resources

This free checklist, provided by managementhelp.org, is helpful in ensuring organizational integrity. Checklist sections are Board of Directors, Planning, Programs & Outcomes Evaluation, Information Management, Personnel, Volunteer Management, Finances, Communications, Insurance, Legal, and Facilities. 

The National Council of Nonprofits produces and curates a wide range of tools, resources, and samples for nonprofits.

BoardSource, inspires and supports excellence in nonprofit governance and board and staff leadership. Their Board Resource Library houses an abundance of materials addressing the fundamental aspects of nonprofit board service 

Board members are fiduciaries for the nonprofit’s assets and therefore have a responsibility to ensure that assets are not mis-used To help the board increase its financial literacy, the National Council on Nonprofits provides supportive readings and resources.   

In 2006, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute established the Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP) to conduct research on fundraising effectiveness and help nonprofit organizations increase their fundraising results at a faster pace. The site includes reports, tools, and resources for effective fundraising.

"Underdeveloped: A National Study of Challenges Facing Nonprofit Fundraising," reveals that many nonprofit organizations are stuck in a vicious cycle that threatens their ability to raise the resources they need to succeed. A key point is that, beyond creating a development director position, organizations and their leaders need to build the capacity, the systems, and the culture to support fundraising success.

"Fundraising Bright Spots: Strategies and Inspiration from Social Change Organizations Raising Money from Individual Donors" is the follow-up report to Underdeveloped (above). One notable finding is that successful fundraising is characterized by persistence, discipline, and intentionality.

A few favorites are Stanford Social Innovation Review, covering cross-sector solutions to global problems, written by and for social change leaders from around the world; Nonprofit Quarterly, educating the nonprofit sector with a focus on management, fundraising practices, philanthropy, and governance/board management; and Harvard Business Review, a general management magazine providing access to leading business minds for a competitive edge which allows one to follow specific topics.