strategic Alliances Case Studies: The Role of Trust [pdf]
Three types of strategic alliances are analyzed in this publication authored by John A. Yankey, Ph.D.; Carol K. Willen, Ph.D.; Barbara Wester Jacobus, M.N.O.; Amy McClellan, M.N.O., issued in 2005 by the Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio: 
1. Merger (AIDS Task Force of Greater Cleveland)
2. Consolidation (ideastream)
3. Joint venture (Otis Moss, Jr. - University Hospitals Medical Center)

Nonprofit Strategic Alliances Case Studies: Lessons from the Trenches [pdf]
Six case studies are presented in this publication authored by John A. Yankey, Ph.D.; Barbara Wester Jacobus, M.N.O.; and Amy McClellan, M.N.O., issued in 2001 by the Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio:
1. The Alliance for Nonprofit Management (merger)
2. Applewood Centers (merger)
3. Catholic Charities Services Corporation (merger)
4. HelpSource (merger)
5. Metropolitan Alliance of Community Centers (joint venture)
6. Ottawa County United Way (administrative and financial operations consolidation)

Additional resources from the Mandel Center are available here.

Coming to Terms: A Case Study of Collaboration Challenges [pdf]
This paper is from a session presented at the 35th annual Association of Research on Nonprofit and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) conference, November 15-16, 2006. Authors Julie Pietroburgo and Richard Bush, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Illinois, examine a failed attempt at collaboration between two hospice organizations and analyze why.

Managing Stakeholders Through the Merger Process: The Case of Utah Symphony & Opera [pdf]
This paper is from a session presented at the 34th annual ARNOVA conference, November 17-19, 2005. Authors Nancy Winemiller Basinger, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Jessica Romine Peterson, Make a Wish Foundation of Utah, examine the merger of the Utah Symphony and the Utah Opera from the stakeholder perspective. Stakeholders are identified as "clients/patrons, volunteers, board of directors, funding sources, staff, management, etc."

Bridging the Organizational Divide: The Making of a Nonprofit Merger
Issued in November 2001 and commissioned by Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, Boston, Massachusetts, author John Emmeus Davis, Burlington Associates in Community Development, Burlington, Vermont, examines the merger of French Hill Neighborhood Housing Services and the Greater Nashua Housing and Development Foundation with an eye on answering the question, "What makes a good process?"

The following case studies are available at Foundation Center and other libraries:

"Getting to Yes...or No: Nonprofit Decision Making and Interorganizational Restructuring." Nonprofit Management & Leadership, vol. 19 (Winter 2008,) p. 221-41.
This exploratory study looks at the ways in which nonprofit organizations make restructuring decisions, such as whether to pursue a merger. The author presents data collected through four case studies, and makes recommendations for future research. 

"Small Organization Mergers in Arts and Humanities." Nonprofit Management & Leadership, vol. 15 (Fall 2004,) p. 95-115.
A case study of the merger of a county arts council with a humanities commission, outlining the steps of the process, and initial reactions and outcomes. With bibliographical references.

"The Urge to Merge: A Multiple-case Study." Nonprofit Management & Leadership, vol. 13 (Winter 2002,) p. 169-86.
A comparative study of three mergers of nonprofits serving an urban community in Michigan. One involved the combination of five former nonprofits in the mental health and social service field; the second merged two hospitals; the third combined three mental health agencies.

Do you have questions? Ask Us!

From The Answer Desk: How Can Nonprofits Avoid or Address Financial Emergencies?

A: There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, but here are 10 suggested resources that may be helpful. If you have recommendations, please let us know by leaving a comment.

1. It is critical that your organization develop and closely monitor a sound fundraising plan that includes detailed outlines for securing a diverse array of support and revenue. Learn how at our free class, webinar, or full day seminar.

2. 20 Emergency Funding Sources for Nonprofits. From Fieldstone Alliance, this web page includes "sources that can be accessed quickly, usually within 30 days," along with this note of caution, "Not all of these sources are available to all nonprofits, and some of them carry great risk." The strategies included are detailed in these categories: cash flow management, contributed income, earned income, debt financing, and existing assets.

