should nonprofits be more like for profits?
I’ve recently watched a lengthy exchange about this topic on a local nonprofit list. It’s pretty gripping, actually - there are a lot of thoughtful people asking great questions about profit, motive, business practice, tax status, efficiency, salary structure, board governance and more.
It’s a great conversation to have -and it can be polarizing - but it doesn’t have to be.
My colleague Jon at ONE/NW recently pointed out a pretty thoughtful essay on the subject by Paul Graham. You should read it - it will take just about ten minutes.
Here’s my take-away (and the title of the post, by the way): Be good. That’s right - be good - in the way you run your agency and treat your customers, in the way you develop your practice, consider creating programs. Paul suggests that this is more than just an attitude - but that it actually works.
One of the things I love about my work here at NPower Seattle is that if the tools and expertise we have to offer to the nonprofit community isn’t a great match for one of our customers - we do our level best to be the first to know and point that out! My team won’t be successful if we don’t keep our customers best interests at the top of our list!
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