In 2004, Senators Grassley and Baucus requested that Independent Sector, the major trade organization for nonprofits in the US, convene a panel to recommend actions to strengthen nonprofit governance and ethical standards. They expressed concern that current laws and guidelines failed to hold tax-exempt organizations accountable. After embarking upon an industry collaborative, Independent Sector’s advisory panel issued a report in October 2007, highlighting 33 principles it recommended nonprofits adopt. The report was overwhelmingly welcomed by the nonprofit sector, but the daunting challenge of implementing these principles remains. Advancing Nonprofit Stewardship Through Self-Regulation points the way forward for nonprofits by identifying specific strategies for implementing Independent Sector’s principles. It also urges other researchers and practitioners to create competing strategies of implementation to give nonprofits choice. This lucid and brief guidebook shows how organizations can navigate demands for increased accountability and transparency through constructing and executing improved bylaws while creating a setting of integrity and trust. It is essential reading not only for all US nonprofits but for NGOs facing similar challenges around the world.

Maintaining the public trust is key to preserving the charitable sector's diversity, adaptability, and capacity for innovation and impact. Looking to ratchet up your nonprofit's effectiveness and accountability? Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice is a foremost guide for sound and successful practice by public charities and private foundations in the U.S. today. Thirty-three principles succinctly provide clarity on critical questions concerning legal compliance and public disclosure, effective governance, financial oversight, and responsible fundraising. First published in 2007, the utility of these principles has been widely demonstrated, with more than 200,000 copies distributed nationwide. This 2015 updated edition, with legal citations, provides considerable additional value, reflecting changes in the law as well as the new circumstances in which the sector functions, and new relationships within and between sectors. It is the work product of 21 leaders from the nonprofit and philanthropic sector, convened by Independent Sector, a national nonpartisan coalition of nonprofits, foundations, and corporations founded in 1980. These new highlights include principles applying to:* A Code of Ethics* Whistleblowers* Risk tolerance and mitigation as they concern technology advances* New business and earned income opportunities* Transparency versus privacy* Executive compensation* Overhead costs* FundraisingAs never before, charitable organizations are embracing the need for standards of ethical practice that preserve and strengthen the public's confidence. Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice is the guide to keep on your shelf and share with your board and other stakeholders.

Developed by the Panel on the Nonprofit Sector, the Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice outline 33 principles of sound practice related to legal compliance and public disclosure, effective governance, financial oversight, and responsible fundraising. These principles, especially in conjunction with the Principles Workbook, help organizations assess and improve their operations. Organizations that have applied the Principles report increased capacity to achieve their missions, including improved governance, stronger organizational cultures and practices, and increased credibility with funders, individual donors and community partners.

Developed by the Panel on the Nonprofit Sector, the Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice outline 33 principles of sound practice related to legal compliance and public disclosure, effective governance, financial oversight, and responsible fundraising. These principles, especially in conjunction with the Principles Workbook, help organizations assess and improve their operations. Organizations that have applied the Principles report increased capacity to achieve their missions, including improved governance, stronger organizational cultures and practices, and increased credibility with funders, individual donors and community partners.

Maintaining the public trust is key to preserving the charitable sector's diversity, adaptability, and capacity for innovation and impact. Looking to ratchet up your nonprofit's effectiveness and accountability? The Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice is a foremost guide for sound and successful practice by public charities and private foundations in the U.S. today. Thirty-three principles succinctly provide clarity on critical questions concerning legal compliance and public disclosure, effective governance, financial oversight, and responsible fundraising. First published in 2007, the utility of these principles has been widely demonstrated, with more than 200,000 copies distributed nationwide. This 2015 updated edition provides considerable additional value, reflecting changes in the law as well as the new circumstances in which the sector functions, and new relationships within and between sectors. It is the work product of 21 leaders from the nonprofit and philanthropic sector, convened by Independent Sector, a national nonpartisan coalition of nonprofits, foundations, and corporations founded in 1980. These new highlights include principles applying to:* A Code of Ethics* Whistleblowers* Risk tolerance and mitigation as they concern technology advances* New business and earned income opportunities* Transparency versus privacy* Executive compensation* Overhead costs* FundraisingAs never before, charitable organizations are embracing the need for standards of ethical practice that preserve and strengthen the public's confidence. The Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice is the guide to keep on your shelf and share with your board and other stakeholders.

