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. We welcome your comments and feedback.

Last year, I was introduced to a report called "Convergence: How Five Trends Will Reshape the Social Sector." Intrigued by the title, I decided to throw it in my "read while on an airplane" file. Once I finally packed my bags, boarded, and had a chance to read through the report, I immediately felt it was one of the most important monographs in the last two decades. Having been a member of the World Future Society for the past thirty five years, I have read a lot of literature focusing on trends, and I know it can be overwhelming to sift through all of the dialogue about what nonprofits should expect to see in the future. To alleviate some of this pressure, this week I will introduce you to one of the trends described in "Convergence," which was compiled by La Piana Consulting and commissioned by The James Irvine Foundation. The report was completed and published in November of 2009, and you can click here to download a copy.

Here's what we know: Many in nonprofit leadership positions have been hanging on by cutting more than they even thought possible. We in the academic community are…

I am at one of the most intense, rewarding, and sometimes frightening times in my nonprofit career. And I don't think I'm alone.

As Senior Program Manager of Paths of HOPE at Catholic Charities, I am preparing to lead my team and a group of cross-functional, internal stakeholders, along with our CEO and Senior Management, through a two-day program planning session. With our CEO's support, this is my team's best opportunity to gain commitment from stakeholders on resourcing and supporting our program's priorities.

I'm a new leader, managing a young program with high expectations. It's fantastic work – very intense and rewarding. But it can be scary at times – looking at a mountain of work, thinking there has to be a better way to manage – because if we don't, we can't improve lives. No pressure there, ha!

As Board President of YNPN Phoenix, I often hear from other emerging nonprofit leaders – including our board – a shared desire to perform with high standards in the face of huge workloads, while at the same time wanting life/work balance. We love our commitments, but it can sometimes be a challenge to hold it all together!

But fear not, nonprofit professionals! There are ways to work through even the toughest times that don't always need to include escaping to an undisclosed…

Today's youth generation has been stereotyped as the "me" generation — as obsessed with technology, social media, and constantly checking Facebook news feeds. However, technological advancement and social media are the key factors of this generation when it comes to giving back. Nonprofit organizations all over the world have become accustomed to the social media franchise: People are now able to donate online, view volunteer opportunities on the web, follow charity updates, and much more. Having access to this information through social media is one very large reason I believe that today's youth are becoming more involved with giving back to their communities.

Now, technology and social media aren't going to be the only things that help keep the younger generation involved with volunteering and donating to nonprofit organizations. This is where strong family ties can make a big impact. Instead of spending your "family time" watching television, give volunteering a shot! It's a fantastic way to pass the volunteering torch on to the next generation. While growing up, I spent a lot of time with my family volunteering and giving back to various organizations such as the Special Olympics and St. Mary's Food Bank, and it's had a significant impact on my life, even inspiring me to join the American Humanics program…

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. We welcome your comments and feedback.

It was a great week for learning and connecting, with over 500 people attending the Phoenix Business Journal's Fourth Annual Nonprofit Business Summit, which engaged nonprofit and business leaders in dialogue and educational sessions. And on April 29-30, nonprofit scholars came together at the 8th Annual West Coast Nonprofit Data Conference to share current research and discuss methodological developments in the field.

In the spirit of learning, we've put together a fun quiz on Arizona's nonprofit sector. Take this quiz to test your knowledge. We'll report the overall scores in a future blog post.

Click here to take the 10-question quiz! (This link will take you to a new page. At the end of the quiz, you'll find a link to get back to ASU Lodestar Center blog.)

Scoring:

9-10 — Sector Sage - You are a nonprofit guru. Your wisdom is second to none!
7-8 —…

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. We welcome your comments and feedback.

In a prior post titled, "Really, How Many Nonprofits Are There?" my colleague Professor Mark Hager dissected the conundrum faced by nonprofit researchers in answering that question. To a casual observer, it seems so easy to answer, and yet, as Mark explained, it is quite complex. As researchers attempt to explain this and other questions, they are sometimes charged with the claim, "Oh, you people are just too academic!" I always find that exclamation amusing, since truth-seeking is about understanding complex phenomena and overcoming huge methodological challenges—explanations of which are not always welcomed in a world that places a premium on superficial sound bites and speedy, surface-level interpretation.

Determining the number of nonprofits is even more challenging when considering the question, "Where do nonprofits operate?" Often, funders and others ask this because they want to know to what extent various nonprofits serve a particular geographic location (e.g., city, county, etc.). While there may be value in knowing where building-centered nonprofits (e.g., museums, recreation…