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The research presented here contributes to our understanding of strategic planning and its relationship to performance in nonprofit organizations. Based on a sample of 303 nonprofit organizations, the study emphasizes individual and diverse elements of the planning process. Multiple measures of performance highlight a nonprofits need to garner resource contributions from several constituencies. Using factor analysis and canonical correlation analysis, we find a positive association between scope of planning and executive satisfaction and a negative association between administrative informality and volunteer involvement. Our results suggest that two critical resource contributors, executive directors and donors, may not value formalized decision-making and planning to the extent previously assumed.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the evolution of crisis communication and management along with its inclusion into the field and practice of emergency management. This paper also discusses the inclusion of nonprofit organizations and the need for these organizations to engage in crisis communication planning and strategy creation to address the diverse and numerous crises that nonprofits are at risk of experiencing.

This paper utilizes a systematic literature review of crisis communication planning tools and resources focused on nonprofit organizations to derive best practices and policy needs.

The resources analyzed provide foundational insight for nonprofit organizations to proactively develop plans and strategies during noncrisis periods to support their organization when a crisis occurs.

Limitations of this paper include limited academic research and practical resources related to nonprofit organizations and crisis communication planning. As such, several potential avenues for empirical research are discussed.

This paper provides considerations for nonprofit organizations engaging in crisis communication planning and aspects leaders need to partake in to reduce or eliminate the risk of facing an operational or reputational crisis.

This paper highlights the critical need to generate a crisis communication plan due to the diverse crises nonprofit organizations face and their connection to the emergency management structure. Understanding the crisis and utilizing a crisis communication plan allows nonprofit organizations a way to strategically mitigate the impact of a crisis while also providing essential services to their respective communities and maintain their overall stability.

This paper is unique in its analysis of crisis communication planning resources and creation of a planning framework to assist nonprofit organizations in their planning efforts.

This article addresses the nature of strategic planning in nonprofit organizations through a discussion of relevant literature and the use of a case study of an organization created by a recent merger. Within the framework of a strategic plan, the concepts of continuous quality performance improvement (CQPI) and accountability for achieving nonprofit organizationsʼ goals are discussed. In todayʼs world, nonprofit organizations need to develop a strategic plan to respond to their dynamic and changing internal and external environments. A CQPI system is a useful tool for nonprofit leaders and their staff, to help them adapt the organization to its current environment; clarify needs of its clients; and set priorities to better meet its mission.

This large-scale survey, initiated in 2012 and concluded in 2013, marked the first time a broad cross-section of the nonprofit community was asked to describe the strategic planning and strategic management practices they employ and to rate them for their impact on overall organizational success.

Respondents were asked to self-rate their organization for overall success and the likelihood for continued success in the foreseeable future. Results from this data were then used as a filter to analyze practices across all responses by level of success (N = 507).

Fully 93 percent of the most successful organizations, regardless of size or budget, credited their strategic planning and strategic-management efforts as having “some” to “critical” impact on their organization’s overall success.

The evidence in this survey is so compelling that we believe the successful practices it identifies should be adopted by nonprofits of all sizes, demanded by boards, and supported by funders.

This research indicates that funders should consider not only supporting strategic plan development, but also supporting development of ongoing plan management/implementation practices and requiring plan assessment reports/updates as part of the grantee’s reporting

This article explores the value of feasibility analysis for the pre-launch nonprofit enterprise. Similarities and differences between for-profit entrepreneurial ventures and nonprofit entrepreneurial ventures are outlined, and then the traditional format of feasibility analysis used by the entrepreneurial for-profit start-up is reviewed and analyzed. This four-stage analysis is then adapted to the needs of the nonprofit new venture enterprise. The benefits of doing a feasibility analysis for the nonprofit enterprise start-up are identified, and guidelines are suggested. An underpopulated research stream is identified and explained in this article for the start-up and early developmental phases of the nonprofit enterprise.

This paper aims to raise the level of awareness of the critical need to have a chief executive succession plan in nonprofit organizations.

This paper uses a review of survey literature to determine the degree to which nonprofits plan for chief executive succession.

The findings reveal a serious lack of planning for successors in nonprofit organizations.

This paper underscores the need for a three-pronged approach by nonprofit boards of directors, chief executive officers, and HR departments to address planning for successors to prevent potential chaotic organizational situations and create sustainable nonprofits.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the perceptions of five leadership succession themes by executives of Estonian nonprofit organizations.

This is a qualitative study that uses narrative inquiry and purposive sampling. Face-to-face and Skype interviews were conducted with 15 executives.

Succession was unplanned in most of the Estonian nonprofits; successors were coached during initial transitionary periods; insiders were preferred to outsiders; requirements of executive positions were unmet because of a talent shortfall; lack of trust, unexpected behavior, and possible ethical issues were key risk factors associated with succession; and mixed opinions were received regarding the advantages and disadvantages of succession planning.

Narrow focus on Estonian nonprofit organizations and their executives, purposive sampling, and single qualitative research method. Results may not be applicable to other nonprofits.

Practitioners of Estonian nonprofits can better understand the implications of executive succession issues. Lessons learned may help other nonprofit leaders.

Having a carefully crafted succession plan can enable smoother transitions between organizational leaders and create organizational stability, thereby ensuring a continuous delivery of goods and services to clients.

Seminal research – this is the first study of its kind on Estonian nonprofit organizations and executive succession issues. This paper can serve as a foundation for further research on Eastern European nonprofits.

This chapter describes a student team project that involves the creation and delivery of a fundraising event business plan for a nonprofit organization. The project challenges students to become active learners and apply managerial accounting concepts associated with cost behavior, planning, and control in a realistic environment that sensitizes them to the missions of nonprofit organizations. It requires students to research and use real-world operational and financial information in a setting to which they can relate, and develops their understanding of how various business disciplines are integrated. We have used the project in introductory managerial and intermediate cost accounting courses to target specific core competencies identified as critical to a successful accounting career by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

The aim of this article was to emphasize that board member failure to develop a succession plan places the organization in a precarious status quo mode, and thereby to help educate executive directors and board members about the need for an executive succession plan.

Case study methods were used to collect data presented in the case narrative.

The results of the authors' case study suggest that organizations that do not plan for executive succession events jeopardize their ability to pursue new opportunities.

Generalizability of a single case study may be a research concern despite its in‐depth investigation, analysis, and findings.

Executive directors and board members must recognize the importance of an executive succession plan to ensure smooth transition from one executive to another.

In these complex times it is a strategic imperative that organizations are ready to address issues of uncertainty. An executive succession plan can help ensure organizational responses to changing internal and external environmental conditions.