Ebook: Advancing Nonprofit Stewardship Through Self-Regulation : Translating Principles into Practice

In 2004, Senators Grassley and Baucus requested that Independent Sector, the major trade organization for nonprofits in the US, convene a panel to recommend actions to strengthen nonprofit governance and ethical standards. They expressed concern that current laws and guidelines failed to hold tax-exempt organizations accountable. After embarking upon an industry collaborative, Independent Sector’s advisory panel issued a report in October 2007, highlighting 33 principles it recommended nonprofits adopt. The report was overwhelmingly welcomed by the nonprofit sector, but the daunting challenge of implementing these principles remains. Advancing Nonprofit Stewardship Through Self-Regulationpoints the way forward for nonprofits by identifying specific strategies for implementing Independent Sector’s principles. It also urges other researchers and practitioners to create competing strategies of implementation to give nonprofits choice. This lucid and brief guidebook shows how organizations can navigate demands for increased accountability and transparency through constructing and executing improved bylaws while creating a setting of integrity and trust. It is essential reading not only for all US nonprofits but for NGOs facing similar challenges around the world.