Welcome to Research Friday! As part of a continuing weekly series, each Friday we invite a nonprofit expert to highlight a research report or study and discuss how it can inform and improve day-to-day nonprofit practice. Today, we welcome Marissa Theisen of Arizona Grantmakers Forum to discuss findings from the 2010 Arizona Giving Report.

One never-ending concern for nonprofits is funding. Organizations must continually evaluate which programs get priority, and at times, make tough decisions as to which ones get cut. As a state-wide sector, it can help us to understand what funding looks like across Arizona. Arizona Grantmakers Forum (AGF) released a 2010 Arizona Giving Report earlier this year. It provides an overview of the size and scope of philanthropic activities in our state, based on 2008 IRS data. The findings reveal some interesting facts and raise serious questions about the funding of Arizona's nonprofit sector:

First, Arizona's institutional philanthropic sector is smaller than most states. Total foundation assets were just under $6 billion. Arizona ranked 40th among states in terms of private foundation assets per capita. Given Arizona's severe economic challenges, we don't anticipate any significant increase in the total size of our philanthropic assets over the…

A few weeks ago, we at the Center had a fiasco on our hands. What happened, you ask? We entered the wild, savage jungle of Internet Commentary.

Here at the Center, we're a calm bunch. We're extremely respectful of one another, and we get along like fuzzy critters in a Disney movie. Nothing particularly controversial happens, except when someone eats the last Reese's cup in the candy jar.
 

Pictured: Travis "Sweet Tooth" Butterfield

So, in June, when one of our blog posts sparked a heated discussion in the comments section, we were all caught off guard. The blogger, Katie Hawkes, had written this post encouraging our audience to be optimistic about volunteering. We've had a couple bloggers explore similar sentiments, too, including my fellow Lodestar staff member Laura E. Tan and Public Allies Arizona alumna…

Welcome to Research Friday! As part of a continuing weekly series, each Friday we invite a nonprofit expert from our academic faculty to highlight a research report or study and discuss how it can inform and improve day-to-day nonprofit practice.

Where do nonprofit leaders, managers, volunteers, donors, and other stakeholders go when searching for information pertinent to their roles? This is a question our faculty, staff, and student team asks frequently in our quest to meet our Center's mission to help build the capacity of the social sector for those who lead, manage, and support nonprofits.

Through informal discussions we've had with stakeholders, it seems there are a few preferred sources of information. The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Nonprofit Times, Social Innovation Review, and Nonprofit Quarterly are a few industry specific publications that are considered "go to" sources of knowledge. If you're looking for more scholarly contributions, academic journals like Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, and…

Over the years, lives have been transformed by the uniquely structured missions of organizations at the hands of businessmen and women, donors, volunteers, and common change-makers alike.

However, throughout the history of philanthropic ventures, many trials and triumphs have shaped the nonprofit sector into what it has become today. The nonprofit sector has and will continue to evolve to face these challenges, especially in the way relationships are formed and maintained between all benefiting parties.

How we relate to one another in this sector is ever-changing — and not just because of how we interact in our technologically advanced, Facebook/Twitter world. It's ever-changing because our definition of engagement within the causes we believe in are changing. The real test of a nonprofit's survival is its staff members' willingness to not only embrace this ideology, but to channel it constructively.

When we adapt to this change, we must learn to not think of the benefit to ourselves, donors, business partners, or the community alone. We must address the needs and goals of each equally and in a way that is mutually beneficial in order to build strong, sustained relationships.

I was first introduced to this concept in a volunteer management class. My instructor, Kelly Ramella, introduced an important three-way Venn diagram: the circles…

Becoming a great nonprofit leader... what does it look like and how does one achieve it? The topic of leadership has been deliberated at great length. Books have been written and studies have been published, but the focus has primarily been on the private sector. And, let's face it: while there are similarities in the attributes needed in both the private and nonprofit sectors, there are also some distinct differences.

I've identified seven key areas of focus that are necessary to become a great nonprofit leader. I believe these attributes may be learned and practiced to produce a great leader — you don't have to be born with them to demonstrate great leadership! The seven key leadership competencies are:

Being clear on your mission and purpose as a leader means choosing to be part of an organization where you are passionate about the work. It's about being fully aligned with your organization with an unwavering commitment to its vision and mission.

Dedicating yourself to continuous learning is at the core of investing in yourself and others. Staying current on trends and insisting on creating work/life balance are also key components.

Thinking strategically involves partnering with a diverse mix of key stakeholders to determine the direction of the organization based on the current environment and what's possible. It's about flexing and adapting as opportunities…