Pat Libby is a popular speaker, writer, and change management consultant who views her work with third sector organizations through the kaleidoscope of her experiences as a long-time nonprofit CEO, academic, board member, and consultant to innumerable organizations.

A self-described "recovering academic," Pat founded and led the Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego for 14 years - creating graduate programs at the master's and doctoral levels, an endowed research center, and community education programs serving hundreds of people and organizations each year. Alumni of these programs now lead many premier nonprofit/philanthropic organizations in the U.S. and abroad or serve on the faculty of third-sector focused academic programs. In forming the Institute, Pat realized a vision for an academic center that would interweave research, theory and practice.

Pat is the author of several books. The Lobbying Strategy Handbook (SAGE 2012), 2nd edition (Oxford University Press, 2021) is an engaging "how-to" guide for nonprofit practitioners who are seeking a simple blueprint for learning how to take part in the legislative process. She is co-author, with Laura Deitrick, of Cases in Nonprofit Management (SAGE 2017), and is a contributing author in Technology, Activism and Social Justice in a Digital Age (Oxford University Press, 2018), John McNutt, editor.

Pat's largest readership is reached through a popular monthly blog where she writes on a variety of nonprofit leadership topics. The blog can be found at [...]

A Boston native, Pat holds a graduate degree in Urban Planning from MIT and a bachelor's degree in Spanish and Sociology from Tufts University. Her complete CV and more information are available at [...]

Chapter 1: Nature of the Sector
Introduction
Case 1.1: Social Enterprise within a Nonprofit Organization
Case 1.2: To Start or Aid an Existing Organization
Case 1.3: When Mission and Money Collide
Case 1.4: Why Bylaws Matter
Chapter 2: Board of Directors
Introduction
Case 2.1: Conflict of Interest
Case 2.2: Hiring Board Members as Staff
Case 2.3: The Board's Role in CEO Evaluation
Case 2.4: The Rubber Stamp Board
Chapter 3: Executive Leadership
Introduction
Case 3.1: The Board's Role in Executive Transition
Case 3.2: CEO Pay
Case 3.3: Challenges of Executive Search
Case 3.4: Toxic Leadership
Chapter 4: Measuring Performance
Introduction
Case 4.1: Establishing Metrics
Case 4.2: When Outcomes Fail to Meet Established Benchmarks
Case 4.3: When the Program Isn't Working
Chapter 5: Strategic Decision Making
Introduction
Case 5.1: Generating Revenue by Selling Assets
Case 5.2: Policy Disputes
Case 5.3: Setting Strategy
Chapter 6: Human Resource Management
Introduction
Case 6.1: Policies and Procedures for Staff Members in Crisis
Case 6.2: Employee Substance Abuse
Case 6.3: Volunteers Ignoring the Rules
Case 6.4: When Volunteers Run Amok
Chapter 7: Risk Management
Introduction
Case 7.1: Stolen Information
Case 7.2: Theft
Case 7.3: Vulnerable Populations
Case 7.4: Workplace Accidents
Chapter 8: Public Relations and Marketing
Introduction
Case 8.1: A Change in Policy with Unforeseen Consequences
Case 8.2: Celebrity Endorsements
Case 8.3: Dealing with the Press
Case 8.4: Devising Marketing Strategies
Chapter 9: Generating Revenue
Introduction
Case 9.1: Donor Management
Case 9.2: Endowments
Case 9.3: Accounting for Fundraising Costs
Chapter 10: Financial Management
Introduction
Case 10.1: Decision Making
Case 10.2: Misallocation of Grant Money
Case 10.3: Transparency
Chapter 11: Advocacy and Lobbying
Introduction
Case 11.1: Meeting Your Mission
Case 11.2: Public Policy Versus the Bottom Line
Case 11.3: Staff Advocacy
Chapter 12: Technology
Introduction
Case 12.1: Internal Systems
Case 12.2: Integrating Technology
Case 12.3: Social Media
Chapter 13: Grantmaking
Introduction
Case 13.1: Deciding When to Hire Staff
Case 13.2: Donor Advised Funds
Case 13.3: Foundation-Initiated Collaboration
Case 13.4: When a Foundation Accomplishes Its Mission
Chapter 14: International Nonprofits
Introduction
Case 14.1: Cross-Cultural Clash
Case 14.2: NGO Accountability
Case 14.3: The Organic Nonprofit
Case 14.4: When Donors Don't Want to Fund Overhead