This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators. I do a lot of listening and observing. We work with nonprofit organizations on a daily basis through our libraries, classes, and customer service inquiries, and so we hear a…
This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators. In July 2014, Midtown Detroit Inc, a nonprofit planning and development group founded to revitalize the Cass Corridor neighborhood in the Motor City, wanted to renovate an overlooked kind of…
This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators. In March 2020, I was on a call with 15 other nonprofit leaders. As the world was coming to grips with the reality of the pandemic, my peers and I…
This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators. Shaping the future of municipal bonds in India When Omidyar Network proposed working with Bridgespan to Indian grantee Janaagraha, the nonprofit’s CEO Srikanth Viswanathan was initially skeptical. “To be honest,…
This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators. Here are some recommendations I gathered from speaking to leaders from marginalized communities, especially communities of color: Assess how much you’re investing in organizations led by communities of color and…
This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators. Recruiting, cultivating and retaining a strong board of directors is one of the most important aspects of running a successful nonprofit. Without a top-notch board, your organization won’t be able…
This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators. Decades of high-level nonprofit and corporate board work, including eBay, have taught The Bridgespan Group’s Chairman and Co-founder Tom Tierney many things. Heading the list is that the only thing…
This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators. When it works well, cultural fit can be a great thing, allowing organizations to create a working culture that bonds diverse people around shared values. When it is used wrong,…
This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators. The Alliance for Safety and Justice (ASJ) is a national organization seeking to reduce overreliance on incarceration in states across the U.S. and to promote new safety priorities rooted in…
This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators. It’s a given that nonprofit and for-profit boards have different motivations for doing what they do for their organizations. Nonprofit board members seek increased social impact and the fulfillment of…
This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators. A person’s word choice when describing their work or do-gooder endeavor can reveal quite a lot. I’m talking about possessive pronouns and adjectives. Unless you’re on the ground, doing the work…
This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators. For entrepreneurs and founders just getting their businesses off the ground, searching for ways to make a positive impact on people and the planet can feel daunting. You may often…