Customer Reviews

How to Manage an Effective Nonprofit Organization: From Writing and Managing Grants to Fundraising, Board Development, and Strategic Planning

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After reading all of the reviews here on Amazon I jumped at buying this book. I thought it would be the only source I needed, for now. However, as soon as I started reading it I was completely lost and I felt like my non-profit idea was a lost cause. This book appears to best represent large non-profits, or organizations that are already est.

The leading chp. discussed boards, not even helpful hints on building a board, just information on how to strengthen your board and how to give them clear duties. Huh, this was totally disconcerting for me b/c I don't even have a board! By chp 3 the author finally discussed something that I could use, except I was so befuddled at this point that I didn't want to continue. Why talk about the importance of planning or developing a plan in chp 3, shouldn't this come sooner? Why not break down what non-profits are to some ppl and how they have changed in the first few chps.? Why instead talk about boards and how to call meetings in the first chp.? None of this was particularly helpful for someone like me.

I think this is a great overview for ppl already have an organization but want to improve it. For people starting like me or starting small I recommend "How to Manage an Effective Nonprofit Organization." Now that book so far has been indispensable.

Update:
I'm sorry if there was some confusion with my review. Basically, I still believe that this book is a great resource for larger, well established organizations, but for people like me, starting a much smaller non-profit from the ground up it was only a slight overview that wasn't entirely helpful. I instead would recommend "Managing a Nonprofit Organization in the 21st Century" by Thomas Wolf, ISBN 978-0-684-84990-4. I apologize for the confusion I caused by listing the wrong title in my previous review. I felt as if Thomas Wolf's book was more comprehensible for starting and maintaining a non-profit.

Author Michael A. Sand, a consultant to nonprofit organizations for more than 25 years, has condensed his experience and knowledge of not-for-profit agencies into an information-packed book. He thoroughly covers the ABCs of managing a community service agency - from forming and operating a governing board to writing better grant proposals to hiring and supervising a productive staff. This handy reference is straightforward and easy to follow. It tackles many of the problems nonprofit organizations face everyday. Each chapter is accessibly divided into an outline format with headlines and bullet points, making the information easy to find and digest. The author includes sound, basic management material that might apply to most small businesses, as well as nonprofits, but unfortunately does not include case studies, anecdotes or real life examples to support his suggested strategies. Still, if we ever offered a start-up or refresher course called Nonprofit Agency Management 101, this book would be required reading.

It's very easy to read, and rather comprehensive in the sense that it covers everything regarding management of the non profit. But it's not as helpful as I will like as it doesn't really go into details and the how to's and the examples and such. I would've liked more of that.

I purchased the book on a whim and in a hurry, basically based on other reviews and what was inside the book. I recently just started a Christian non profit organization and needed direction. This book provided me valuable information on what I need to know once I'm basically up and running - which is ok because I have plenty of pages highlighted and saved with posted notes! I enjoyed it.

Generous this book is...
In the Fall of 2007 I was in the process of implementing my very own non profit organization called The Pink Polka Got Org. and I really didn't have the managerial experience required to direct a board or my staff so I looked for a book that would help me. This book was very helpful and provided some good examples and details of keeping everything together. I thank the author for not making things too complicated for a young woman starting out fresh! Kudos****

This was not as helpful as I had hoped. A lot of "lists" but not a lot of solid information.

The board members of my federation all have board of directors. I purchased this small book to help them as board members of the federation and to work with their own non profit boards.
This is the best and most usable book I have found and recommend it often to others in the nonprofit world.

This book is a good read for a board member of an NPO, it outlines what you are supposed to know but is a quick read, not in depth. Still quite enough, a good head's up, for the average volunteer board member, and one can get more info easily if needed. Good information on board-staff relations, and good for effective meetings. Well worth the price.

This is a must read for all board members and potential board members for nonprofit organizations. It is very easy to read and understand. The outline format demonstrates the expert experience of the author.

I am chair of a nonprofit organization. I bought 2 copies one for my board members and one for the staff.

However, I am disappointed that I am not able to obtain a copy of it in a Spanish translation.

Super book. Concise, well written and just the information needed to get our museum effort on track. I'll have our entire board read it.