The Nonprofit Business Plan: A Leader's Guide to Creating a Successful Business Model

A fresh, compelling approach to establishing a sustainable, results-driven nonprofit business plan.

Nonprofits often use the terms “strategic planning” and “business planning” interchangeably, but a good business plan goes beyond the traditional strategic plan with its focus on mission and vision, goals and objectives. The Nonprofit Business Plan, created by the nationally recognized nonprofit consultant experts at La Piana Consulting, helps your nonprofit organization understand what a strategic business plan is and why you need one, then provides a practical, proven process for creating a successful, sustainable business model. This groundbreaking resource further explains how your nonprofit can determine whether a potential undertaking is economically viable—a vital tool in today’s economic climate—and how to understand and solve challenges as they arise.

With detailed instructions, worksheets, essential tools, case studies, and a rigorous financial analysis presented clearly and accessibly for executives, board members, and consultants, The Nonprofit Business Plan is also an important resource for non-specialist audiences such as potential funders and investors. This innovative step-by-step guide will provide your team with a solid set of business decisions so that your nonprofit can achieve maximum results for years to come.

DAVID LA PIANA, bestselling author of "The Nonprofit Strategy Revolution" and "The Nonprofit Mergers Workbook, " is a leading expert on strategy for nonprofit organizations. He is the founder of La Piana Consulting, a firm specializing in strategy and business planning, mergers, and other forms of strategic restructuring for nonprofit organizations. His coauthors are Heather Gowdy, Senior Manager for Research and Innovation at La Piana Consulting and coauthor of "Convergence: How Five Trends Will Reshape the Social Sector;" Lester Olmstead-Rose, a Partner at La Piana Consulting and a leading strategy consultant; and Brent Copen, Chief Financial Officer at Asian Americans for Community Involvement and a former Senior Manager at La Piana Consulting. La Piana team members frequently speak at nonprofit gatherings and regularly contribute to the national dialogue on nonprofit strategy.