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Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits

A Book Review

by David Moore, NCIV Intern

What makes great nonprofits great?” This important question prompted nonprofit leaders Leslie R. Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant to commit to four years of research and writing that would consummate with the production of their award-winning book, Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits. The book examines the methods of twelve nonprofits that have impacted all sectors of society, nationally or internationally, in “substantial and sustained” ways. At the end of the book the authors propose a plan for nonprofits to achieve great impact.

Crutchfield and McLeod Grant argue that the “real impact” of a nonprofit marks its success or failure. High-impact nonprofits do not necessarily require flawless management, marketing schemes, unique visions, or even large budgets; instead they invest outside their own organization to “operate within the larger, dynamic ecosystem of societal institutions.” By mobilizing the full spectrum of society—from citizens and stakeholders to businesses and government—impactful nonprofits help pilot social movements to further their missions.

Forces for Good is a pivotal contribution to nonprofit management literature, marking, as Crutchfield and McLeod Grant point out, a new step in the evolution of its kind. Whereas earlier nonprofit management research extrapolated from old business practices as a means to measure the success of nonprofits, Crutchfield and McLeod Grant study impact first and deduce which practice proved most effective. “This thoughtful book,” says Steve Case, founder of America Online and chairman of the Case Foundation, in the foreword, “provides what business people, policy makers, philanthropic investors, and nonprofit leaders have needed for a long time—an intelligent, articulate analysis of the key factors required to generate successful, lasting outcomes in the nonprofit space."

From their research and analysis the authors identify six common means of achieving high impact. Paraphrased, they are:

1. Combine advocacy and service into a single plan of action; advocate on behalf of your cause to influence public policy in the area where you provide services.

2. Utilize market forces; characterized by their economic efficiency, businesses often make great partners and can open up new marketing opportunities for nonprofits.

3. Involve individuals and inspire them to spread the word of your organization; they will be the foundation from which asocial movement can launch.

4. Build coalitions of nonprofits to pool knowledge and resources; strength in numbers will serve as a financial safety net and an opportunity for everyone involved to further their missions.

5. Adapt to changes in both external circumstances and in the internal dynamics of the organization; come up with new ideas, evaluate what works, and modify your plans accordingly

6. Share leadership among the executive board members; collective leadership will magnify the executive capacity and evenly distribute responsibilties.

Pragmatic idealism permeates the book. It is proposing a “new philanthropy” that unites effective business practices with collective empowerment to achieve high social impact. To achieve and sustain that impact, the book recommends the former six practices as well as additional investment in fine leaders, diverse and sustainable capital, and sufficient overhead. It cites many correlations, though it does not define in detail the means by which any of those practices is best approached in itself. In the end the book is motivating and and offers nonprofit leaders ways to strengthen their organizations. It will prove to be an enlightening resource for nonporift leaders with long service as well as those who have just launched their careers.

“Crutchfield and McLeod Grant have made a significant contribution with a Very Big Idea—the shift in focus from building an organization to building a movement. Inspired and inspiring, this book can change the way the world works by changing how leaders think.”

—Jim Collins, author, Good to Great, and coauthor, Built to Last

Visit http://www.forcesforgood.net for more information about the book, its authors, and related events.

Editor's note: Forces for Good was referenced by Sherry Mueller, President, NCIV, in her plenary speech at the 2008 NCIV National Meeting.

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