I am almost done with an excellent nonprofit management book, Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits. The book is written by Leslie Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant. I’ve read a number of nonprofit and management books in the last few years, but this book is to me, one of the best out there. The writers examine the common practices of 12 high-impact nonprofits:. Share our Strength, YouthBuild, Self-Help Credit Union, and Habitat for Humanity are some of the organizations examined in the book. I would also say that they way each chapter is organized is also easy for the reader to refer back to the book on a later date for research or to incorporate some of the principles in one’s own nonprofit.

Below is audio and video resources where the Heather talks about the book and its implications for the social sector. Happy Reading!

What Makes Great Nonprofits Great?

The Chalmers Center for Economic Development will offer their “Foundations and Principles of Holistic Ministry” distance learning course twice this fall. The first offering is scheduled for August 18 - September 13, 2008 and the second for October 20 - November 15, 2008. The fall offering of the follow up course, “Principles and Practices of Christian Microfinance and Microenterprise Development,” has one remaining seat; however, it will be offered again in Spring 2009. fall-foundations-announcement

Today, President Bush announced his new HUD chief.   Steven Preston, former administrator of the Small Business Association was announced as the new HUD chief pending confirmation from the senate.  This happens weeks after former secretary Alphonso Jackson resigned from his position amidst professional misconduct charges.   It is concerning that a former SBA administrator is now in charge of HUD - Preston, while a talented and seasoned corporate bureaucrat, lacks significant experience in housing and community development issues.  For more information, please read the following Washington Post article on the new development.