Journals
2025 EN
Sharma Sumukh
Nonprofits in 2025 are navigating a volatile landscape shaped by tightening funding, delayed government reimbursements, rising operational costs and increasing demand for services. To adapt and stay mission‐focused, they are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI), not just as a technological upgrade, but as a strategic tool for boosting efficiency, enhancing fundraising and maximizing program impact.
Journals
2025 EN
Governance experts largely agree that having direct feedback from an organization's end users and constituents can help boards make better‐informed decisions about programming, operations and long‐term progress towards their mission.
Journals
2025 EN
While it's now commonplace for nonprofit boards to have term limits in place, not all do—and it could be holding them back in their work and pursuit of mission.
Journals
2025 EN
Nonprofit executive directors are typically a busy lot, putting in long hours and personal sacrifice to push the organization towards mission fulfillment.
Journals
2025 EN
Nonprofit leaders can help to keep their boards energized and mission‐focused by giving them ample opportunities for meaningful involvement with the organization, according to Aly Sterling, founder of Aly Sterling Philanthropy.
Journals
2025 EN
Freris Loukas
Abstract This paper examines how an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expert mission for technical assistance in the late 1950s to Greece was effectively transformed into a mission to achieve the IAEA′s central objective: to consolidate its position as the leading global authority on radiation protection. The study focuses on the work of Alfred Maddock, a professor at the University of Cambridge. In 1959, Maddock arrived in Greece as part of one of the IAEA's original missions, contributing to an educational program on radioisotopes. Beyond providing educational services, Maddock accomplished something more significant. As the Agency's facilitator, he introduced radiation protection materials and concepts to the country in accordance with the IAEA protocols. He introduced dosimetry devices (film badges) and, at the same time, reviewed, modified, and created architectural plans for the laboratories of the Greek Nuclear Centre to meet the IAEA safety standards. It is argued that Maddock's visit to Greece transcended a mere one‐sided enforcement process. Rather, it catalyzed a dynamic interaction between Greece and the IAEA, characterized by robust elements of mutual cooperation. This mission stands as a prime example of the gradual integration of IAEA culture within a member state, tailored to local needs and conditions.
Journals
2025 EN
Calder William B.
Dr. William B. Calder is Director of the Center for VVM Research. In this article, he discusses the use of values, vision, and mission statements in the assessment of a nonprofit's performance by its board and senior leadership.
Journals
2025 EN
Buzzao Giacomo · Long Thomas B. · Argade Padmaja
Abstract This research examines the role of universities in supporting sustainability transitions in the context of nature‐protected areas through the leveraging of sustainable entrepreneurship. Universities are legitimate agents of change embedded within a territory and can play a pivotal role by initiating and supporting sustainable entrepreneurship ‐ a means of replacing unsustainable ventures with regenerative solutions linked to the success of sustainability transitions. However, the context of nature‐protected areas is unique on account of fragile ecosystems and cultural heritage sites – sustainable entrepreneurship can thus face a variety of challenges. This study focuses on a university‐led sustainable entrepreneurship program in North Sea nature‐protected areas, employing a multi‐level perspective framework for studying sustainability transitions. Through qualitative analysis of interviews, the study explores how such programs contribute to sustainability transitions by facilitating support to new sustainable entrepreneurs, creating coordination across actors and sustainability concerns, and creating a narrative for sustainability transition. The research contributes by spotlighting the role of universities in enhancing legitimacy and embeddedness in these areas, and in doing so, identifies new ‘third mission’ roles for universities. The research also provides one of the first attempts to synthesize ‘third mission’ concepts with sustainability transitions literature.
Journals
2025 EN
Reuter Emmanuelle · Überbacher Florian
ABSTRACT The “green energy” futures advanced in recent mission‐driven (environmental) policies (MDPs) entail considerable procedural uncertainties, leaving the concrete means through which firms may achieve such futures underspecified. Exploring how incumbents address such procedural uncertainty and how this impacts their political strategies, we conducted a comparative case study of Switzerland's four leading electric utilities' interpretations and policymaking influences during the formulation phase of Switzerland's mission‐driven “EnergieStrategie 2050” policy. We inductively developed a novel cultural‐cognitive perspective, which suggests that incumbents mobilize “procedural framing” (past‐future vs. future‐present framing) for coping with procedural uncertainties of a novel MDP. If incumbents mobilize a past‐future (vs. future‐present) framing, they regard the proposed MDP as threat (rather than an opportunity) and resist (rather than support) the policy with their policymaking influences. Our study contributes to the organizational literature on MDPs, to corporate political strategies, and to the organizational literature on future‐oriented meaning‐making.
Journals
2025 EN
Dorfleitner Gregor · Forcella Davide · Gerckens Andreas
ABSTRACT Climate change poses new challenges to the social mission and financial viability of microfinance institutions (MFIs). These include the vulnerability of borrowers, increased credit risks and the need to adapt to the changing climate. Using a novel microcredit data set, we first study the prevalence of climatic hazards and vulnerabilities in the portfolios of MFIs across Latin America and the Caribbean as well as sub‐Saharan Africa. We find evidence of microborrower vulnerability to climatic hazards and associated heightened credit risk. We then explore ecosystem‐based adaptation (EbA) as a potential strategic complement to inclusive finance in aiding adaptation. Our analysis finds widespread autonomous implementation of EbA by agricultural microborrowers. While EbA measures appear to negatively moderate the association between climatic hazards and microborrower vulnerabilities, we do not find them to be directly associated with lower vulnerabilities. Furthermore, lenders do not appear to increase financing of adaptation in portfolios with greater exposure to climatic hazards. The findings suggest a need to enhance the effectiveness of adaptive actions and further potential to expand the financing of EbA by MFIs.