Five Nonprofit Leadership Challenges: A Proposed Typology of Common Issues that Nonprofit Leaders Face

Authors

  • Richard M. Clerkin North Carolina State University
  • Sapna Varkey University of Missouri-St. Louis
  • Jayce Sudweeks Georgia Southern University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18666/JNEL-2022-10802

Keywords:

leadership challenges, qualitative content analysis, literature review, nonprofits

Abstract

Nonprofit leaders face many challenges and would benefit from a typology that helps highlight the core issues organizations experience. The Nonprofit Studies Minor at North Carolina State University identified five nonprofit leadership challenges, through a combination of practitioner experience and academic research, that could serve as a typology. The challenges identified are earning the public trust; aligning mission, methods, and resources; capitalizing on issues associated with diversity; balancing individual interests and the common good; and moving beyond charity to systemic change. This research revisits the academic literature to assess whether these challenges encompass the research agenda of nonprofit and voluntary action academic studies. Using qualitative content analysis, we examined abstracts from three major nonprofit journals from 2005-2017. Results indicate that the five leadership challenges were present in the abstracts of all three journals. Chi-squared analysis showed statistically significant differences in the presence of leadership challenges based on journal, location of the study, and unit of analysis. Validating this typology strengthens the Institute’s efforts and inform research and practice throughout the field.

Author Biographies

Richard M. Clerkin, North Carolina State University

Richard M. Clerkin, Ph.D.Professor and MPA DirectorDepartment of Public Administration, School of Public and International AffairsNC State University

Sapna Varkey, University of Missouri-St. Louis

Sapna Varkey, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Public Policy Administration Program
Department of Political Science
University of Missouri-St. Louis

 

Jayce Sudweeks, Georgia Southern University

Jayce Sudweeks, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor 
Department of Public and Nonprofit StudiesGeorgia Southern UniversityP.O. Box 8048

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Published

2022-03-21

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 2 (2023)

Section

Articles

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