Expert Tips the effectiveness of nonprofit organizations.
Most foundations still prefer to underwrite a charity's services or programs.
But many grant makers have also been trying to ensure that the nonprofit organizations that run those programs become more stable and successful as well. And as nonprofit groups face growing competition from businesses as well as one another, say some observers, it is more important than ever for organizations to put those lessons to use and to learn the most promising strategies for them to adopt if they are to survive and flourish in a rapidly changing world. All the attention on capacity building has spawned a large industry of management-support organizations and consultants, eager to help nonprofit groups improve areas as varied as their fund raising, board composition, Web sites, and accounting systems. But one important lesson is that not all attempts to strengthen organizations actually do so. That's not to say that some stellar work isn't being done.