Five Life Stages of Nonprofit Orgs

Five Life Stages of Nonprofit Organizations: Where You Are, Where You’re Going, and What to Expect When You Get There

Author: Ms. Judith Sharken Simon Contributor: Mr. J. Terence Donovan Illustrator: Ms. Rebecca B. Andrews
Binding Information: Softcover
Product Code: 069229
ISBN: 978-0-940069-22-0
Publisher: Fieldstone Alliance
Pages: 128
Size: 8.5" X 11" X .36"
Price: $32.95

Click here to take the FREE online Nonprofit Life Stage Assessment

Click here to see the bibliography.

Find out what's normal for your nonprofit
The life stage model is a powerful tool for understanding—objectively—your organization's current status and preparing to move it ahead to the future. In this guide, organization development consultant Judith Sharken Simon, MA, helps you understand where your organization is in its life. You'll learn about the very real challenges and problems facing your nonprofit at any given stage. Directors, board members, managers, and consultants can use this guide to:

Put problems in context. You’ll learn which problems are typical for your stage of development, and which ones point to potential dangers.
Effectively manage transitions from one stage to the next. You'll know where you're headed, so you can bring the organization into its next stage of growth.
Keep the organization on track, working at its best in any given stage.
Watch for the warning signs of decline or dissolution.

The Five Life Stages of Nonprofit Organizations includes The Wilder Nonprofit Life Stage Assessment (also sold separately). The Assessment allows you to plot and understand your organization's "home stage" and gauge your progress in seven areas of organization development—governance, staff leadership, finance, administrative systems, staffing, products and services, and marketing. You'll find out how to capitalize on your organization's strengths and shore up its weaknesses.

This unique guide also includes:

Detailed descriptions of the five life stages, with examples of organizations at each stage.
A case study showing how an organization typically moves through the stages.
Opportunities and obstacles you're likely to run into.
The critical events in each stage and why they're necessary for progress.
Advice on what to focus on to move successfully to the next stage.
Tips for handling governance, staff leadership, finance, administrative systems, staffing, products and services, and marketing.
Guidance for consultants who use the Life Stage Assessment.
Extensive bibliography and helpful resources.

Use The Five Life Stages of Nonprofit Organizations to help you avoid unnecessary struggles and to act on opportunities to boost your organization's development.

Quotes:
What others are saying about The Five Life Stages of Nonprofit Organizations...

“A helpful guidebook for nonprofit organizations at any stage of organizational development. It includes a thought-provoking assessment tool and practical advice on how to make transitions from one stage to another.”
—Paul Connolly, Vice President, The Conservation Company, New York, NY

“I haven't found a nonprofit life cycle resource that addresses the topic as well as this one. My clients find it comforting and constructive to learn how they compare to their peers but are often unaware of the significance of their developmental stage. This guide will improve an organization’s ability to assess its strengths and needs, anticipate its next stage, and act on that knowledge.”
—Nancy Axelrod, Consultant, Nonprofit Leadership Services, Washington, DC

“I've worked for many nonprofits over 18 years. After reading this book and looking back, I felt a jolt of recognition 'Aha, that's why!'”
—Carolyn Kourofsky, President, Carolyn Kourofsky Consulting, Webster, NY

“A must read for all nonprofit consultants and management service organization personnel.”
—Bill Belcher, Consultant, 501(c) onsulting, Sparks, NV

“A valuable tool in helping nonprofits stay healthy and keep pace with change.”
—Anita Sanborn, Vice President, Chapter Services, Alzheimer's Association, Chicago, IL

“Very well written—clear and understandable. Author Judy Sharken Simon did a fine job with a difficult and challenging topic. Congratulations!”
—Holly Korda, Principal, Health Systems Research Associates, Chevy Chase, MD

“This book gives your organization an opportunity for self-reflection by stimulating discussion and potentially surfacing issues that may have been taboo. It will enable boards and staff to collaboratively assess their situation, learn from organizations with similar challenges, and design appropriate interventions and action plans.”
—Lynda Lieberman Baker, President, Meeting Solutions, Inc., Austin, TX

Table Of Contents:
Introduction
Who This Book Is For
How This Book Is Organized
A Model Is Just a Model

Chapter One: Organizational Life Stages
The Stages of Organizational Development
Assumptions about Nonprofit Organization Life Stages
The Intertwined Arenas of Organizational Life
Obstacles and Opportunities along the Way
The Stages in Depth
How to Know If You’re Heading toward Decline and Dissolution

Chapter Two: Nonprofit Life Stage Assessment
The Wilder Nonprofit Life Stage Assessment
Plotting and Understanding Your Score
Explore the Results
Summary

Chapter Three: Examples, Analysis, and Advice
Conflicts R Us: An Organization in Stage One
Free Again: An Organization in Stage Two
Pets for People: An Organization in Stage Three
Alms for Peace: An Organization Embarking on Stage Four
We Spell Relief: An Organization in Stage Four
Just Like Home: An Organization in Stage Five
Refugee Youth Center: An Organization in Decline

Chapter Four: Advice for Consultants Using the Model and Assessment Tool

Afterword
Appendix A Bibliography
Appendix B Useful Resources
Appendix C Notes on the Development and Testing of the Assessment Tool