501(c) Blues: Staying Sane in the Nonprofit Game [Paperback]

David Jenkins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 31, 2003

Too many nonprofit boards are wasting too much time and squandering too much money making organizational decisions for personal and social reasons rather than using street smart business tactics and effective management procedures. They’re driving their executive directors and staffs INSANE while forcing talented people to jump ship before their careers sink into the deep blue sea.

With commentary from dozens of executive directors, presidents and board members from across the nation, 501(c)Blues offers a passionate insight into the dysfunction that plagues America’s nonprofit organizations. These colorful tales from a unique insider’s perspective will help your organization fulfill its mission while ensuring that everyone keeps a civil and courteous tongue — and their eyes on the prize.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Having just turned 16, David Jenkins climbed a four-story fire escape to sneak into the Boston Tea Party to see the Jeff Beck Group in 1968, thus beginning a lifelong involvement in the live entertainment industry. Mr. Jenkins has promoted every kind of event from rock tours to symphony orchestras to sports events and served as National Promotion Director of the Ice Capades. His move into the restoration and operation of endangered historic theatres, all of which shall obviously remain nameless, brought him face to face with the endless challenges of nonprofit management. He attributes two years on the road marketing an international circus troupe of acrobats, jugglers, monkeys and poodles as suitably preparing him for his ensuing years of nonprofit madness. He has been employed as executive director by six boards, served on nine local, three statewide and two national boards, and created three brand new 501(c)3 organizations. He has served as paid consultant to 23 local governments and citizens groups in regards to theatre restoration and downtown issues. He currently lectures on a variety of nonprofit management topics, and once went out to dinner with Mamie Van Doren.

Product Details

• Paperback: 245 pages
• Publisher: Fandango Press (August 31, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967554322
• ISBN-13: 978-0967554327
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,397,607 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Burning the old bridge to build a new one., October 10, 2003

By 

Joe Mobilia (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 501(c) Blues: Staying Sane in the Nonprofit Game (Paperback)

David Jenkins applies his experience from years of working with non-profit organizations to this smart and entertaining book. Jenkins is not afraid to burn some bridges. His observations and stories, along with many anonymously-attributed comments and anecdotes, make for lively and often irreverent reading. At the heart of the book, however, is Jenkins' passion for his subject: his intense frustration at what he and others have often experienced with non-profits, and his sensible, clear-eyed thoughts on how to make things better.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Revolution or Evolution?, September 30, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: 501(c) Blues: Staying Sane in the Nonprofit Game (Paperback)

Having been involved with many, many non profit boards across many different levels of our society for over 30 years, both in Europe and America, I can honestly say that David Jenkin's book is a wake up scream to the non-profit industry - use the 501(c)to achieve something positive. My experience is that 501(c) organizations absolutely waste the diminishing resources and community spirit currently available in these financially challenged times. Community spirit and precious volunteer hours are just being flushed away by egocentric and self-seeking board members who generally have no common sense or experience in running a non-profit enterprise.

This book should be compulsory reading for every 501(c) start up member - and all board members should have to prove annually that they do not come close to matching the accurately drawn prototypical profiles that David has so successfully described.

The 501(c) industry is sinking fast - it is time for the rules of board members to be changed - every board member should have to demonstrate an unequivocal knowledge of the business and to accept the liabilities and to accept public examination in the event of failure - put all non-profits on the same stage that Enron, WorldCom and Tyco have found themselves.

If the status quo remains, the rank and file members of these organizations may just rebel against the uneducated and damaging decisions of the board. Leave the decisions to the paid professionals, and let success be the result.

David Jenkin's book should be the flag that leads to evolution, otherwise non-profit heads will roll through revolution.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Have for anyone in non-profit, October 24, 2003

By 

David Fleming (Green Bay Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 501(c) Blues: Staying Sane in the Nonprofit Game (Paperback)

This book accurately and cleverly captures both the great problems that exist in the world of non-profit management and the unbelieveably simple solutions to those problems. It also articulated clearly and humorously why those simple solutions are so elusive to those who volunteer to "lead" non-profits. This really is a MUST READ text for both the long suffering professionals who make their living guiding the companies that provide such essential services for our communities and those who agree to volunteer as trustees. This sacred trust demands much from each category of servant and Jenkins' book is an invaluable and easily read handbook for both. If you see yourself in his words and the quotes from his contributors then learn from what he tells you. This ought to be subtitled "Know when to hold them and when to fold them."