Blogs and Articles

Why Do U.S. Faith-Based Organizations Resist Collaboration?

By Katelyn Zilke Interorganizational collaboration is crucial to addressing complex social problems. Faith-based nonprofits are an essential part of the social service landscape, often providing human services and providing connections to hard to reach populations. But previous research suggests they are less likely to collaborate than their secular counterparts. A new study from the Network for Nonprofit and Social Impact at Northwestern University sheds light on the challenges FBOs face

Better Know a Network: The Evolution of the RE-AMP Network

In 2003, the Gaffield Foundation began an initiative for environmental advocacy by founding RE-AMP. Now a network of over 130 member organizations across the Midwest, RE-AMP has grown to contribute to multiple climate victories. Such achievements include blocking new coal power plants’ development in the Midwest, halting existing coal power plants’ operations, and even passing environmental legislation in multiple states. Today, the organization focuses on short and long-term campaign goals

Better Know a Network: AgeWell Pittsburgh

In the early 2000s, senior-care nonprofits in the Pittsburgh area faced one serious challenge: competing for shared resources. Recognizing this problem in 2004, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh partnered with three other organizations to apply for Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) funding. These organizations were the Jewish Association on Aging, the Jewish Community Center of Pittsburgh, and Jewish Family and Community Services in Pittsburgh. Together, their partnership formed AgeWell

Why Is It So Hard to Scale up Evidence-Based Practices? And What Can You Do about It?

by: Katelyn Zilke How do leaders with a great evidence-based practice take it to scale? The challenge of getting organizational leaders across an entire field to adopt innovations remains one of the most daunting management dilemmas of our time. New research from the Network for Nonprofit and Social Impact at Northwestern University unlocks why it’s just so hard to scale up and what leaders can do about it. How does

Better Know a Network: LawHelp New York Consortium

At the turn of the century, just as the Internet was becoming mainstream in the United States, five legal services organizations in New York came together to make the law more accessible to New Yorkers. These five collaborators were the City Bar Justice Center, the Legal Aid Society, Legal Services NYC, Pro Bono Net, and Volunteers of Legal Services. Together, they recognized how low-income and other vulnerable New Yorkers often

What Is Divergent Thinking, and Why Should Nonprofits Practice It?

In the nonprofit world, where resources are often shared, limited, and sometimes even restrictive, one phrase is common in boardrooms and project meetings: let’s get creative. However, creativity sometimes seems to be a gift that some people have, and others don’t. The phrase “let’s get creative” never really answers how to get creative and practice it for what it is: a valuable skill in every workplace. At NNSI, many of