Peter Brinkerhoff is one of today's most important writers on nonprofit management. Bringing with him over thirty-years experience in leading and developing nonprofit organizations, Brinkerhoff's book, Nonprofit Stewardship: A Better Way to Lead Your Mission-Based Organization is an essential book for all nonprofit executives, staff members and boards.
Brinkerhoff starts off by reminding us that having the privilege of being involved in nonprofit service requires a bigger view than just our own particular motivations. Indeed, being a nonprofit organization puts you at the heart of a larger community (be that local, national or international) and that defining your role within that larger context is vital to building a strong and successful organization.
As a funder, I applaud this concept. In today's tight money economy, it is becoming difficult to fund every important community organization. The key to the survival of these programs lies in collaborative partnerships, sharing services and maximizing resources. Brinkerhoff reminds us to make sure that our mission-based organization carries with it both those activities that appeal to the heart and those that make great business sense. He has developed nine characteristics that stewardship-based organizations strive for. Each of these should be a part of any good new board packet or, indeed, new employee manual.
Beyond that, Brinkerhoff's book is more than just philosophy. It contains common-sense tools that boards (and staff) can use to evaluate their organization and implement more effective ways of planning, tracking finance, taking risks and managing critical projects. His personal observations and both witty and entertaining and thought-provoking. And, again as a funder, his section on the stewardship role of foundations ought to be engrained in each of our grantmaking decisions.
Brinkerhoff even has a section that allows you to take a Personal Stewardship Self-Assessment to see how you measure up. Many know that the success of any good nonprofit organization lies in its leadership. If defining "stewardship" as "maximizing your organization's mission-effectiveness" makes sense; then how vital is it to examine your own leadership potential and find ways to grow as both a leader and a manager.