NC State, Philanthropy Journal Expand Resources For Nonprofits

North Carolina State University’s Institute for Nonprofits is incorporating the nationally recognized Philanthropy Journal as its newest program, effective this month. The move helps the Journal and the institute move forward on their shared goal of fostering effective nonprofit leadership and management.

“Joining NC State allows the Journal to tap into scholarship on the nonprofit sector, reach new audiences, and offer more news and resources for readers,” says institute director Dr. Mary Tschirhart. “This furthers the institute’s mission of developing current and future nonprofit leaders.”

The Journal is a free, online news source. It has approximately 13,000 subscribers to its e-mail newsletter, and 40,000 readers visit its Web site each month. Launched by the News and Observer Foundation in 1993, the Journal has been published since 2000 by the A.J. Fletcher Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in North Carolina that supports efforts to recognize and solve social problems. The Journal is self-sufficient and will not be supported with state money. Todd Cohen, who founded the Journal and has served as its editor since its inception, will continue in that role. No staff changes are being made at the Journal.

“Nonprofits are a critical, yet underappreciated, social and economic force, and they are struggling in the economic recession to more effectively meet the needs of our communities,” says Cohen, a former business editor at the News & Observer in Raleigh. “The Journal is delighted to be part of the institute’s important work in support of the nonprofit sector.”

“The Institute for Nonprofits is dedicated to research and education on the nonprofit sector, as well as collaboration with nonprofit partners to address community needs,” Tschirhart says. “Like many nonprofits, we are seeking ways to create the greatest impact. Combining forces with the Journal creates economies of scale that allow us to reach more nonprofits needing the expertise and services available at NC State.”

Barbara Goodmon, president of the A.J. Fletcher Foundation, says the combination of the institute and Journal creates an unprecedented resource for nonprofits.

“The future of our communities depends on healthy nonprofits,” she says. “The institute and the Journal are on the cutting edge of efforts to help nonprofits become more efficient and effective, and to develop research and raise awareness about the important role nonprofits play in social change.”

The Fletcher Foundation is supporting the institute and the Journal through a multi-year gift.

Tschirhart says that the Journal may also help the institute develop new areas for research, and find new research partners in the nonprofit community. “Working with the Journal staff will also give our students the opportunity to learn how to communicate with the nonprofit community in an effective, meaningful way,” Tschirhart says.

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