Many in the philanthropic sector resist the idea of spending down or sunsetting. However, deliberately choosing to close an organization can actually help the organization to function better. A clear end date can incentivize strategic reevaluation and reorientation, leading to greater impact.

Alice Hengevoss and Georg von Schnurbein of the Center for Philanthropy Studies at the University of Basel, Switzerland, argue “the value of perpetuity rests not in the foundation itself, but in its legacy and the social impact it generates.”

Read more.

Related SSIR articles: We Need a Strategy for Spending Down and Philanthropy Must Go Beyond Traditional Grantmaking

The nonpartisan nonprofit coalition Rebuild Local News seeks to reverse the rapid decline of local journalism with public policy solutions—“big ideas to address a big, big problem.”

A charity and bank are teaming up to ease the rental process for low-income and homeless people in the United Kingdom.

Hosted by Microsoft Tech for Social Impact partner, Submittable, this session will give you tactical advice for how to automate and refine your workflows so your organization can get more done.

Learn how the Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF), a 501c3, leverages their grant management software to automate workflows and create greater impact.

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Cal Lutheran’s Master of Public Policy and Administration (MPPA) is a unique hybrid of public policy and public administration education designed to nurture leaders who are ready to shape new policies and present bold ideas.

The need for skilled public policy and administration leaders has never been greater. Our Master of Public Policy and Administration (MPPA) prepares you to become an effective leader who can navigate intricate systems, earn stakeholder support and achieve results.

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What looks like racial progress at many nonprofit organizations can set up leaders of color to fail:

“I had just been handed the keys to a shiny, red sports car and could not wait to get in the driver’s seat. It was my dream role, the executive director of a national advocacy organization. I was excited about all the possibilities. I was ready to drive.

“Or so I thought. … It was becoming clear that I had been sold a lemon. I had to either exit or double down. Because I truly believe the organization’s mission is paramount and has unlimited potential, I decided to get to work and ultimately rebuild my car. ‘These problems are mine to fix. These problems are mine to fix. These problems are mine to fix,’ began to play in my head repeatedly. But it never even occurred to me that the problems were not, in fact, mine to fix.”

Read one former executive director’s story and five lessons she learned.

The Nonprofit Leadership Lab can help your organization thrive! Raise more money, build an effective board, grow your posse of supporters. The Lab provides world-class training, support, encouragement, and community every nonprofit needs—regardless of size. Since 2017, the Lab has supported nearly 20,000 leaders of small and midsized organizations.

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The social sector thrives when we collaborate to educate, support, and promote one another and our shared mission of advancing the work of nonprofits, foundations, and other social enterprises. Get a one-year subscription to both Stanford Social Innovation Review and The Nonprofit Quarterly for only $89.95. You save 68% off our combined newsstand price. Offer ends April 30.

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Despite evidence that unrestricted funding accelerates impact and shows lasting positive effects, many funders are hesitant to use the strategy in their giving. Why?

Leaders at the Just Economy Institute point to several factors, including beliefs and assumptions about how money will be used and unacknowledged power dynamics. They spoke with people who have practiced and influenced no-strings giving to gain insights on breaking down the barriers to unrestricted funding.

Read more.

Related SSIR articles: What Large, Unrestricted Gifts Do for Nonprofit Leaders and How We Got Here: The Chorus Foundation and Unrestricted Funding

An excerpt from Next Generation Evidence, a collection of essays from leaders across sectors who lay out a vision for a stronger, more equitable data and evidence ecosystem

A new data-based initiative is helping businesses measure the racial equity of their workforce and take steps to improve it. Series: The Global Pursuit of Equity

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Stanford Social Innovation Review's Global Multi-account License (GMAL) provides your whole team with unlimited site-wide access—including the SSIR archives—from anywhere in the world.

Easily add and remove users as your team evolves, and utilize our streamlined bill-to-company feature for added convenience. Join us as we inform and inspire, collectively.

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Calling all early-stage and experienced social entrepreneurs, philanthropists, impact investors, policy makers, and advocates for the adoption of government policies. This month, join SSIR Live! and Paul Brest, interim dean and professor emeritus (active) of Stanford Law School, for a two-part program series. This 180-minute live-participation series will walk you through the entire process of developing a strategy for social change in three phases, addressed across the two sessions:

Part I: Understanding Social Problems and Approaches (April 15)

Part II: Creating and Using a Theory of Change (April 16)

Learn more and register

Stanford Social Innovation Review is pleased to announce that Joan Garry, founder of the Nonprofit Leadership Lab, will be joining us again for this year’s Nonprofit Management Institute, “What’s Next for the Social Sector? Strategies and Tactics for Today’s Agile Leaders,” September 17-18, 2024. This year, her NMI session will demystify an increasingly pertinent topic in our changing workforce: how to recruit and retain young people in nonprofits.

Learn more and register today