The Non Nonprofit: For-Profit Thinking for Nonprofit Success
A top business leader shares the business principles he used to launch both a top company and a thriving nonprofit
Nonprofit leaders know that solving pervasive social problems requires passion and creativity as well as tangible results. The Non Nonprofit shares the same business principles that drive the world’s best companies, showing how they can (and should) be applied to the realm of nonprofits. Steve Rothschild personally crossed sectors when he left corporate America to found Twin Cities RISE!, a highly successful poverty reduction programme.
His honest story, and success and missteps, create an essential roadmap for any social venture looking to prove and boost its impact.
- Distills essential nonprofit principles such as having a clear and appropriate purpose, creating economic value from social benefit, and establishing mutual accountability
- Shares successful approaches from innovative organizations such as Grameen Bank, Playworks, Common Ground, Habitat for Humanity, Lumni, Caring Bridge, College Summit and RISE!
- Draws from the author’s success in founding and building Twin Cities RISE!, which trains unemployed Minnesotans for living wage jobs. RISE! serves 1,500 participants each year
Rothschild clearly details seven key principles:
1. Have a Clear and Appropriate Purpose
2. Measure What Counts
3. Be Market Driven
4. Create Mutual Accountability
5. Support Personal Empowerment
6. Create Economic Value from Social Benefit
7. Be Learning Driven
By adopting these principles and understanding how they are integral to creating long-term success, anyone can create a financially sustainable, socially responsible organisation.
As insightful as it is inspiring, The Non Nonprofit can help maximise the positive impact of any nonprofit.
Reviews
“The lessons of The Non Nonprofit can improve the results of any nonprofit organization.It provides sound guidance to donors, agencies, and policy makers. This is the kind of thinking I encourage United Way leaders to apply while measuring community need and community impact.”
Brian Gallagher, president and CEO, United Way Worldwide
“We need more practical visionaries like Steve Rothschild. He saw the problem of poverty, rolled up his sleeves, and carefully tested what works and what doesn’t. The result: a powerful and effective program for reducing poverty and a set of clear principles that can be readily applied anywhere. The Non Nonprofit is a ground-breaking book.”
Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senator, Minnesota
“For all of our many achievements, America remains a nation yet suffering from widespread poverty. Steve Rothschild’s The Non Nonprofit reflects what he has learned from nearly seventeen years as the committed and inspired founder of Twin Cities RISE! These are proven ideas, practical and available to businesses and public leaders in our communities. I am pleased to recommend this fresh and creative approach to creating more opportunity for those in our midst who need it the most.”
Walter Mondale, 42nd Vice President of the United States