3. Adapting to Change: 22 Structural Strategies for Nonprofits. Also from Fieldstone Alliance, this web page includes 22 ideas "involving organizational change. When major external change happens, it’s important to look internally to revisit and, if necessary, revise your mission and approach in order to serve the community in the best way possible." Ideas, opportunities and action steps are displayed  in the following categories: general advice, modify mission, modify organization structure, and modify organization culture.

4. And Now for Something Different About Nonprofits and the Economy 1/1/09. This article from Jan Masaoka in Blue Avocado, advises, among other things, that organizations give themselves permission to "declare an emergency. An emergency doesn't mean people should panic...an emergency means considering the bold and wacky ideas that are either brand new or used to be off the table." She goes on to advise nonprofits to "ask for help even if you don't know what would help." 

5. Coping with Cutbacks. A book by Emil Angelica and Vincent Hyman that offers "immediate help with 185 specific cutback strategies." 

6. RFP Bulletin from Philanthropy News Digest. Broaden your search for funding. RFP Bulletin lets you search by subject through notices of awards that can be applied for immediately. You can activate a free e-mail subscription to RFP Bulletin and have it delivered weekly.

7. Foundation Directory Online Professional can be used to search for grantmakers that provide "emergency funds" using the "type of support" index. It is available by subscription or for free use at more than 400 Foundation Center locations. In addition, you should consider contacting any of your organization's current foundation supporters and asking for assistance.

8. Philanthropy Chat: How to Downsize a Nonprofit [podcast] features writer, educator, and nonprofit leader Michael Seltzer discussing cost-cutting, collaboration, and the hard question, "How can nonprofits handle workforce reductions when all else fails?"

9. Live From Navigating Your Nonprofit Through Challenging Times. Replay this live blog post and get play-by-play details from an April, 2009 seminar hosted by Business Volunteers Unlimited, The Center For Nonprofit Excellence and The Nonprofit Finance Fund. Topics include the importance of not being short-sighted in a recessionary economy and how to separate "symptoms" from "problems" within your organization.

10. Managing in Tough Times: 7 Steps, from the Bridgespan Group, advises nonprofits to make contingency plans for worst case financial scenarios, to identify who are the top performers at your organization and take steps to keep them that way, and to communicate openly and often with board, staff, and other key people about the organization's financial realities.

Do you have a question? Ask Us.

(This post is from Katie Artzner, the Foundation Center's online librarian.)

 

From The Answer Desk: Where Can I Search for Job Openings in the Nonprofit Sector?

A: In addition to consulting general sources like classified advertisements in your local newspaper and web sites like Monster.com and craigslist.org, many web sites provide searchable listings of jobs currently available in the nonprofit sector.

The Job Corner at the Foundation Center’s Philanthropy News Digest provides listings of current full-time job openings at U.S.-based foundations and nonprofit organizations. Sign up to receive the Job Bulletin free of charge.

The following web sites also provide searchable listings of nonprofit positions currently available:

Philanthropy Careers at The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Nonprofit Jobs at idealist.org

Jobs at Nonprofit Times

Job Seeker Center at Opportunity Knocks

Career Centerat Philanthropy News Network Online

Community Career Center

Nonprofit Jobs at ExecSearches.com

BridgeStar, a service of the BridgeSpan Group

All Foundation Jobs, a service of the Council on Foundations

Careers at The Chronicle of Higher Education

Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Job Center

Sponsorship Industry Careers, a service of IEG (registration is required)

New York Foundation for the Art’s Jobs in the Arts (registration is required)

Have a question? Ask Us!

Updated! From The Answer Desk: What do Nonprofits Need to Know About the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Stimulus Bill)?

A: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009, will provide more than $787 billion in spending and tax cuts intended to help stimulate the national economy.

The Foundation Center has collected the best resources on how nonprofits may be able to access stimulus package funding and our new MapShot: Best ARRA Funding Resources by State connects you to information about funding and other current opportunities in each state.

