Stanford Social Innovation Review

To find out how best to stem corruption in development projects, a Harvard economist conducted a sophisticated experiment in 608 Javanese villages. His results challenge current wisdom: Send in the outside auditors, rather than rely on local monitors.

New research shows that binding contracts
may actually reduce trust.

New York Cares uses volunteers to recruit
and retain other volunteers.

Study shows religious organizations lack financial controls.

Top foundation leaders reveal how they set
payout rates, executive salaries, and trustee compensation.

Journalist, Seattle Times.

How funders flout their own rules.

The disconnect between theory and reality
in nonprofit boards, and how to fix it.

Evaluating the three groups that rate the charities.

Eight reforms to make nonprofits more accountable and effective.

In the frenzy over accountability, funders, donors, and the general public are calling for more program evaluation. But few understand evaluation well enough to conduct or bankroll high-quality studies. Without sufficient knowledge or funding, nonprofits are often collecting heaps of dubious data, at great cost to themselves and ultimately to the people they serve.

How accountability requirements hurt small, innovative programs the most.

Foundations need to make more of the right kinds of mistakes.