1 Setting the Stage: Change as a Defining Force in the Nonprofit Sector

Lifecycle: A Framework for Initiating, Anticipating, Managing, and Understanding Change

Our Perspective

What's in This Book?

2 Back to the Basics: “What Is Core”

Defining the “Core” in Core Program

The Established Organization in Core Program: Characteristics and Telltale Signs

To Put a Stake in the Ground, You Need a Good Mission

An Organizational Vision as Your Guide to Success

Values Matter

Be Sure Your Strategy Is ... Strategic

Founder's Syndrome ... Not Just for Founders Anymore

Taking It to the Next Level: The Importance of Trust

3 Infrastructure/Adolescence

Planning for Organizational Growth

The Role of the Board

Organizational Culture

4 Maturity/Impact Expansion (MIE)

Importance of Resource Development in the MIE Phase

Making the Case

Building Board Accountability in the MIE Phase

Organizational Assessment: The CSE Tool

Impact Expansion and the Question of Scale

5 Decline

Overview of Decline and the Lifecycle

High-Arc and Low-Arc: How Organizations in the Decline Phase Are Affected

The Arc During Crisis

6 Turnaround and Closing

Historical Look at Lifecycle Thought: Closing

The Downward Apex Point

Organizational Turnaround

Closing an Organization

The Mind-Set of Closing Organizations

7 Conclusion

Reflections on This Book

Where Do We Go from Here?

Appendix

Notes

The Authors

Index