May 2, 2002 | Read Time: 1 minute
No Surprises: Harmonizing Risk and Reward in Volunteer Management builds on the premise that groups and programs that rely principally on volunteers demand risk-management strategies different from those of other organizations. Such groups face special challenges because they tend to take on many risks, especially when they serve needy people, and usually can’t afford to hire full-time professional risk managers. Therefore, “any risk-management effort must be created on a scale that is consistent with the organization’s operations and resources, or chance winding up as a dust-covered reminder of someone’s good intentions,” this publication says. This edition of No Surprises expands on the advice offered in the first edition, published in 1993. The bulk of the guide describes ways to manage risk that won’t bog down volunteer organizations and that emphasize taking small steps that reflect available resources. Instead of the traditional risk-management approach, in which groups methodically rank potential risks by the potential threat, the publication suggests an alternative approach: identifying key services provided by the organization along with the expectations for each, and holding a roundtable discussion among program leaders about possible risks. The guide also deals with common areas of risk facing volunteer organizations — such as collaborating with companies or groups that could harm a charity’s image — and myths about managing volunteer activities.
Publisher: Nonprofit Risk Management Center, 1001 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 410, Washington, D.C. 20036; (202) 785-3891; fax (202) 296-0349; info@nonprofitrisk.org; http://www.nonprofitrisk.org; 100 pages; $15.
