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The Future of Research on Nonprofits:The Future of Research on Nonprofits:Major Challenges for Academics and Major Challenges for Academics and

PractitionersPractitioners

IDEEL ARENA and the Swedish Research Council

StockholmFebruary 10, 2011

Dennis R. Young

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Outline of my presentationOutline of my presentation How has nonprofit research developed in the U.S. and

elsewhere? Dimensions, drivers and issues. What are the challenges and opportunities for

nonprofit research driven by the needs of practice? ARNOVA and the Gates Foundation: attempting to

craft a pragmatic research agenda addressed to nonprofits and public policy

Summary observations and possible futures for nonprofit research

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Evolution of nonprofit sector Evolution of nonprofit sector researchresearch

Pre-history of the field, pre-1970s Organizing of the field, 1970s and ’80s Seminal contributions, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s Maturing and flowering of the field, ’90s

– present Alternative futures

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Pre-historyPre-history

Many studies of related subject matter – voluntary behavior, social movements, collective action, etc.

Case studies of particular organizations, e.g., March of Dimes, YMCA

Fragmented research, not specifically identified as “nonprofit”

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Seminal EventsSeminal Events

Commissions to study the sector New infrastructure organizations, e.g.

Independent Sector Establishment of Academic centers New scholarly associations New academic journals and book series New data bases

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The early “big issues”: addressing The early “big issues”: addressing Filer’s “terra incognita”Filer’s “terra incognita”

What exactly is a nonprofit organization? What is the size, scope, significance of the

nonprofit or third sector? In what functions, services and activities do

nonprofit organizations engage? Why do nonprofit organizations exist in a market

economy and democratic society? How do nonprofits behave? How are they

different from for-profit or governmental organizations?

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Pioneering contributionsPioneering contributions

Establishing an empirical data base: Independent Sector, Urban Institute, Johns Hopkins Project

Formulating theories of existence Formulating theories of behavior Providing historical context Providing international context

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Early issues and challengesEarly issues and challenges

Acceptance of “sector” as the unifying concept across academic disciplines

Determination of which “industries” or activities belong in the “sector”

Legal and cultural differences in the “third sector “ construct among countries

Incomplete and incompatible data Funding for research

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What have been the driving forces What have been the driving forces behind nonprofit research ?behind nonprofit research ?

Political/governmental antagonism (U.S.) Private foundation support (U.S.) Devolution and privatization; government support

(Europe) Expansion of democracy and market societies (e.g.,

Eastern and Central Europe, developing countries) Academic entrepreneurship and intellectual interest Needs of teaching and practice (especially growth of

graduate programs in nonprofit management) Not government funding (unfortunately?)

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Digression on Current Funding for Nonprofit Digression on Current Funding for Nonprofit Research: Quick survey of NACC membersResearch: Quick survey of NACC members

Survey of 50 NACC members/10 responses – 9 US centers and 1 Canadian

9 centers had sponsored (funded) research/8 US centers 4 centers received gov’t funding for research/3 US centers Average % of gov’t funding for those with gov’t supported

research was 31%/38% for US centers Federal gov’t was most common source of gov’t funds Other sources of research funding included foundations,

nonprofit associations, corporations, private donors, internal university funds and endowments

Overall: nonprofit research funding in the U.S. is fragmented and government is not the dominant funder

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Opportunities and Challenges of Opportunities and Challenges of a “Needs based” Research Agenda a “Needs based” Research Agenda Not impossible for academics and practitioners

to collaborate on research, despite different motivations and goals

Necessary to develop more effective and efficient management practices and public policies

Can be academically rewarding, especially in stretching the boundaries of traditional disciplinary research

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Academics and PractitionersAcademics and Practitioners Academics want rigorous, generalizeable

research Practitioners want clear, useable results Collaboration requires mutual respect and

understanding of each others’ needs and aspirations

Many practitioners are genuinely interested in relevant quality research, and many academics are motivated to learn from practice

