April 1, 2004 | Read Time: 1 minute
Managing Risk in Nonprofit Organizations: A Comprehensive Guide
by Melanie L. Herman, George L. Head, Peggy M. Jackson, and Toni E. Fogarty
This book is designed to help nonprofit organizations protect their assets and meet demands for accountability. It details risks involving property and employees—such as injuries to clients and declines in revenue following natural disasters—and describes under which conditions organizations can be held legally liable. It gives suggestions for appraising risks, including estimating the frequency and magnitude of potential problems. The book also describes how to develop policies to reduce those risks, and how to communicate the policies to employees and others.
The authors write that charities are at risk because they often serve elderly people and others prone to injury, use volunteers, and rely on donations to cover expenses. By taking steps to minimize the risk of problems, the authors say, organizations may also attract new donors or improve their services. For example, by putting in place a rigorous screening process for volunteers, a youth-development organization reduces the likelihood of any impropriety and increases the chances of finding committed and skilled mentors.
Melanie L. Herman is the executive director of the Nonprofit Risk Management Center, in Washington; George L. Head, a consultant and special adviser with the Nonprofit Risk Management Center; Peggy M. Jackson, a partner at Fogarty, Jackson & Associates, a risk-management consulting firm in San Francisco; and Toni E. Fogarty, an associate professor in the Human Resources and Organization Development program at the University of San Francisco.
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, 111 River Street, Hoboken, N.J. 07030; (800) 225-5945; http://www.wiley.com; 336 pages; $45; I.S.B.N. 0-471-23674-8.