The Act includes new or expanded government grant programs to provide funding for assistance to communities or individuals affected by the economic crisis. Nonprofit organizations interested in applying for grants provided by this Act should visit the Grants.gov website for a listing of Recovery Act funding opportunities. For-profit organizations can find recovery procurement and contracting opportunities at FedBizOpps.gov.

In order to provide full accountability and transparency for the distribution of stimulus funds, the Federal government has created the Recovery.gov website. Visitors to the site can read the full text of the Act, view a timeline of administrative deadlines, and find news and updates on funding opportunities from Federal agencies.

Most state governments and Federal agencies have also created their own economic recovery sites. Directories of these official sites can be found at Recovery.gov:

• State Recovery Sites 
• Agency Recovery Sites

The National Council of Nonprofits has issued a series of special reports on the economic stimulus and recovery, including:

• Nonprofit Grant Opportunities - Summarizes the major spending and tax cut provisions of the Act and identifies potential grant opportunities for nonprofits.
• Stimulus Grant Tips and Thoughts - Offers grant information, tips, and considerations for nonprofits interested in applying for stimulus funds.
• Whether and How States are Accepting & Distributing Federal Stimulus Funds - Reviews how state governments have indicated they will handle the Federal funds.
• Sources of Information Regarding Stimulus Funds - Identifies sources of information about the Act and stimulus funds.

The National Council of Nonprofits also encourages organizations to contact their state nonprofit associations or their state and Congressional representatives for more information on local stimulus funding.

Selected resources below may also be helpful.

Independent Sector - Economic Recovery Act and Nonprofits - Provides this analysis and commentary on the Act at its site, along with tips for nonprofit organizations on establishing strong ties with policymakers.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: State-By-State Estimates of Key Provisions Affecting Low- and Moderate-Income Individuals - This report, issued by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, outlines key provisions of the Act affecting low- and moderate-income individuals and includes a state-by-state analysis of these funding provisions.

StateRecovery.org - A service of the Council on State Governments, StateRecovery.org is targeted towards officials in state government, but contains useful information on federal assistance, listings of grant opportunities, and a series of reports analyzing the prospective impact of stimulus funding at the state level.

National Conference of State Legislatures - Economic Stimulus 2009 - Provides summaries and analysis of major provisions of the Act for state legislators, but also includes information that can useful to the general public.

National Governors Association - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - Created to provide information on state implementation of ARRA, analysis of the Act’s provisions for a range of topics, and links to additional resources.

View our other posts here.

Have a question? Ask Us!

(This post is from Stephen Sherman, Reference Librarian, Foundation Center-Atlanta)

From the Answer Desk: What do I need to know about collaboration and other kinds of strategic alliances?

A: In the current economic climate, nonprofit organizations are being urged now more than ever to work together in new and creative ways. Why?

• Demand for services is up along with competition for financial resources, making the drive towards efficiency increasingly important.
• Duplication of services is viewed as wasteful.
• Strategic alliances, like collaboration, are equated with cost-savings.  
• The complex issues that nonprofits address are presenting themselves on a grand scale, calling for scaled-up solutions.  

Gaining a basic understanding of the types of strategic alliances is a good first step in determining the fit for your organization. There’s general agreement that the types of strategic alliances follow a continuum, from those at one end that are informal to those at the other end that require high levels of intensity, complexity, and formality. The following types are based loosely on the work of Dr. John Yankey, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor, Case Western Reserve University:

• Endorsement: Providing approval or support of a concept or action already conceptualized or completed by another organization (letters of support).
• Co-sponsorship: When two or more organizations share (although not always equally) in the offering of a particular program or service. 
• Affiliation: A loosely connected system of two or more organizations with a similar interest(s).
• Federation/Association: An membership alliance of organizations established to centralize common functions. 
• Coalition: An alliance of independent organizations that usually share a political or social change goal. 
• Consortium: An alliance of organizations and individuals representing customers, service providers, and other agencies who identify themselves with a specific community, neighborhood or domain. 
• Network: An alliance of organizations that share resources for mutual benefit such as service provision. 
• Joint Venture: A legally formed alliance in which member organizations maintain joint ownership – (generally through a joint governance board) to carry out specific tasks or provide specific services. 
• Acquisition: An alliance in which an organization acquires a program or service previously administered by another organization.
• Divestiture: When one organization "spins off" a program or service to another organization.
• Merger: When one organization is totally absorbed by another.
• Consolidation: When two organizations combine to form an entirely new organization.

