Quotes: 
What others are saying about Strengthening Nonprofit Performance...

“The timing couldn't be better for this stellar, critically important new book on engaging funders in nonprofit capacity building. The work that we do as capacity builders has increased in importance-in helping to achieve an active and inclusive nonprofit sector and, thereby, an active and inclusive democracy.”
—Roni D. Posner, Executive Director, Alliance for Nonprofit Management, Washington, DC

“An excellent, grounded, thorough primer for any funder thinking about getting more deeply into the capacity building realm.”
—Paul Shoemaker, Executive Director, Social Venture Partners, Seattle

“A clear, compelling, and practical guide…a must read for all funders who want to commit resources toward strengthening the performance of nonprofits and who seek to understand the 'best practice' of capacity building.”
—Janine Lee, Vice President, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Kansas City, MO

“A great book! Takes the unwieldy topic of capacity building and distills it into understandable implications and strategic choices. I expect this book to become a key resource for the whole field, not only the foundation community.”
—Mike Allison, Director, Consulting and Research Group, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, San Francisco

“Foundation funding for capacity building is suddenly a hot topic. There's a lot of confusing-and even contradictory-advice out there. Strengthening Nonprofit Performance catalogues the choices open to grantmakers…you can use it as a blueprint or dive into specific chapters to get details on a specific approach. Either way, it is chock full of useful ideas, resource lists, and worksheets.”
—Sara L. Engelhardt, President, The Foundation Center, New York City

“There's something for every grantmaker in Strengthening Nonprofit Performance. It provides a road map to help any funder get an organizational effectiveness effort off the ground. Rich with tools, examples and practical advice, this book adds real value to our field.”
—Kathleen P. Enright, Executive Director, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, Washington, DC

“Connolly and Lukas provide funders with insight and practical guidance to build capacity within their own organizations and within the organizations they serve.”
—Rob Johnston, President & CEO, Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management, New York City

“A welcome addition to the growing literature on the management of nonprofit organizations. Marrying practical advice with clearly explicated discussions of the academic and research literature, this book will prove valuable to practitioners and academics alike.”
—Sharon Oster, Frederick D. Wolfe Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship and Faculty Co-Director, Yale School of Management - The Goldman Sachs Foundation Partnership on Nonprofit Ventures, New Haven, and author, Strategic Management for Nonprofit Organizations

“In an era when civil society organizations are again heavily buffeted by external forces beyond their control, grantmakers and grantseekers alike can draw on this new excellent resource for both inspiration and practical knowledge to help them prevail in their missions in the years ahead.”
—Michael Seltzer, Director, Business Enterprises for Sustainable Travel/The Conference Board, New York City, and author, Securing Your Organization's Future: A Complete Guide to Fundraising Strategies

“Connolly and Lukas bring much-needed clarity of thinking to a field that is new, extremely diverse, and sometimes muddled. Their lucid presentation will help funders improve their grant making to build capacity, and will help service providers work with funders as a force for good.”
—Michael J. Park, Director, Management Assistance, The Robin Hood Foundation, New York City

“Connolly and Lukas present a practical work on the complex subject of capacity building-its practice, funding and evaluation-in easy-to-follow terms that philanthropists, consultants, and nonprofit managers alike will find useful in both their day-to-day work and in strategizing for the future.”
—Deborah Linnell, Linnell & Associates, Wickford, RI



Table Of Contents: 
Introduction:The Growing Interest in Building Organizational Capacity
The Origins of This Book
How to Use This Book
Who Can Benefit from This Book

Chapter 1: Why Invest in Capacity Building
Reasons to Invest in Capacity Building
Chapter Summary

Chapter 2: What Capacity Building Is
Capacity Building Activities
Means of Providing Assistance
Chapter Summary

Chapter 3: How to Build the Capacity of Nonprofits
Lessons Learned
The Four-Step Process
Step 1: Plan to Plan
Step2: Take stock
Step 3: Set Direction
Step 4: Take Action and Evaluate
Chapter Summary

Chapter 4: Capacity Building Strategies
Strategy 1: Program Grants That Promote Organizational Effectiveness
Strategy 2: General Operating Support Grants
Strategy 3: Grants Specifically to Increase Organizational Effectiveness
Strategy 4: Capital Financing for Nonprofits and Intermediaries
Strategy 5: Grant Support to Capacity Builders and Intermediaries
Strategy 6: Grants to Conveners, Educators, and Researchers
Strategy 7: Direct Management Assistance
Chapter Summary

Conclusion

Appendices
Appendix A: International Capacity Building
Appendix B: Resources
Appendix C: Worksheets