As I mentioned in my reflections, I am currently writing a paper for another class on the Gates Foundation’s influence and accountability. As the article Nonprofits and Demands for Transparency and Disclosure makes clear, transparency is crucial to maintaining a trustworthy … Continue reading
Listening to Those Who Matter the Most was the most resonant article for me in this week’s materials. It provided clear and concrete advice and evidence of who nonprofits should be accountable to and why. The authors’ argument that nonprofits … Continue reading
One thing we didn’t touch on is the role branding plays in Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. In many cases, private companies establish philanthropic initiatives as a branding method–in our modern society, a company seen as progressive and engaged in public … Continue reading
Having a brand is crucial for a nonprofit because it lends credibility and relatability to your work, allowing the organization to have a larger reach as well as fundraise more effectively. In the article by Kylander and Stone, they talk … Continue reading
Reflecting on the role of nonprofit boards after reading the materials this week, the idea that struck a chord with me was a board’s role in keeping an organization aligned with True North—essentially, its pure mission. As a fundraiser who … Continue reading
My resource this week is this article from The Nonprofit Times outlining the controversy that erupted last year around Wounded Warrior Project. This case study is relevant because it touches on issues of mission creep, what levels of indirect expenses … Continue reading
The Jane Mayer article on the Koch Brothers brings up an issue I’ve been internally debating over the role of corporate philanthropy and how an organization goes about setting its guidelines and boundaries as far as which sources of funding … Continue reading
Today, the New York Times ran an opinion piece that perfectly addresses this week’s topic. Called “As Government Retrenches, Philanthropy Booms”, the piece tackles the question of accountability in philanthropic giving, whether mega-donors are simply advancing their own interests, and … Continue reading
Did Zuckerberg Waste $100 Million on Newark’s Schools? I chose this article to highlight because it directly ties into the conversation about government vs. nonprofit services and the debate over who sets the agenda for social services. It relays how … Continue reading
What role do non-profits play in our society? Do social service non-profits replace core government functions? I have worked in various nonprofits since I was 16 years old, but it is only recently that I’ve been confronting this question of whether … Continue reading