Innovation from Within: Redefining How Nonprofits Solve Problems

We are in the midst of an entrepreneurial moment, as doers and makers have unprecedented access to crowdfunding and it has never been easier or cheaper to start a business or an organization. And yet, often overlooked among this flood of start-ups that spring up daily is the untapped potential of new ideas that can emerge from inside already-established agencies, companies, and nonprofits.

To build the capacity for innovation requires attention to building organizations and individuals who are ready and have the right tools to develop, implement, and sustain innovations. Innovation from Within provides a framework specifically for nonprofits through the Nonprofit Innovation Model (IN Model), which guides leaders in developing and implementing innovation from within their own nonprofit organization. The time has come to get more people into the business of solving problems in extraordinary ways and to amplify the impact of the field of social innovation by bringing along the people who provide the bulk of services and impact. This book is the guide and a call to action for building that momentum.

Stephanie Cosner Berzin, PhD, MSSW, is Assistant Dean, Doctoral Program and an Associate Professor, Boston College School of Social Work. She is Co-Founder and Chair of the Social Innovation + Leadership Program and Co-Director of the Center for Social Innovation.

Humberto Camarena, MSW, is a Professor and Administrator at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile School of Social Work.