Nonprofit Analysis

I enjoyed reading Chapter 11 especially what the author writes on page 281 as it summarizes the importance of a message. It keys on the relevance of accessibility, accountability, education, interaction, and empowerment. I think that is the key element of fundraising. I also believe that from a theory to reality there are some gaps. Nonprofits are often under tremendous pressure to perform with very little resources. Some nonprofits can navigate the process successfully and grow, while others do not.

When Zoot Velasco looks at American nonprofits, he sees a sector that is struggling, in spite of limitless potential for innovation and impact. Noting that 22.3% of the country’s GDP is in the nonprofit sector, yet only 20% of such organizations have a budget exceeding $1 million, Velasco hopes to lead a transformation in the industry.

As an assignment for a public radio station I volunteered at, my partner and I were assigned to get sound bites. The Ralph’s in Downtown L.A. was featuring Homegirl Industries mango salsa in their deli section (Hirsch, 2009). At the event, most of the news outlets there focused on getting quotes from mayor Villaraigosa. This made it easier for my partner and I to get quotes from young adults that were part of Homeboy Industries. Through this assignment, I learned about the non-profit group and its goal to transform the lives of former gang members. This paper focuses on the non-profit organization Homeboy Industries and its contributions to the cultural region. The beginning focuses on the brief history of gang activity in Los Angeles, and

Nonprofits represent a huge sector in the United States that includes hundreds of thousands of different organizations. Community-based organizations VISIONS and the Center for Comprehensive Health Practice (CCHP) where I conducted informational interviews represent a significant segment of a community and provide human, social and education services that help to ensure a decent standard of community living. Organizations address the issues that affect the individuals in the society as well as a community. Both organizations provide a series of charitable activities that bring improvement and create sustained social change in the community.

The fourth nonprofit I analyzed is called GreaterGood which is an online website that sells a wide range of products that have been made across the world and uses the profit generated by sales to donate to a variety of different nonprofits that have a specific mission (Help, 2015, p.1). The specific nonprofits that GreaterGood donates to breast cancer, animal rescue, veterans, autism, diabetes, the rainforest, and the one that is specific to my area of analysis the hunger site. This style of nonprofit expressed by the GreaterGood charity is extremely unique because of the extreme differences in charities they are partners with. With the multiple charities they work with I would be confident in arguing that the GreaterGood-hunger site is a path-goal leadership style.

In this week’s lesson we are looking at the importance of having a chart of accounts in our nonprofit business. At HOPE which is the business that I support. The main focus is to house and provide support to those who are homeless, mentally ill and may be struggling with dual issues. Because there is a need in a nonprofit to show measurements to determine success in each area. Charts are created for every service area the HOPE supports ( Margolis, S. (2014, 11).

Nonprofits can also legally advocate for a social justice agenda through activities that are neither political campaigning nor excessive lobbying, therefore eliminating the consequence of losing their tax exemption status. Some lobbying activities that are considered acceptable are nonpartisan analysis, in-depth study or research on a policy issues; discussions of broad social problems; responding to a written request from a legislative body; providing education materials to legislators or the public that are unbiased; meeting with a legislator to discuss social problems without referring to a particular legislative proposal; advocating for better implementation of existing laws and meeting with your representatives to discuss your program.

Until spending time in the nonprofit program at Johnson, I never considered the many different tasks associated with starting a nonprofit. Additionally, through growing up at a long-established nonprofit, I took for granted the work involved in establishing it as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The IRS website provides explanation for the many these required tasks needed to file for tax-exemption status. Filing the articles of incorporation and establishing bylaws remain crucial for an organization to receive recognition as a legal entity. However, establishing a nonprofit involves a great deal more than simply attaining tax-exemption status. Tschirhart and Bielefeld highlight many of these aspects, such as developing the mission and vision statements of the organization (Tschirhart and Bielefeld 49). As the reading from last week discussed, evaluating and acquiring resources for an organization should stem from the mission of an organization. Even more so, in order for that to take place, the organization needs established with a mission that will keep it rooted in its cause and a vision

Over the years’ volunteers,’ services have increased tremendously. These stakeholders participate in leadership roles in nonprofit and profit groups. Volunteers exert influence in the organizational decision-making process because their particular task gives them the authority to exhibit their skills. For example, I am a board member at a local nonprofit hospital. I collaborate with other volunteers offering advice and services that help influence the hospitals' daily operation, while improving my leadership and decision-making skills in the process. Ohmer (2007) discussed that "Citizen participation" actively involve selves in developing problematical situations in neighborhoods and leading policies and programs that affect the quality of

In a nonprofit organization, managers are concerned with “generating some social impact” (Daft, 2013). Stakeholders for nonprofit organizations include the community, taxpayers, the government, private donors, employees, and volunteers. Each one of these stakeholders poses a challenge for managers. For instance, in a nonprofit organization, there is a “continual struggle to pursue vital social missions in the face of

My focus is on non-profit organizations (that help the homeless population/low income clients) and shelters that provide women/families to stay for a specified period of time. Each shelter has a program that the residents have to abide by to stay in compliance. Each person must have a job, seeking employment, or take advantage of an opportunity to learn to be a CDA. There are also other opportunities that are available that the residents can take advantage of. Each non-profit organization has funding from the government, Kiser, P. (2012), (pp. 46-50), private companies that help the organization, and with donations.

Throughout my life I have volunteered for a few organizations. During my underclassmen years I volunteered at Seven Bridges Ranch throughout my summers. My responsibilities included taking care of all their horses, which meant, feeding, watering, grooming, exercising, etc. I was also kept up with some of the simple yard keep. Another great organization I volunteer for is called, 15 Forever Community Foundation. This is a foundation that gives 15,000 dollars to non-profit organizations. I have been doing this for three years, and the board members and I discuss what we want our funding focus is for the year, and then read each application, and decide who is best fit to receive the money. I have always loved being outdoors, and one of the non-profits

A non-profit organization cannot be effectively managed if it is not effectively planned. One of the challenges facing non-profit organizations has been long range, strategic planning. Long range, strategic planning in the non-profit sector is essential to the success of an organization. Long range, strategic planning encompasses broad policy and direction setting, internal and external assessments, attention to key stakeholders, the identification of key issues, development of strategies to deal with each issue, decision making, action and the continuous monitoring of results. (Herman, The Jossey-Bass Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership and Management, 154) While it is important to deal with the short term planning and activities of non-profits, managers or directors must consider the future of their organizations. Successful planning should be comprehensive, integrating all areas of responsibility of an organization.

There used to be a time when zoos used to be full of animals. A time when extinction was not a problem. That was the past. Today, zoos all around the world are missing many animals such as the African elephant or the dodo bird. All of these wonderful animals became extinct because we were careless enough to let them all die. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is an organization that is trying to prevent extinction from happening. WWF is an environmental organization dedicated to “protecting the world’s wildlife and wetlands” ("World Wildlife Fund"). It is one of the largest private supported conservation organizations in the world, with support from one million members in just the United States. WWF was formed on September 11, 1961 in Morges,

Social entrepreneurship is gaining such strong interest in nonprofit world because of the economic challenges that have plagued this sector with cuts in philanthropic and government funding. According to Nash (2010) not only are there cuts, there are many organizations vying for the limited funding. Studies support, the attitudes in capitalistic America, and the ease of nonprofits to embrace this concept; evidenced by their ability to sell their once free services, to meet the demands of the consumer. According to the IRS (2010) nonprofits have increased their selling power on unrelated business income, to the tune of 184% increase, in a sixteen-year time frame. This writer, believes these numbers are evidence which support this trend is