The Staff dreams are made of.

NPQ - Publications - Back Issue 2002
The Content of their Character:
The State of the Nonprofit Workforce
by Paul C. Light

...Conclusion

"The state of the nonprofit workforce is excellent--the state of nonprofits and funders in supporting that workforce is more questionable.

The nonprofit sector is blessed with employees that come to work for the right reasons because they have jobs that give them a chance to make a difference. But the degree to which they can leverage this energy on behalf of their organization's mission is highly dependent on funder and organizational practices that either actively support or ignore their potential.

Boards and executive directors need to look carefully at how they manage their human capital. Are their practices designed for workers who are intrinsically rather than extrinsically motivated? Do their workers have the right tools and access to training? Do employees have time to plan and reflect?

At the same time, funders need to ask how they can assure that the sector maintains its competitive advantage in coming years, starting with a hard look at how their own policies about infrastructure and operating expenses affect the sector's workforce. "