09/18/2019

An Office Space of One’s Own

A new book examines nonprofits' need for space and affordability

Adequate office and program space are serious problems for today’s nonprofits. Rising real estate costs in major cities across the United States and Canada are creating an affordability crisis and displacement for many important community-serving nonprofits. New U.S. tax laws have created serious dis-incentives for individual and corporate charitable giving. And, across North America, many nonprofits operate in inefficient, rundown space not equipped to meet the technology and collaboration-oriented needs of today’s programs.

One answer is shared resources, especially shared space and shared back-office services, with the powerful benefits that stem from it. For individual organizations, shared space has been shown to create improved efficiency, effectiveness and opportunities for collaboration along with operating cost savings and stability. Communities benefit from improved direct services, cultural spaces, hubs for civic engagement and contributions to community-centered development. But real estate is rarely a core competency for nonprofits.

Shared Space and the New Nonprofit Workplace creates a roadmap to help charitable organizations realize their vision. Going well beyond an overview, it also provides a detailed outline of the process of creation, from site selection to design considerations, from building collaboration and shared services to the research documenting benefits and impacts.

Please select this link to learn more.