New Ways to Succeed

Charities have increasingly been trying management ideas and tools developed by businesses — some with better results than others. Kriss Deiglmeier, executive director of Stanford University’s Center for Social

Innovation, says that as scholars have studied what she calls the “breaking down of boundaries, the exchange of ideas, talent, and capital” between charities and corporations, they have learned that “what people need to be careful of is that you cannot just overlay business principles in the nonprofit sector.” She adds: “The reality is that the social purposes as well as the financial practices of charities are different from corporations. You have to work with someone who understands that.”

In this guide, The Chronicle examines some for-profit tactics that charity leaders are adapting:

• Executive coaching. As professional coaches have become popular among corporate executives, charity and foundation officials are promoting the use of such coaches to help nonprofit leaders excel on the job.

• Turnaround consultants. When a financial crisis strikes, a few charities have sought help from corporate turnaround experts as they work to regain fiscal health.

• Brand marketing. Some charities have turned to marketing consultants to enhance their images, stand out from the competition, and attract supporters. But to be successful, charities need to get over some widely held misconceptions, according to two brand-marketing experts.