Readings
In your Developing Nonprofit and Human Service Leaders textbook, read the following:
Chapter 6, “Agency Planning,” pages 63–72.
Chapter 10, “Boards,” pages 113–122.
Chapter 11, “Fund Development,” pages 123–134.
Use the Capella University Library to read the following:
Linhorst, D. M., Dirks-Linhorst, P. A., Stiffelman, S., Gianino, J., Bernsen, H. L., & Kelley, J. B. (2009). Implementing the essential elements of a mental health court: The experiences of a large multijurisdictional suburban county. Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, 37(4), 427–442.
Lu, J. (2013). How political are government contracting decisions? An examination of human service contracting determinants. Public Administration Quarterly, 37(2), 182–207.
Learning Components
This activity will help you achieve the following learning components:
Analyze what forms of governance are effective for different types of human services organizations.
Discuss common funding practices for human services organizations.
Understanding Governance and Funding Practices
There are a number of challenges to understanding the complexity of human service governance and funding practices in today’s political and funding climate. Traditional nonprofit organizational management and funding are often complicated by government contract practices, legal interventions, and other factors.
Based on your readings for this week, in your initial post, discuss a traditional nonprofit governance board and the funding practices of the organization compared to a human service agency practice that is managed as a government contract or a legally mandated program. What are the challenges faced by a government contract human service program? What are the challenges faced by a legally mandated human service program?
