Expanding Universe - Introduction

THE EXPANDING UNIVERSE
New Directions in Nonprofit Capacity Building

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Introduction by Roni Posner

Defining “nonprofit capacity building” is tricky because it is such a broad and complex field of work. Each day, a wide variety of actors employ a huge range of strategies, seeking to strengthen the entire nonprofit sector working with individuals, organizations, communities, issues and whole systems. Tom Backer, Jane Bleeg and Kate Groves, authors of this study, get right to the core of capacity building: “strengthening nonprofits so they can better achieve their mission.” Now, with this research on “The Expanding Universe: New Directions in Nonprofit Capacity Building,” we are able to broaden our understanding of the types of individuals and organizations involved in this work, innovative strategies, and some lessons learned for improving the quality of capacity building work.

Since the founding of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management in 1997, as a result of a merger of the Support Centers for America and the Nonprofit Management Association, our purpose has been to build an umbrella organization, a learning community, of all the different types of actors who play a role in deepening the capacity of nonprofits. The first and most obvious groups of capacity builders identified were management support organizations (nonprofit organizations that provide consulting, training, research and other resources for nonprofits), independent consultants and consulting firms, and grantmakers.  All have played major and visible roles in strengthening nonprofits for decades. 

Yet we quickly began to see that the field of capacity builders is much broader and includes a wide range of other individuals and organizations such as academic centers, researchers, publishers, associations, government agencies and corporations. To help get a handle on all these various organizational types, to help “see” this wide range of players, in 1998 we created our one-page “Universe of Nonprofit Management and Governance Capacity Builders.” That first iteration of our “Universe” had 9 categories of capacity builders. Over the years, it has expanded to 20 categories. Clearly, lots of types of capacity building are being practiced, at varying levels of quality, throughout the nonprofit sector.

Increasingly, we have realized that many more actors are involved in capacity building – more than any diagram could fully, accurately represent. We wanted to drill down deeper into the who, what and how of nonprofit capacity building. So, we asked Tom Backer and his colleagues to help us to do that – to locate and describe the many capacity builders in the field who may never have even heard the term “management support organization” or may not identify with this designation or with the field of “capacity building.” Who is doing this important work and how? What can we learn from these innovative approaches, and how might we connect these groups to our “Expanding Universe” of nonprofit capacity builders?

We are delighted with the results of this study, uncovering an exciting range of innovative work in strengthening nonprofits. Through this study, we have learned about the important work of groups such as the Hawai’i Community Foundation and how it has used its role as a convener to build strength among its grantees.  We have learned of individual philanthropists who understand the importance of strong management and organizational infrastructure and have funded organizational development directly.  We have learned about the First Nations Development Institute that provides technical assistance to tribes to strengthen the food systems in their communities. The 118 programs chronicled here, the literature review, and the analysis of interviews with a broad range of thoughtful practitioners bring important, useful new insights to the field of nonprofit capacity building. These fresh insights challenge us to continue to think creatively about the ways we establish linkages within our professional community and strengthen all of our work, uplifting nonprofits and the communities they serve. 

Several important lessons for the field have been identified. One is the idea that an integrated approach to capacity building is most effective; any single approach might not achieve desired results.  When training, organizational development consulting and coaching are combined, greater and more sustained results can be achieved. Further, integrated approaches underscore the importance of collaboration and coordination among capacity builders.  We need to know who is doing what – to help nonprofits navigate the assistance available to them and to promote the best possible combinations of capacity building that support nonprofits to increase their effectiveness.  Use this study to stretch your understanding of the diversity of approaches to nonprofit capacity building and to learn about programs and strategies that could serve nonprofits in your community.

Not surprisingly, the results of this research raise new questions for our field that are yet unanswered. So let us hear from you, and immerse yourself in the continued dialogue, as we unbundle and reap the advantages of this “Expanding Universe” of colleagues – and as we focus on the continued growth and quality of this critical work we call “nonprofit capacity building.”

Dr. Roni D. Posner, Executive Director
Alliance for Nonprofit Management
June 2004

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