The New Governance and the Tools of Public Action: An Introduction

A fundamental re-thinking is currently underway throughout the world about how to cope with public problems. Stimulated by popular frustrations with the cost and effectiveness of government programs and by a new-found faith in liberal economic theories, serious questions are being raised about the capabilities, and even the motivations, of public-sector institutions. This type of questioning has spread beyond American political discourse to other parts of the world. Underlying much of this reform surge is a set of theories that portrays government agencies as tightly structured hierarchies insulated from market forces and from effective citizen pressure and therefore free to serve the personal and institutional interests of bureaucrats instead. The heart of this revolution has been a fundamental transformation not just in the scope and scale of government action, but in its basic forms. Instead of relying exclusively on government to solve public problems, a host of other actors is being mobilized as well, sometimes are their own initiative but often in complex partnerships with the state

Volunteering in Cross-National Perspective: Initial Comparisons

Anheier and Salamon shed some light on volunteering in different parts of the world by exploring the conceptions and patterns of voluntary action cross-nationally. As a cultural and economic phenomenon, volunteering is part of the way societies are organized, how they allocate social responsibilities, and how much engagement and participation they expect from citizens

Philanthropication through Privatization: Building Permanent Endowments for the Common Good

Philanthropication through Privatization is an activity that offers a way to reverse the upside-down effects of privatization by placing permanent assets in private charitable institutions dedicated to improving the quality of life of citizens, particularly those most directly affected by privatization. In the process, it can reduce opposition to legitimate privatization transactions by ensuring citizens they will share in the benefits that can flow from the sale of assets that are their birthright or the product of their sweat and toil. Properly designed and executed, PtP can revolutionize the charitable landscape of countries while transforming privatization into a win-win process for citizens, governments, and investors alike.The present report offers the first systematic look at what turns out to be a sizeable global process of social wealth creation that has already contributed to the establishment or enlargement of significant philanthropic institutions endowed with billions of dollars of assets and dedicated to a variety of social, economic, developmental, and environmental objectives.With a new wave of privatization activity now under way, and efforts to generate charitable resources to support civil society and social purposes going starved for funds, it is imperative that this option be better appreciated and understood. And that is precisely what this report seeks to accomplish

Communiqué No. 16: Escalating Pension Benefit Costs -- Another Threat to Nonprofit Survival?

Provides findings from a national survey of nonprofits that examines the benefits of nonprofit retirement programs, explores the financial stress the plans are under, and describes the coping strategies developed by organizations

Communiqué No. 19: Recession Pressures on Nonprofit Jobs

Summarizes findings from a national survey on nonprofit employment that was conducted in April 2010. The report describes evidence of workforce strain during the current recession with increased demand for services. Nonprofit have also demonstrated resilience in maintaining staffing levels

Communiqué No. 15: Health Care and Nonprofits: The Hidden Dimension of America's Health Care Crisis

Providings findings from a national survey that examines how nonprofits and their employees are affected by rising health care costs

Georgia Nonprofit Employment Report

This report analyzes employment and wages at nonprofit organizations in the state of Georgia

Putting Civil Society on the Map: The Opportunity and the Challenge for the Broader Middle East and North Africa (English)

This paper looks at the role of Non Profit Institution

Communiqué No. 10: A Nonprofit Workforce Action Agenda

Presents findings from the Listening Post Project roundtable on nonprofit recruitment and retention that was convened on March 5, 2008