The Bridgespan Group, a nonprofit consulting firm, has published numerous articles to help nonprofits plan strategically and keep themselves sustainable during difficult economic times. Here are a few select resources:
Managing in Tough Times: 7 Steps (November 2008)
"Tough times force hard choices. And these are rapidly becoming the toughest times most of us have ever seen. Even for nonprofit leaders who are accustomed to 'making much of little,' the repercussions of the unfolding economic downturn are likely to pose unprecedented challenges. ... So what to do? Not surprisingly, there are no easy, or even particularly novel, answers to that question. But learning from what others have done before in the face of less severe financial crises can be extremely useful." Download the printed report (108 kB PDF).
Managing in Tough Times: May 2009 Nonprofit Leaders Survey Update
"Much has changed in the U.S. since that initial [November 2008] research: There is a new President, a new budget, and a stimulus package of unprecedented magnitude. At the same time, the country continues to face a prolonged downturn and profound state budget crises. We completed our follow-up survey in May 2009 to gauge the effects of these developments on nonprofit organizations."
Nonprofits in Rural America: Overcoming the Resource Gap
"Nonprofit organizations across the country serve the needs of rural communities in critically important ways. Yet the conditions under which they operate, challenging in the best of times, are becoming even more difficult as the current economic crisis unfolds. To help inspire discussion and additional research on the management of rural nonprofits, the Bridgespan Group undertook the research reported in this paper—research that shines the spotlight on one particularly acute challenge, the resource gap."
Nonprofit Cost Analysis Toolkit
"Although nonprofits generally have a good understanding of their revenues, their knowledge about costs can sometimes be less robust. Our Nonprofit Cost Analysis Toolkit walks nonprofit leaders through six steps to help them discover the true costs of their programs. It includes numerous templates and examples as well as links to additional Bridgespan and third-party resources intended to help organizations gain critical cost clarity."
While the indirect cost analysis piece of this toolkit may require creative adaptation by Maine's smallest nonprofits, the accompanying templates and explanations should help with this. The toolkit can also be used with strategic alliances.
Many other reports and resources are available at Bridgespan’s Tough Times Resource Center.
--September 2009