Practical tools and techniques to incorporate ethical standards and practices in nonprofit fundraising Nonprofit Fundraising Strategy is a helpful and inspiring resource for nonprofits large and small, young and mature, local and international. The insightful guidance and case studies found within these pages will help you understand how to address specific ethical issues within your nonprofit and leave plenty of food for thought and discussion. Adds new materials on new business practice codes, the Ethics Assessment Inventory, coverage of new ethics standards Now includes an ethics assessment tool on the Ethical Fundraising, Second Edition companion website Considers essential topics including: appearance of impropriety, rights of donors, tainted money, using donations as intended, choosing a leadership role, ethical decision-making, restoring public confidence in the nonprofit sector, and the ethics of grant making and grant seeking Written by luminaries in the field of ethics in fundraising Explores a topic that all professional fundraisers must engage with in order to build the trust and confidence of the giving public Offers an invaluable collection of essays based on the rich experience of philanthropic leaders Presents wise reflections on the central role of ethics in fundraising Featuring contributions from a host of well-known and respected senior-level fundraising professionals, several of whom are members of the AFP Ethics Committee, Nonprofit Fundraising Strategy features a wealth of practical tools to help fundraising practitioners, board members, and governing boards implement these essential concepts into their own organizations.

Nonprofit Governance Law, Practices & Trends Governance seems to be the subject that is perched atop every nonprofit lawyer's worry/wish list, despite the fact that there is not much law on the point, particularly at the federal level. This ascension in importance is largely due to the various organizations propounding best practices and principles for public charities and other forms of nonprofit organizations, the IRS's redesigned Form 990, the agency's aggressive push of certain good governance principles in the tax-exempt organizations' setting, and scandals brought to light by the Senate Finance Committee staff. Stemming from the authors' endless hours of meditating over the new Form 990 and sifting through the many (and often inconsistent) best practices principles, Nonprofit Governance fills the need for some cohesion in the realm of nonprofit governance by providing in-depth coverage and explanations of the laws, practices, and trends in this volatile area. An invaluable resource for nonprofit executives, officers, directors, nonprofit lawyers, accountants, members of boards of directors, and consultants, legal experts Bruce R. Hopkins and Virginia Gross's Nonprofit Governance brims with detailed documentation and references to regulations, rulings, cases, and tax literature (which includes current articles and tax law review notes). Here, readers will find a wealth of clarifying information on: Federal and state law fundamentals Board member responsibilities and liability Nonprofit governance principles Nonprofit governance issues Application of the private benefit doctrine Governance and the redesigned Form 990 Recommended polices and procedures Governance case studies Governance legal audit A law primer for nonprofit board members And much more The book includes an exhaustive index, Internal Revenue Code citations and numerous case studies, tips, forms, and checklists to round out the authoritative coverage. Nonprofit Governance is an indispensable guide to, and through, all of the governance policymaking that is unfolding, to improve the management of nonprofit organizations as well as to help organizations be in compliance with nonprofit governance law.

In an environment of increasing competition and eroding trust, nonprofits are under pressure to up their ability to deliver on their mission. Stewardship is a paradigm-shifting way to view your role, your board, your staff, your funders, and yourself. Understanding that the nonprofit is rooted in its ownership by the community helps break the boundaries of turf and fragmentation that prevent sustainable impacts. Author Peter Brinckerhoff, internationally known expert at helping not-for-profits get more mission for their money, explains why stewardship is the smart thing to do and how you can use it to transform your organization. You'll discover: The eight characteristics of a mission-based steward; The various stewardship roles that exist in your not-for-profit, and why each is essential in a well-functioning organization; Three surprising truths about your not-for-profit; The nine characteristics of a successful not-for-profit; Fifteen warning signs of trouble in your organization; Stewardship-rich ways to view your finances, your budgeting, and your financial reporting; A refreshing new perspective on the relationship between funders and not-for-profits; Crisis management tools that really work; A stewardship self-assessment to use now as a starting point, and later as a reference point to measure your progress. Comprehensive, passionate, and practical. Dozens of real-world examples make this book relevant. End-of-chapter discussion questions reprise key points and reinforce important ideas. Nonprofit Stewardship is recommended for leaders of all types of not-for-profit organizations serving individuals, the local community, the state, the nation, or the world. Also recommended for donors, grant makers, government agencies, and others who fund your work.

Now even with limited resources, nonprofit leaders will learn how to: eliminate redundant or outdated policies; add new policies more effectively; clearly guide the CEO and evaluate his or her performance; ensure compliance with relevant legislation and regulations; understand why certain policies should be included; and adapt the authors' templates to their specific needs.