There are some good (and some not so good!) books out there about philanthropy. This month we’ll feature two that offer practical road maps for new and experienced donors and nonprofit board members: Giving 2.0 and Joining a Nonprofit Board: What You Need to Know.
“A philanthropist is anyone who gives anything – time, money, experience, skills, and networks – in any amount to create a better world,” says Giving 2.0 author Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, founder and chairman of Stanford PACS (Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society). We heartily agree! Giving 2.0: Transform Your Giving and Our World is a call to action and a comprehensive guide to giving for individuals of every age and income level. It is complemented by online tools and resources.
Joining a Board: What You Need to Know is written by two business school professors; Marc Epstein (Rice) and Warren McFarland (Harvard). It offers people who take their business experience and serve a nonprofit useful information on a variety of topics including the role of board members and the structure of the board, financial strategy and board oversight, philanthropy, the complex relationship between the chairman of the board and the CEO, performance management, and much more.