Books & Publications
The following organizations and publications provide additional information on organizational and programmatic issues.
- A Sense of Place: An Atlas of Issues, Attitudes and Resources in the Yellowstone to Yukon Ecoregion
The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y), a bi-national network of over 170 conservation organizations, produced this comprehensive atlas. Included in this guidebook are the social and bio-physical systems that make up the Y2Y biological corridor.
- Alliance For Justice
Alliance for Justice's publications include: Investing in Change: A Funders Guide to Supporting Advocacy, Worry-Free Lobbying for Nonprofits, and E-Advocacy for Nonprofits.
- American Environmental Values Survey
The American Environmental Values Survey is cutting edge, actionable research that provides important strategic guidance to leaders of the environmental movement looking to reach new audiences or be more effective with their communications efforts. For more information about this survey, visit www.ecoamerica.net
- Beyond the Hundredth Meeting: A Field Guide to Collaborative Conservation
A publication of the Sonoran Institute, this field guide provides background information, case studies and useful tools for successful collaborative efforts.
- BoardSource Bookstore
BoardSource is the world’s largest, most comprehensive publisher of material on nonprofit governance. They offer a large selection of booklets, books, videotapes, and audiotapes.
- Building a Stronger Conservation Community
This 2005 paper by Training Resources for the Environmental Community (TREC) summarizes what TREC believes are the key challenges facing the conservation movement. It also presents specific ideas on how grassroots conservation organizations can become more effective by working smarter to build a stronger conservation community.
- Chardon Press
Founded by Kim Klein, Chardon Press produces materials on fundraising, community organizing, and organizational development. These resources are specifically designed to meet the needs of grassroots nonprofits—organizations that face the unique challenge of promoting change with limited staff, funding, and other resources.
- Communications Toolkit: A guide to navigating communications for the nonprofit world
This comprehensive guide offers practical information in virtually every area of communications—from how to develop and budget a communications plan to what tools you need to help raise awareness and funds. Copies are free for staff members of nonprofits and other public interest organizations.
- Conservation Atlas of the Northwest
Headwaters Economics produced this web-based resource to help us identify regions with high ecological importance, where the pace and scale of human activities put pressure on natural resources, and where there are encouraging opportunities for conservation. It is available for anyone looking for high-leverage opportunities to implement conservation strategies.
- Conservation Biology Institute
This organization's Web site provides an ongoing assessment of conservation throughout the greater Pacific Northwest organized by ecoregion.
- Discovering the Activation Point: Smart Strategies to Make People Act
The Activation Point builds on the Spitfire Strategies Smart Chart and focuses specifically on strategies for mobilizing concerned people to supportive action by identifying and leveraging their activation points.
- Economic Profile System (EPS)
A free tool created by the Sonoran Institute for locally-driven initiatives that strive to protect the ecological and cultural values of an area, while meeting a community's economic and social needs. The EPS helps residents understand the makeup of their local economy by allowing them to quickly and easily produce a detailed, socioeconomic profile.
- Elephant in the Board Room
The folks at the Grassroots Fundraising Journal and the Building Movement Project went on a search for models of board functioning that might actually work for non-traditional organizations. This series of articles shares what they learned along the way.
- ESRI Community Data
This online tool allows you to input a zip code and find the top three market segmentations in that area, such as Trendsetters, Metro Renters, Exurbanites, etc. For each segment there is a description of the people within the segment. Also provided is basic information such as population size, number of households, racial breakdown, gender breakdown, household income, and average home value.
- Fundraising in Times of Crisis
In today's uncertain environment groups everywhere are straining to keep up with the increased demand for their services while struggling to generate funding. This book draws on renowned consultant Kim Klein's more than twenty-five years of fundraising experience.
- Grassroots Grants
In this bestselling guide to grantseeking, author and activist Andy Robinson walks you through the challenges of incorporating grants into a complete fundraising program, using grant proposals as organizing plans, designing fundable projects, building proposals piece by piece, and fostering effective communication with funders who support the activist community.
- How to Win Campaigns
A comprehensive and systematic exploration of what works in campaigning, and a practical how-to guide for using principles and strategy in campaigning as a new form of public politics. Applicable to any issue and from any point of view, the book's 100 key steps and tools provide models of motivation, analysis and communication structure.
- Island Press
A nonprofit book publisher that covers a wide spectrum of environmental concerns. This site also contains the Island Press Eco-Compass, an Internet guide to environmental issues.
- Mergers, Acquisitions, Diversifications, Restructuring, and/or Die-Offs in the Conservation Movement
In this thought-provoking article, Andy Kerr argues that there are too many unsustainable conservation organizations, and makes recommendations.
- Millennium Assessment
This international work program launched by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan is designed to meet the needs of decision makers and the public for scientific information concerning the consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being and options for responding to those changes.
- Prosperity in the 21st Century West
This publication of the Sonoran Institute is filled with important facts on today's economy, with case studies of communities and individuals in business, this study offers recommendations for rural westerners who want to protect their environment and grow their economy at the same time.
- Selling Social Change (Without Selling Out): Earned Income Strategies for Nonprofits
In this book, fundraising expert, Andy Robinson demonstrates how to initiate and sustain successful earned income ventures that provide financial security and advance an organization's mission.
- Spitfire Strategies Smart Chart™
The Spitfire Strategies Smart Chart™ is a step-by-step guide to building a successful communications campaign. The report comes complete with an updated communications planning tool you can fill in as you go.
- Strategic Planning in Western Grassroots Conservation Groups
This paper by Training Resources for the Environmental Community (TREC) answers the questions, “Why do strategic planning?” and “What’s in it for me and my organization?” In addition, this paper provides an outline of the strategic planning process and a refresher for organizations revising their strategic plans.
- Sustainable Earth Electronic Library
Provides electronic publications from a variety of environmental organizations.
- Talking Law
Resource Media produced this booklet aimed to advise communications strategy for partners and groups filing lawsuits.
- The Guide to Starting a Nonprofit
Are you considering starting a nonprofit organization? New to a nonprofit board or to a job with a nonprofit? This guide, published by the Executive Service Corps of Washington, describes the steps you should take to getting started and includes links on topics such as Board Development, Non-Profit Finances, Business, Strategic Planning and more.
- The Power of Giving
Fundraising consultant Harvey McKinnon's newest book offers inspiring stories and new ideas to improve your community. Its purpose is to spur each individual to give more – and to reveal the many ways one can give.
- To Save the Wild Earth: Field Notes from the Environmental Frontline
In his book, Ric Careless, executive director of BC Spaces for Nature, provides "behind-the-scenes glimpses of critical moments in each of nine wilderness campaigns, reveals the kind of strategy needed to achieve environmental victories, (and) gives us personal reminiscences of political leaders."