For the Print Version, Click hereBuilding the Power Grid: Volume 15, Issue 4: Winter 2008
Table of Contents:
Fe a t u r e s
8 Welcome
10 The Nonprofit Ethicist: In the competitive marketplace, should you offer higher salaries to retain an
eroding staff? by Woods Bowman
12 Dancing with Uncertainty: Keeping the Heat and Lights on in the Nonprofit Sector: What have the nonprofit and philanthropic infrastructures accomplished? What is their task? by the editors
17 The U.S. Nonprofit Infrastructure Mapped: Take a visual tour through the overlapping structure of organizations on which nonprofits and philanthropy depend. by David O. Renz
22 Accelerants: The Nonprofit Infrastructure on Fire: If it didn’t exist, there would be a movement to create it. by Elizabeth Boris
C o m m e n t a r y
24 One Step Removed: The U.S. Nonprofit Sector and the World: In other countries, the kind of innovation that is vital for the future of U.S. nonprofits abounds. by Geoff Mulgan
27 Nonprofits: The DNA of Democracy: The nonprofit sector is the doorway through which millions of Americans pursue civic opportunities that are the hallmark of a healthy democracy. by Cynthia M. Gibson
31 Nonprofits and Philanthropy: Scenario I—An Interview with Kelvin Taketa and Chris Van Bergeijk: Nonprofits and one foundation are working to create a culture of mutual accountability in Hawaii. Can it work? by the editors
34 Seizing the Day: Opportunity in the Wake of Crisis—An Interview with Lester Salamon: Nonprofits can advance where for-profits fear to tread. by the editors
38 Nonprofits and Philanthropy: Scenario II—An Interview with Ralph Smith: The relationship between nonprofits and foundation philanthropists was once mutually exclusive, but not anymore. by the editors
44 An Era of Powerful Possibility: To face the new world order, we must abandon our practices of distrust, fragmentation, and control in favor of true collaboration between nonprofits and funders. by Margaret Wheatley
47 Obama Campaign Provides Lessons for Nonprofits: Go to school on the Obama campaign.
by Paul Schmitz
50 Substantial Activity: Building Nonprofit Political Heft: The historic achievements of U.S. nonprofits
are many, but those in the sector need to ensure that there will be many more to come. by Tim Delaney
55 The Dialogue Challenge: Nonprofits’ Central Role in the Conversation: Nonprofits need to participate in the dialogue on solutions to social and economic inequality. by James Jennings
58 Weasels on the March: The Struggle for Charitable Accountability in an Indifferent Sector: Why weasels can’t self-regulate and what should be done about it. by Dean Zerbe
Fe a t u r e s
64 Four Futures: Not all future nonprofit scenarios are rosy. by Paul Light
70 Infrastructure in Action: Bolstering Nonprofit Community Developers: The nonprofit community development infrastructure provides a compelling example of how infrastructure should work and what happens when it doesn’t. by Rick Cohen
D e p a r t m e n t s
Co n f l i c t
81 Dr. Conflict: A nonprofit employee’s off time is a sacred space, right? by Mark Light
Ac c o u n t a b i l i t y
83 Watchdog Wanted: Making the Case for Internal Oversight of the Nonprofit Sector: It’s time for an independent nonprofit inspector general. by Scott Harshbarger and Steven Netishen
S t r a t e g i e s
87 Hybrid Organizations: More Than Just a New Fuel—An Interview with Steve Dubb: Can hybrid organizations perform better and deliver more than traditional nonprofits? by the editors
Te c h n o l o g y
91 The Opportunities and Dilemmas of Technology Support Organizations: It’s not about technology; it’s about what you do with it. by Michael Gilbert
Ad v o c a c y
95 Stoking the Nonprofit Advocacy Engine: Strong advocacy makes for a strong nonprofit sector. by Gita Gulati-Partee
R e s e a r c h
99 The Research System: A Public Utility on Which All Nonprofits(Should Be Able to) Depend: Accomplishments notwithstanding, the nonprofit research infrastructure needs to move to the next level.
by Jon Pratt
103 The Take-Away: A summary of the articles in this issue
106 Classifieds
S a t i r e
108 In Desperate Times, Bad News Is Good News for Fundraising: In nonprofit politics, the commando approach has it pros and cons. by Phil Anthrop