Participation or professionalization? A call to support democratic practices in nonprofits

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Jennifer Dodge, University at Albany—SUNY and NVSQ Author

The pressure for nonprofits to professionalize is enormous. I often think about this in the context of policy advocacy (advocating for particular policy positions using a variety of political strategies and tactics such as research, litigation, coalition building etc.), where the necessity to respond to changing political dynamics places “efficiency” at the top of the list of priorities. Developing a professional staff and relying on it to respond to the whims of a new administration, a change in political climate, or a new opportunity makes a lot of sense. The pressure to professionalize derives from these features of our political culture. It also derives from, or at least is reflected in, recent efforts to formalize nonprofit accountability structures, which require nonprofits to develop specific principles and statements to ensure accountability to the public, such as statements for handling conflicts of interest (this is the case in New York Nonprofit Revitalization Act of 2013, for instance). As with achieving greater efficiency, some form of formalization can make a lot of sense, especially when we are primed to think about high profile scandals where the nonprofit form is abused for personal gain. Continue reading “Participation or professionalization? A call to support democratic practices in nonprofits”

Morals matter: What’s to learn from nonprofit research?

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Tracey Coule, NVSQ Research-to-Practice Editor

“The real issue is about moral compasses in leadership.” This was the statement made by Sir Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations in the UK, on leadership development in civil society organizations (CSOs) last month. He suggested that many of the biggest challenges that leaders face, now more than ever, are not technical matters but ethical ones and candidly questioned the extent to which leadership development equipped people to make difficult judgment calls on such issues. Etherington, and much recent global media attention, links the increasing demand for moral and ethical judgments to the changing relationship between CSOs and the state. One example is the anticipated rise in state-based regulation, sparking concern in some corners over damage to CSO’s freedom to campaign, advocate and pursue charitable missions more generally. Continue reading “Morals matter: What’s to learn from nonprofit research?”

On being new in uncharted territory…

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Tracey Coule, NVSQ Research-to-Practice Editor

On starting my new academic role, around 10 years ago, I recall asking a colleague why we did some particular thing in a certain way. Their response, “oh don’t worry, it’s always been done that way”. Probably well-meaning but not particularly helpful to someone in a new role – especially to someone with an inquisitive nature. “Excitement. Honor. Gratitude. Responsibility.”  These were the four words used by the new editors of Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector Quarterly (NVSQ) in their first From the Editor’s Desk to describe how their sentiments had evolved since their selection as the next editorial team. I share these sentiments. Continue reading “On being new in uncharted territory…”