Nonprofit Management: Principles and Practice

Michael J. Worth’s student-friendly best-seller, Nonprofit Management: Principles and Practice, Fifth Edition, provides a broad, insightful overview of key topics affecting governance and management of nonprofit organizations. Worth covers the scope and structure of the nonprofit sector, leadership of nonprofits, managing the nonprofit organization, fundraising, earned income strategies, financial management, nonprofit lobbying and advocacy, managing international and global organizations, and social entrepreneurship. Written specifically for students, this applied text balances research, theory, and practitioner literature with current cases, timely examples, and the most recent data available.

New to the Fifth Edition

• New cases related to accountability and governance highlight new approaches to recent controversies and risks to nonprofits. Cases include the Wounded Warriors Project, Sweet Briar College, 4-H, Housing First, the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, the National Audubon Society, and an expanded study of governance issues at the Hershey Trust.
• Expanded discussions of risk management offer new insights on developing strategy, building capacity, and managing risk. 
• New social networks and social media content provides students with practical strategies for using social media when fundraising and marketing. 
• A new comprehensive case on the Girl Scouts of the USA recounts reforms undertaken by this iconic organization and current challenges it faces.
• The chapter on financial management has been substantially revised to reflect new requirements for nonprofit financial statements issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board in 2016, as well as an expanded discussion of audits.
• An updated chapter on fundraising includes information on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in December 2017, which has implications for charitable giving.

New references at the end of every chapter guide readers to relevant cases in the Appendix, making it easy for instructors to incorporate the cases into classroom discussions.  

Michael J. Worth is professor of nonprofit management in the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public

Administration at the George Washington University in Washington, DC. He teaches graduate courses related to the governance

and management of nonprofit organizations and to philanthropy and fundraising.

Dr. Worth served as vice president for development and alumni affairs at the George Washington University and

previously as director of development at the University of Maryland. Earlier in his career, he was assistant to the president

at Wilkes University and director of development at DeSales University. As vice president at the George Washington

University, he planned and directed two major campaigns and provided support to the board of trustees.

In addition to articles and monographs, Dr. Worth has written or edited various books and textbooks, including six

previous editions of Nonprofit Management: Principles and Practice. Other recent works include Fundraising: Principles and

Practice (2016), Leading the Campaign (2nd edition, 2017), Advancing Higher Education: New Strategies for Fundraising,

Philanthropy, and Engagement (co-edited with Matthew T. Lambert, 2019), and Comprehensive Fundraising Campaigns:

New Directions for Colleges and Universities (2022).

Among other voluntary services, Dr. Worth has been a member of the board of directors of Miriam’s Kitchen, an

organization working to eliminate homelessness in Washington, DC, and a member of the advisory board of the Young

Nonprofit Professionals Network, Washington, DC, chapter. Dr. Worth consults on governance, management, and fundraising

with colleges and universities, national associations and institutions, and nonprofit organizations in various fields

and sectors.

He holds a BA from Wilkes University, an MA in economics from American University, and a PhD in higher education

from the University of Maryland.