How Nonprofits Work: Case Studies in Nonprofit Organizations

Budrys puts empirical flesh on the bones of theory with lively, in-depth case studies of how nonprofit organizations operate, delving into their mission, history, structure, funding, and evaluation.

Budrys’ readable, sociological presentation of the nonprofit sector is one of the best I’ve read. She escapes the managerial perspective that dominates most research on nonprofit organizations. She has a strong theoretical voice, gives a thorough review of the literature, and offers an accurate statement of key ideas. This would be a fine book to use in an undergraduate or beginning graduate course.

In a very readable prose, Budrys shows how the case study method can be employed to effectively illustrate pressures faced by U.S. non-profits to sustain themselves and pursue their missions within an increasingly competitive fundraising environment. Through a careful comparative analysis of nonprofits social service providers, the reader is given a window into the primary vulnerabilities and challenges faced by these organizations as they struggle to deliver services, fundraise, and evaluate themselves. How Nonprofits Work poses critical questions about the stability and future of a central institution of the U.S. social safety net.

In the highly readable language of someone who has thoroughly investigated and understands her subject matter, Dr. Grace Budrys provides a robust introduction to the nonprofit sector for both proponents and critics and for those new to or conversant with this sector.

This book will make a valuable contribution to those in the nonprofit field who are interested in a framework that can be used to assess their own organizations and/or others that exist in the field. Students who are preparing for and seeking volunteer, internship, or employment opportunities in the nonprofit sector will find this book to be a helpful guide into that world. And, instructors should use it in prepping students for those experiences. In addition, this book could be useful to philanthropic entities who have longed for a readable, non jargon-ladden discussion of nonprofit organizations of varying types that seek them out for funding.