Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits Hardcover – May 1, 2012

Since the first edition of Forces for Good was published in 2007 the world has changed significantly. The U.S. and global economies have essentially ground to a halt. Government cutbacks, reduced public support, and less money from corporations have challenged nonprofits like never before.

In the original book, authors Crutchfield and McLeod Grant employed a rigorous research methodology to determine "what makes great nonprofits great?" They studied twelve nonprofits that have achieved extraordinary levels of impact—from Habitat for Humanity to the Heritage Foundation—and distilled six counterintuitive practices that these organizations use to change the world. This revised and updated edition of that bestselling book explores how the recent economic and social upheavals have impacted these noteworthy organizations. In addition, Forces for Good shows how the six practices have been applied successfully to small, local nonprofits.

Despite the enormous changes in the economic landscape, the authors' recent research reaffirms the viability of the original six practices for scaling social impact. This updated book examines a proven framework that helps nonprofits shift from an organizational mind-set to a relational mind-set, from a more industrial era model of production, where the nonprofit produces goods and services for customers, to a networked model, where the nonprofit's mission is to catalyze social change by inspiring others to action.

If you are a nonprofit professional, an agent for social change, a dedicated volunteer, or a concerned donor, this book will serve as a manual for becoming a force for good.

Praise for Forces for Good

"Top 10 Business Book of the Year ... a serious piece of research."—The Economist

"Offers excellent real-world examples of what great nonprofits actually look like."—Financial Times.com

"A Best Book of the Year."—The Globe and Mail, Toronto

"Inspired and inspiring, this book can change the way the world works by changing how leaders think. Leslie Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant have made a significant contribution with a Very Big Idea: the shift in focus from building an organization to building a movement."—Jim Collins, author, Good to Great; coauthor, Built to Last

"Global problems like abject poverty require innovative, scalable solutions. We have so much to learn from these six practices because they're what lead to wide-scale social change."—Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer, Facebook

"The nonprofits making the greatest impacts these days are entrepreneurial, adaptive, outward-looking, and sometimes a little messy. Working together, they are trying not only to solve problems, but also to reform whole systems. For the many leaders of all ages out to change the world, this book provides an invaluable road map. Bravo!"—David Gergen, professor of public service and director, Center for Public Leadership, Harvard Kennedy School; senior political analyst, CNN

Winner

Skystone Ryan Research Prize by the Association of Fundraising Professionals

Winner

Gold Prize by Axiom Business Book Awards for Nonprofits

Revised and Updated

"Top 10 Business book of the year." —The Economist