Armijo draws on 25 years of professional experience in the nonprofit landscape to offer readers guidance on “maximizing mission impact while being a good organizational steward” in this thorough debut. Growing up in poverty with a chronically ill father, Armijo’s family relied heavily on nonprofit organizations to make ends meet, gifting him with a unique perspective on their value. Whether it’s explaining basic nonprofit terminology, treading the sticky ground that comes with conflicts of interest, or exploring funding streams, he channels that perspective here, providing readers with an informative guide to nonprofit leadership that focuses primarily on how to bolster an organization’s financial health without sacrificing its mission.
Chapters are laser-focused and built around the organizational roles that drive the nonprofit sector (future leaders, executives and managers, and trustees). Armijo weaves the fiduciary/impact dilemma into all aspects of the business, including common governance issues, how to build and empower purpose-driven teams, strategy and execution, employee management, and more. Readers familiar with the nonprofit sector will find many well-known business theories here, ranging from logic models like the driver diagram to Armijo’s own “Wow Model of Clarity” for fine tuning organizational missions, and Armijo employs effective analogies from both history and contemporary culture to deepen the learning.
Regardless of readers’ experience in the nonprofit world, Armijo’s guidance is timeless, offering an inside view into the constant tension between mission and money that plagues the business. He emphasizes the idea that “nonprofit is a tax designation, not a business model,” urging nonprofit leaders to always keep their business strategy at the forefront of every decision. “You want to develop the business in order to grow its impact and improve its financial health over the long run,” he writes, and the myriad pointers, pitfalls to avoid, and operational guidance contained in The Nonprofit Dilemma will help readers do just that.
Takeaway: Valuable guidance for any role in the nonprofit sector.
Comparable Titles: Leslie R. Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant’s Forces for Good, Dan Pallotta’s Charity Case.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
The Nonprofit Dilemma by DC Armijo is an informative and insightful book that provides a comprehensive perspective on the challenges faced by leaders in the non-profit sector. It is a must-read for anyone passionate about making a positive difference through non-profits, from future leaders to current executives and managers, trustees (board members), and funders. It offers valuable guidance on how to effectively deliver mission impact and ensure sustainability. Leaders will learn to handle unpredictable funds, be accountable, invest for the future, and strategically plan for improvement. In addition to these topics, the book also covers the importance of adaptability, communication, and relationship building. It provides practical advice on how to promote the organization and its purpose, build an inclusive and diverse team, and collaborate with people and groups that share your goals and values.
The Nonprofit Dilemma is a unique guide that many people in non-profit organizations will benefit from reading. It is well-organized and easy to understand, with a conversational tone and examples that readers will find relatable. DC Armijo's passionate and honest writing style will resonate with readers and effectively deliver the lessons. There are helpful graphs and tables, specific sections for different leadership roles, and concise summaries at the end of each chapter to enhance the overall understanding and retention of the lessons presented. The book also emphasizes the importance of measuring impact the right way and human resource management, which are often neglected aspects of non-profit leadership. The call to action at the end of the book encourages leaders to lead with love and efficiency and be brave in their mission to make the world a better place. Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for inspiration and guidance on their leadership journey.
