Articles

Common Impact Publishes Research Report on Nonprofit Operational Areas

Title: Assessing the problem: Underinvestment in organizational infrastructure
Source:Common Impact, July 2008
Author: Common Impact team
Website: http://www.commonimpact.org

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Increased competition, different needs. Nonprofits are working harder than ever to solve homelessness, create new educational opportunities, and improve healthcare in communities across the country. Yet as they work to solve social problems, nonprofits also face growing competition in a sector that has nearly doubled in size over the past decade. In this increasingly crowded marketplace, nonprofits must focus on delivering high-quality programs, building strong organizations that will be sustainable over the long run, and raising enough money to support their work.

However, many donors focus on supporting program implementation and push nonprofits to keep their overhead rates low. Unlike the corporate sector--which invests heavily to keep star employees and find ways to deliver services more efficiently--recent studies have shown that nonprofits rarely have the time, money, or expertise to devote to building more effective organizations. To learn more about these critical issues, Common Impact surveyed over 125 nonprofits to understand their greatest challenges beyond programming and fundraising. The results paint a sober picture: nonprofits are significantly underinvesting in organizational development, creating a sector that addresses today's problems but may not be sustainable to meet tomorrow's.

About Common Impact

Founded in 2000 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Common Impact develops and implements skills-based volunteering programs that pair business professionals from leading companies with high-potential local nonprofits addressing crucial after-school, housing, and community health care needs. Through its innovative model, Common Impact channels untapped resources into the nonprofit sector and fosters relationships that bridge the for-profit and nonprofit worlds.

Since its founding in 2000, Common Impact has worked with leading companies including Fidelity Investments, BEA Systems, CA, Cisco Systems, and State Street Corporation, achieving a 7:1 social return on investment.

For more information, please contact Lesley Edwards, Vice President of Partnerships, Common Impact (e-mail: ledwards@commonimpact.org, phone: 617-868-1014).