April 15, 2012
National Charities Find They Need Flexibility to Keep Affiliates Happy
Habitat for Humanity/Steffan Hacker
At Habitat for Humanity International, national leaders have been turning to local chapters for ideas. One result: More Habitat groups are now refurbishing houses, not just building new ones.
The notion of a charity’s national headquarters handing down commands to its affiliates, like an all-powerful Big Brother, no longer holds sway at many of the nation’s biggest nonprofits—including Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Last summer, the youth charity set a goal: By 2014, all of its local affiliates will have to collect data on the results of programs following a particular approach or risk losing their affiliate status. Clear, uniform data are becoming