The Fieldstone Nonprofit Guide to Forming Alliances uses these categories, based on the work of Michael Winer and Karen Ray (Collaboration Handbook) and David LaPiana (Nonprofit Mergers Workbook).

• Cooperation: Informal arrangements and relationships with no change in organizational structure of participating entities.
• Coordination: More formal arrangements and relationships that focus on specific programs or projects and are accompanied by plans and a shared mission.
• Collaboration: Longer-term, formal arrangements and relationships where separate organizations are brought into a new structure with a shared mission.
• Merger: Arrangement in which two organizations become one.

The selected resources below will help you to learn more and understand the costs and benefits of strategic alliances.

Collaboration- Fieldstone Alliance
Provides free access to useful articles about and tools for planning nonprofit collaborations.

Collaboration Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations- curtishaxter.com
This article briefly examines the preliminary questions that all nonprofit organizations should address before any collaborative effort, then outlines combination strategies available to nonprofits.

Managing Collaboration Risks - Nonprofits’ Insurance Alliance of California
Explores typical collaborative relationships that nonprofits engage in and how to manage or avoid the risks associated with them. Published in 2002. [PDF]

The Reality Underneath the Buzz of Partnerships - Stanford Social Innovation Review
Article shares findings from a study of nonprofit partnerships and examines why most did not fulfill participants' expectations. Published in Spring 2005.

The following print publications can be found at the Foundation Center's library:

Forming Alliances: Working Together to Achieve Mutual Goals by Linda Hoskins and Emil Angelica.
Uniting for Survival by Don Haider.
Time to Merge? Fundraising and Financial Implications by Priscilla Hung.

Do you still have questions? Ask us.

(This post is from Katie Artzner, the Foundation Center's Online Librarian.) 

From The Answer Desk: What is Earned Income?

A: Simply put, earned income is revenue generated from the sale of goods, services rendered, or work performed. One nonprofit example that most people have some familiarity with is Girl Scout cookie sales. If you have ever purchased a box, you have contributed to the earned income of the Girls Scouts organization. Why is earned income gaining popularity with nonprofit organizations?  As factors like increasing competition and a flagging economy have caused gift income, like foundation grants or donations from individuals, to level off for some organizations, nonprofits are looking to diversify or expand their bases of support to meet growing needs and to better sustain their operations over the long term. New players entering the field with new ideas about how nonprofit organizations should address society's ills are also spurring increased interest in earned income and other forms of social enterprise. 

Earned income can be viewed as one part of a diversified financial or fundraising plan for nonprofits. A good primer providing background information on earned income is Social Enterprise: Hype or Reality? from the Social Enterprise Alliance, which says:

• Earned income ventures by nonprofits generally do not free a nonprofit from other types of revenue…
• Earned income ventures have never generated limitless profit…  
• Launching and running a social enterprise is as risky as launching and running a business in the for-profit sector…  
• Social enterprise demands skill sets that may be lacking in a typical nonprofit...
• Social enterprise has the added challenge of managing to the 'double bottom line' of both mission and margin…

Here are some additional resources to help you access services and get up to speed:

Web sites:

• Cleveland Community Wealth Initiative, a program of the Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations and Community Wealth Ventures
• The Institute for Social Entrepreneurs provides seminars, workshops and coaching services for social enterprises in the United States and around the world.
• New Directions in Fund Development, a tutorial from the Truman Heartland Community Foundation's Nonprofit Business Solutions

Books that can be borrowed from our library:

• Venture Forth 
• Mission, Inc: The Practitioners Guide to Social Enterprise

The Foundation Center also offers a full-day seminar, Earned Income: Assessing Your Nonprofit's Revenue Options. 

Do you have a question? Ask Us!

(This post is from Katie Artzner, the Foundation Center's online librarian)