By Howard Berman
Rochester, NY: CCE Publications
436 pp.
$32 (paperback)
The not-for-profit or nonprofit enterprise has played a significant role in our society in a variety of venues, be it health care organizations, social agencies, educational institutions, cultural/arts centers, benefit groups or philanthropic foundations. These organizations -- 1.7 million in the United States, according to the author -- range in size from one- and two-person local entities to multistate, multimillion-dollar corporations. Essential to our economic fabric, these organizations are being evermore challenged as to the core of their foundation: their tax-exempt status. And the management of these organizations takes on special emphasis in light of today's challenges.
In the book, Howard Berman, as he himself states, attempts to provide a primer to students of nonprofit management as well as offer a resource to "old hands" serving as managers or board directors of these organizations. I would submit that he has done that in a well-organized and well-delivered approach. The book is divided into four major components: "Foundation," the place and character of nonprofits; "Governance," the conscience of the corporation; "Management Planning and Execution," how to achieve the mission successfully; and "Management and Governance Challenges," the unique challenges facing this sector. The book serves particularly well as a study guide in that it presents pertinent information along with quick stand-alone sidebars that emphasize a point and/or serve as further guidance. Each chapter concludes with a series of questions for the reader to consider. The Appendix contains useful reference material, as well as "I don't have to reinvent the wheel" examples of pertinent, day-to-day operations.
Although there are many published guides on the spectrum of issues relative to nonprofit organizations, most notable from BoardSource, I found this single text to be readable and useful for both undergraduate students of management, as well as seasoned managers, who may, on occasion, need a refresher.
Review by:
Gregory B. Gravel, MPH
President/CEO
The Whitney Center, Inc.
Hamden, Connecticut
(2010) Book Reviews. Inquiry: Winter 2010/2011, Vol. 47, No. 4, pp. 359-361.
Making a Difference: The Management and Governance of Nonprofit Enterprises
