Publications

Public Interest Management Group publishes white papers and detailed analytic reports on current nonprofit management topics. Click on titles below to read or download publications. For additional writing about the nonprofit world, see our blog.

> Success Factors of a Nonprofit Merger: a Case Study

This case study of a Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate highlights key success factors contributing to the organization’s merger process and describes how a well-designed process has pointed the new organization toward growth and sustainability.

> Best Practices - Fact or Myth?

Nonprofit leaders face a wide array of assumptions and conventions about organizational management. But are so-called "best practices" really effective? New Public Interest Management Group research casts doubt on many widely-held conventions and suggests a model of successful nonprofit management.

> Anatomy of the Nonprofit Business Model

What drives (and hinders) an organization's success in achieving impact and financial strength? A healthy business model is essential. We provide a detailed overview of the concept, dissect the components of the nonprofit business model and identify strategies for organizational sustainability and performance.

> Evaluating the Evaluator: Unpacking Charity Navigator's Rating System

Charity Navigator offers evaluation of nonprofits' management and effectiveness. We summarize the organization's rating process and critique its evaluation methodology.

> Emerging Nonprofit Partnership Models: Two Alternatives to Traditional Merger

Strategic partnerships are evolving in the nonprofit sector. This paper outlines two creative alternatives nonprofits may consider to enhance their impact and sustainability.

> Gauging Nonprofit Success: Past Research, Present Gaps, Future Needs

This article explores research and literature on organizational effectiveness, as well as gaps in our understanding of what makes organizations work.

> A Year Into the Pandemic: Report from a Survey of Nonprofit Leaders

We partnered with the Nonprofit Association of Oregon and the Impact Foundry to conduct a comprehensive survey of the pandemic’s effects on nonprofits and their leaders. See NAO’s report and a data appendix.