15.967 | Spring 2005 | Graduate

Managing and Volunteering In the Non-Profit Sector

Assignments

The following case study topics and questions are presented for discussion in class, and should be prepared in advance.

SES # TOPICS CASE STUDIES

1

Introduction

Case: Habitat for Humanity International

Questions:
1. Who are Habitat’s customers?
2. What makes Habitat unusual among charitable organizations?
3. What growth options should Habitat pursue?
4. In light of Habitat’s mission and history, what specific actions should Snider take to make Habitat a more effective service organization? What resistance should he expect to face?

2

Strategy/Growth

Case: STRIVE

3

Managing The Workforce

Case: Shepard Quraeshi Associates (A)

4

Governance

Case: The NAACP

Questions:
1. How would you assess the Board’s management skills?
2. Did this crisis stem from a governance failure?
3. What changes would you have made at the NAACP?

5

Evaluation

Case: The Harlem Children’s Zone: Driving Performance with Measurement and Evaluation

Questions:
1. What were the key success factors for Rheedlen before the strategic planning process?
2. What are the organizational elements needed for HCZ to go to scale?
3. How should the management of HCZ use measurement? What is your assessment of using reading skills as a Roll-up measure for the organization?
4. Canada is presented an opportunity at the end of the case to take over a school outside the zone. Should he do it?

6

Funding, Marketing

Case: Amnesty International

Questions:
1. How did AI develop its worldwide reputation?
2. What weaknesses were evident at AI in 2001?
3. Evaluate the changes that have been made at AI in 2001-2002.
4. Which of the brand positions would you recommend and why?

7

Organizational Change

Case: The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose

Questions:
1. Who are the stakeholders the bishop must be aware of and how likely are they to want change? Why are these stakeholders involved with the church and how does that intersect with the objectives of the church’s change process?
2. How do the concepts of data analysis, accountability, and strategic planning alluded to in the case intersect with the mission of the Catholic Diocese of San Jose?
3. The church is an extremely flat organization. What are the powers that the bishop possesses and how has he used them to affect change?
4. At the end of the case, the bishop states, “For me, this is like jumping off into the abyss. There is really no role model for me to follow.” What might he find in this abyss? Should he be concerned?
5. Moving forward, what should the bishop do to succeed?

8

Universities

Case: Trinity College (A)

9

Foundations

Case: EMCF (Edna McConnell Clark Foundation): A New Approach at an Old Foundation

Questions:
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the old Systems Reform funding model and the new, Institutional Field Building, approach?
2. What are the internal and external forces driving change at the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation?
3. Assess Bailin’s process for achieving change at EMCF.
4. How should Bailin go about building support and involvement from other grantmakers for Institutional Field Building? How critical is that support?

10

Consulting For The Non-Profit Sector

Case: The Bridgespan Group

Course Info

Instructor
As Taught In
Spring 2005
Level