Introduction

“Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits” by Leslie R. Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant is a significant contribution to the field of social entrepreneurship. The authors conducted extensive research on successful nonprofits to identify the common practices that enable them to achieve substantial impact. They delve into six critical practices and provide real-world examples to substantiate their findings. This summary highlights these key practices along with actionable advice for implementation.

Key Point: High-impact nonprofits engage in both advocacy and service delivery. They don’t just provide direct services but also advocate for systemic changes to attack the root causes of social issues.

Examples:
– Teach For America: While primarily an education service provider, Teach For America also advocates for policy changes to support educational equality.
– Self-Help: Apart from providing personal financial services, Self-Help also engages in policy advocacy to expand access to credit.

Actionable Advice:
– Advocate for Policy Change: Even if your nonprofit’s primary focus is service delivery, invest time and resources in advocating for policies that can address underlying systemic issues.
– Coalition Building: Partner with other organizations to strengthen your advocacy efforts and create a unified voice on policy matters.

Key Point: These nonprofits harness market forces and see businesses as potential partners and allies. Instead of viewing markets as opposing forces, they leverage them to create social value.

Examples:
– Environmental Defense Fund: By partnering with companies like McDonald’s to reduce Styrofoam usage, the Environmental Defense Fund demonstrates how business and environmental goals can align.
– The Nature Conservancy: Using economic tools like conservation easements, they work with ranchers, farmers, and developers to preserve land.

Actionable Advice:
– Engage with Businesses: Identify potential synergies with for-profit entities that can amplify the impact of your mission.
– Innovate with Market Solutions: Infuse entrepreneurial approaches into your solutions, exploring how market-based strategies can complement your social impact goals.

Key Point: High-impact nonprofits create meaningful experiences for their supporters, converting them into evangelists and advocates for their cause.

Examples:
– Susan G. Komen for the Cure: Their Race for the Cure events engage participants deeply, resulting in a broad base of committed supporters.
– Habitat for Humanity: Volunteers build houses and, in doing so, become lifelong supporters and advocates for affordable housing.

Actionable Advice:
– Personal Engagement: Develop programs that personally involve supporters in your mission, turning casual participants into passionate advocates.
– Storytelling: Use compelling stories to communicate your impact and inspire others to join and support your cause.

Key Point: Successful nonprofits cultivate and participate in networks, opting to share resources and collaborate rather than compete.

Examples:
– City Year: Fosters partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders including schools, corporations, and government agencies to maximize impact.
– KaBOOM!: Helps communities build playgrounds, relying on network support from other organizations, civic groups, and volunteers.

Actionable Advice:
– Establish Partnerships: Proactively seek collaborative opportunities with other nonprofits, government agencies, and community groups.
– Resource Sharing: Be willing to share knowledge, tools, and resources to build a stronger collective effort toward shared goals.

Key Point: High-impact nonprofits are exceptionally adaptive, demonstrating a capacity to evolve and respond to changing circumstances.

Examples:
– Share Our Strength: Initially focused on hunger relief, they adapted to launch the No Kid Hungry campaign, addressing childhood hunger specifically.
– YouthBuild USA: Continually evolves its programs to meet changing needs and expand its impact, supporting youth education and community development.

Actionable Advice:
– Continuous Learning: Implement a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within your organization.
– Flexibility in Strategy: Be prepared to pivot and adapt your strategies based on feedback, changing needs, and emerging opportunities.

Key Point: These organizations embrace distributed leadership within, fostering strong leaders across all levels and investing in personal development.

Examples:
– SEED Foundation: Emphasizes leadership development among staff, investing in ongoing training and empowerment.
– Center for Community Change: Promotes leadership from within communities they serve, enhancing grassroots impact.

Actionable Advice:
– Leadership Development: Invest in training programs that develop leadership skills across all levels of your organization.
– Empowerment: Cultivate a culture where decision-making is distributed and employees are empowered to take initiative.

“Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits” provides invaluable insights into the characteristics of successful social enterprises. By advocating and serving, making markets work, inspiring evangelists, nurturing networks, mastering adaptation, and sharing leadership, nonprofits can significantly amplify their impact. Each of these practices is actionable and scalable, offering a robust framework for nonprofit leaders aiming to maximize their social value.

By applying these principles, organizations can not only enhance their operational effectiveness but also foster broader systemic change, driving forward the missions they champion.