Quality research of mutual interest can require substantial (external) resources

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Some contemporary nonprofit research questions Some contemporary nonprofit research questions of mutual interest to academia and practice:of mutual interest to academia and practice:

Governance: Effective board structures and policies

Finance: Effective mixes of income; role of endowments; incentives for giving and volunteering

Performance: Measuring mission effectiveness and financial health

Growth – “Going to scale” and achieving greater societal impact

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More research issues of mutual More research issues of mutual interest to academic and practiceinterest to academic and practice

Strategy – When and how nonprofits should collaborate and compete

Policy Advocacy –Tensions between service delivery and public policy advocacy. Determinants of effectiveness in the policy arena

Human Resources –Best mixes of paid staff and volunteers. Effective compensation structures for nonprofit paid staff

Public Policy –Effective regulation and nonprofit accountability. Tax policy and exemptions.

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The ARNOVA-Gates Conference: The ARNOVA-Gates Conference: fleshing out a research agendafleshing out a research agenda

October 4-5, 2010 in Baltimore 30 scholars and nonprofit leaders Goal to create a research agenda to study

how public policy affects nonprofits in the U.S.

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Key questions addressedKey questions addressed What are the most critical policy issues presently

facing the nonprofit sector? What do we really know, from rigorous research,

about the positive or negative impacts of past, current, and prospective policies.

What are the gaps in our knowledge—not just research, but basic data—about the interaction of public policies and nonprofits?

What kinds of research might be framed to generate new insights of immediate utility to nonprofits and policy makers that would elevate the quality and hopefully the results of the nonprofit public policy discourse?

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Emerging research themesEmerging research themes What are the different forms of funding available

to the nonprofit sector and how do their impacts differ ?

How does government funding impact how nonprofits operate?

How do regulatory and tax policies support or hinder the nonprofit sector and the benefits it can deliver?

What are the challenges and opportunities from “emerging organizational forms”?

What are the civic roles of the nonprofit sector? What is the value proposition for the nonprofit

sector?

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Observations about the U.S. Observations about the U.S. academic/practitioner dialogueacademic/practitioner dialogue Consensus around need for more data and description

of how things actually work Strong mutual interest in impacts of policy on

nonprofits and nonprofits on society Fundamental questioning of the role of nonprofit

organizations and what their roles, privileges and obligations are and should be

Positive, empirical research and analysis as the common ground between practitioners’ desires for facts and actionable results and academics’ sometimes more esoteric interests in theory , models and relationships

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An overall assessment of the current An overall assessment of the current state of nonprofit researchstate of nonprofit research

Success in establishing a recognizable field of scholarship

Greater progress in some disciplines than others Progress in creating useful data bases Progress in international comparative research Considerable progress in creating publications Some progress with multi-disciplinary research

efforts, especially coordinated book projects: Large scale interdisciplinary projects are rare Lots of opportunities for new, cutting edge work Not yet clear that field is correctly defined

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Alternative futuresAlternative futures Continued progress along current lines - not-for-profit

organizations and discipline-based research Integration across disciplines Broadening to include cooperatives, limited-profit

enterprises and other social purpose organizations Reframing around other integrative concepts such as

social enterprise , social economy or civil society Broadening to embrace (at the bottom) less formal

voluntary organizations and (at the top) transnational nonprofit organizations, associations and movements

Refocusing on“hybridization” of the economy - integration of nonprofit, business and government – networks, partnerships and mixed forms of enterprise

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Final thoughtsFinal thoughts I congratulate you on your dialogue ; encourage your

development of a robust funded research agenda of mutual interest to academia and practice

Government funding is important. Private funding can add diversity, innovation and stimulus.

Needs-driven research can be both practical and useful, and intellectually compelling and academically rewarding

The appropriate research agenda will differ from country to country. Sweden and the U.S. differ substantially in the roles and functioning of nonprofits and civil society organizations. Hence our research agendas will necessary differ.

We can learn much from each other!