Policy vs. Paper Clips: How using the Corporate Model makes a nonprofit board more efficient & effective

by Eugene H. Fram, Vicki Brown (Editor)

POLICY vs. PAPER CLIPS is an unusual how-to book for nonprofit groups that seek to better define board governance and boost management focus. This highly user-friendly book has been used successfully by nonprofit directors and executives

1. Guide them on how to move from a community-based governance model to a model with a defined framework for separating policy development from operational activities.
 2. Eliminate dull "new director orientations" and instead present an overview of critical governance issues and spark lively discussion about current nonprofit governance practices.

Given today's difficult times for nonprofits, hardly any can continue to operate as they have in the past. For most, it is no longer possible for a volunteer group of directors to be involved in the organization's day-to-day operations. This book clearly outlines the Corporate Model and its framework for separating policy areas from operational ones. When customized appropriately for your nonprofit, the Model promotes growth and allows your board to fully delegate day-to-day matters to management. Yet, importantly, it also allows for robust assessment of both the outcomes and the impact of the organization.

Genres: Business

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 1995

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book about non-profit governance and the Corporate Model. If you are working for, volunteering with, or leading a non-profit and have not read this book, your organization is probably still functioning in the dinosaur ages. This is a must-read business book if you want to bring your non-profit into the modern world. It's co-written by two authors. One of the authors is Eugene Fram, a highly respected and renown business professor emeritus at RIT, author of many books and journals (such as MIT's Sloan Management Review), often quoted in the national business press (like WSJ), and an authority on the Corporate Model. I read the third edition of this book so the Corporate Model for non-profits has been tried and tested and is now considered the gold standard.

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an informative and entertaining read. The author uses the techniques of a series of emails between two individuals to explain how using the corporate model for nonprofit boards is beneficial to the organization. The exchange of emails takes the reader through the process from needs assessment to implementation.

What I enjoyed most about the book is that it was written so that the concepts are easily understood through the question and answers presented in each set of emails. In addition, the concept has been successfully implemented in a number of nonprofits around the country that are mentioned in the introductory section of the book and examples in the emails exchanges.

At the end of the book an additional series of questions and answers with suggestions on how to successfully implement the corporate model. An added benefit is that a Leader’s Guide is available for use to facilitate a discussion of the corporate model process.

I must admit that nonprofits that are totally volunteer operated or with a limited staff may find the overall process unachievable, but there are many useful ideas within the email exchanges from which small organizations can benefit.

I strongly recommend this book to any nonprofit CEOs or Board Members who feel that too much time is spent on operational issues and not enough spent on planning and policy.

[Bricoleur (David) Soul · Rating 3 out of 5]

My preference is to a more traditional approach to non-fiction.
Or, perhaps paradoxically, to a 'graphic novel' approach.
That is , the two extremes of "book" delivery for me are I their own ways each more effective than what I would call 'the dreaded middle.' All too often the middle ground seems to results in a long, seemingly artificial series of communications built around a thin plot line. I feel that the literary devices used in this text are thin to the point of driving my irritation to the point of my muttering ... 'Just get on with it'

That said, the subject matter is critically important and if the approach works to bring knowledge to those in a potential lead's circles, who would not read a more 'weighty' presentation, then by all means invest the short time to read and consider using it as a model for implementation.

[JJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearly I read this one for work... It was quite helpful.

[Saad · Rating 4 out of 5]

anyone managing or on the board of a nonprofit should read this.

the structure of emails back and forth was a bit cheesy, but does not in any way impeded the message.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

A GREAT read for any non-profit CEO whose governance is slowly changing to a more corporate model, or whose governance has not yet gotten there. I dog-eared many pages