CPR for Nonprofits

2000, 218 pages, $19.95, Jossey-Bass

Don't let the medical bag with the big Red Cross on the cover of Alvin Reiss' CPR for Nonprofits fool you, the book is not about rescuing dying nonprofits. Instead it offers self-help for those willing to follow Reiss' prescription for breathing new life into organizations by identifying Challenges, developing a Plan and achieving Results.

Reiss, who has extensive writing and teaching experience in the field of arts and nonprofit management, offers forty-six easy-to-read case studies that cover a range of concerns faced by nonprofits � fundraising, marketing, communication, and management. Each case study follows the same concise, to-the-point format: a brief bit of background, the challenge facing the organization, the plan developed to meet the challenge, results of implementing the plan, questions to ask, and lessons learned. The case studies cover organizations of varying sizes and sophistication across the nonprofit spectrum.

Many of the challenges faced by the organizations profiled are the ones that come up over and over for many nonprofits � how to move contributors to new giving levels, keep board members on track, target new audiences, and develop corporate partners. Although the case studies do not offer one-size-fits all solutions or necessarily provide all the detailed information one might want, they do contain practical information and common sense advice.

Reviewed by Deena Epstein