Nonprofit Literature Blog

Recent "Off the Shelf" Book Reviews

Here are excerpts from Philanthropy News Digest's Off the Shelf book reviews:

The Influential Fundraiser: Using the Psychology of Persuasion to Achieve Outstanding Results. Bernard Ross and Clare Segal (Wiley, 2008)
"…The Influential Fundraiser delves into every form in which language is expressed — spoken, written, and nonverbal — to provide advice and specific tips designed to help fundraisers use it with maximum impact..." More…

Seeing Through a Donor's Eyes: How to Make a Persuasive Case for Everything from Your Annual Drive to Your Planned Giving Program to Your Capital Campaign. Tom Ahern (Emerson & Church, 2009)
"…Seeing Through a Donor's Eyes is perfect for the time-strapped nonprofit staffer (and who isn't?) who wants to create consistent, compelling messages that will make it past the filters of equally time-strapped donors..." More…

For a full list of archived Off the Shelf reviews, click here.

Recent "Off the Shelf" Book Reviews

Here are highlights from Philanthropy News Digest's Off the Shelf book reviews:

The Life You Can Save: Acting Now to End World Poverty. Peter Singer (Random House, 2009)
“…Singer, a philosopher and professor of practical ethics at Princeton University, thinks the plight of so many poor people amid such abundance is immoral, and he has written The Life You Can Save to explain why and, at the same time, shake the "haves" out of their moral lassitude. In it, Singer asks — and answers — such questions as, How far does our obligation to the poor go? How much does it cost to save a life? Which charities do it best? And how much is my fair share?” More…

A Philanthropic Covenant With Black America. Rodney M. Jackson (Wiley, 2009)
“…Edited and with a thoughtful introduction and final chapter by Rodney M. Jackson, founder and president of NCBP, A Philanthropic Covenant delves into many topics related to philanthropy within the black community, including the roles of religion, civic engagement and volunteerism in shaping black philanthropy; the important role of family and friends in black communities; and the African American response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita.” More…

You've Gotta Have Heart: Achieving Purpose Beyond Profit in the Social Sector. Cass Wheeler (AMACOM, 2009)
“…Wheeler has written a very helpful guide, complete with bullet points and chapter summaries, for nonprofit leaders who aspire to lead their organizations to the next level of effectiveness. Along the way, he offers advice on both the more regimented aspects of nonprofit work — business model development, branding, collaboration and partnerships — as well as the traditional nuts-and-bolts aspects of charity work — advocacy, volunteer management, developing a mission statement. His greatest achievement, however, might be the way he seamlessly weaves his discussion of business-minded practicality and charitable-minded idealism into a compelling, coherent presentation that does justice to both without slighting either." More…

For a full list of archived Off the Shelf reviews, click here.

Recent "Off the Shelf" Book Reviews

Here are highlights from Philanthropy News Digest's Off the Shelf book reviews by Foundation Center staff. Start off with a Funding for Arts Month book review:

Patronizing the Arts. Marjorie Garber (Princeton University Press, 2008)
"In Patronizing the Arts, Marjorie Garber, chair of Harvard University's Department of Visual and Environmental Studies, lays bare the fundamental conundrum of Americans and their relationship to art: we are at once patrons and patronizing. Whether through government, foundations, universities or private charitable giving, Americans annually spend billions of dollars in support of the arts but give short shrift to the art creation process and frequently denigrate those who dare to think of "artist" as an actual job..." More...

As we face challenging economic times, learn about a book that may help your nonprofit stay out of trouble:

Zone of Insolvency: How Nonprofits Avoid Hidden Liabilities and Build Financial Strength. Ron Mattocks (John Wiley & Sons, 2008)
"If you're a current nonprofit board member and there's a horror section in your nonprofit library, you'll want to add Ron Mattocks' Zone of Insolvency to it. That's because Mattocks makes a convincing case that as many as a third of the nation's tax-exempt organizations are operating in a "zone of insolvency" — a financial state somewhere between solvency and total insolvency — and that it's just a matter of time before another nonprofit financial scandal emerges..." More...

For a full list of archived Off the Shelf reviews, click here.

Recent "Off the Shelf" Book Reviews

Here are quick highlights from Philanthropy News Digest's Off the Shelf book reviews. Click on the links below for the full reviews:

Grassroots Philanthropy: Field Notes of a Maverick Grantmaker. Fred Setterberg and Bill Somerville (Heyday Books, 2008)

"...something between a primer for new, unspoiled foundation staff and a challenge to old-hand practitioners of the status quo. Fred Setterberg has shaped Somerville's passion into an easy, cheerily provocative read..." More

The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries Are Failing and What Can Be Done About It. Paul Collier (Oxford University Press, 2007)

"...[Collier] and his team of international researchers examine the traps — lack of natural resources, corruption and bad governance, proximity to bad neighbors — that ensnare poor countries in destructive cycles of conflict and violence..." More

Mobilizing Generation 2.0: A Practical Guide to Using Web 2.0 Technologies to Recruit, Organize, and Engage Youth (Jossey-Bass, 2008) 

"...It doesn't matter whether your understanding of Web 2.0 technologies is beginner-level or advanced; Mobilizing Generation 2.0 is full of great information about how to recruit, organize, and engage not just Millennials but Gen-Xers and baby boomers who are curious about these new technologies or have already incorporated them into their daily work routines..." More

Click here for a full list of archived Off the Shelf reviews.

Recent "Off the Shelf" Book Reviews

Here are quick highlights from Philanthropy News Digest's Off the Shelf book reviews by Foundation Center staff. Click on the links below for the full reviews:

Crucibles of Leadership: How to Learn from Experience to Become a Great Leader. Robert J. Thomas  (Harvard Business School Press, 2008)

“…the book reinforces perhaps the most important lesson for any leader, regardless of field or sector: Effective leadership is a process of continuous personal development driven by one's embrace of lifelong learning and a desire to lead...” More...

ROI for Nonprofits: The New Key to Sustainability. Tom Ralser (John Wiley & Sons, 2007)

“…nonprofits that make the effort to follow Ralser's guidelines are likely to find themselves with a development strategy that puts them on the road to sustainability..." More...

Message Matters: Succeeding at the Crossroads of Mission and Market. Rebecca K. Leet (Fieldstone Alliance, 2007)

“...by following Leet's five simple steps, you too can end up with a powerful message that grabs your audiences' attention, drives the conversation about your products and services, and leads to improved fundraising results....” More...

Nonprofit Essentials: The Development Plan. Linda Lysakowski (John Wiley & Sons, 2007)

"...Lysakowski's book de-mystifies the [planning] process, presenting the challenges one must be prepared to address to achieve fundraising success in a practical, no-nonsense manner..." More...

Click here for a full list of archived Off the Shelf reviews.