Research by Author & Topic

Publications by Elizabeth T. Boris on Advocacy Organizations

The past several decades have seen unprecedented growth in the scope and complexity of relationships between government and nonprofit organizations. These relationships have been more fruitful than many critics had feared and more problematic than many advocates had hoped. Nonprofits and Government is the first comprehensive, multidisciplinary exploration of nonprofit–government relations. The second edition of this important book is fully updated and includes two new chapters. The authors address a host of important issues, including nonprofit advocacy, direct regulatory and tax policy, the conversion of nonprofits to for-profits, clashes in government interaction with religion and the arts, and international nonprofit–government relationships. Practitioners, researchers, and policymakers alike will benefit from the authors’ wide-ranging discussion.

An interview with Elizabeth T. Boris, director of Urban Institute’s Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy (CNP). Boris is a national expert on the charitable sector. Now marking its 10th year, CNP has enriched the field with analyses on the scope and dimensions of nonprofits.

[Christian Science Monitor] Whether under the banner of Republicans' compassionate conservatism" or Democrats' "third way," there are many suggestions to strengthen charitable giving, grant charities further tax breaks, channel government contracts through faith-based charities, and rely more on non-governmental initiatives to help solve society's problems.

The dynamic relationship between government and nonprofits changes in response to shifts in society, politics, and policy. Sometimes complementary, sometimes adversarial—and sometimes both—the collaboration is vital to developing and maintaining civil society. Practitioners, researchers, and policymakers alike will benefit from the authors' wide-ranging discussion of major policy issues, including a comparison of nonprofit and government resources, regulatory and tax policy, advocacy, devolution, value-based clashes in religion and the arts, nonprofits and for-profits, and international perspectives.