"Together, we could be stronger," writes author Ryan Smith. Nonprofits can operate like a constellation, held in orbit by one another's gravitational pull—a vision that sits at the heart of SUSTAINING THE MISSION: Building a Billion-Dollar Nonprofit Network by Rewriting the Rules of Partnership.
In this candid and practical examination of what it takes to keep social care organizations alive and effective, Smith brings personal credibility to the mix. A trained counsellor and social development professional, he led SCFF before founding Imperium: a consulting organization designed to stabilize and strengthen the nonprofits serving society's most vulnerable people. The book is both reflexive and practical: Smith traces Imperium's launch during Pennsylvania's nine-month budget impasse (a crisis that stripped hundreds of nonprofits of funding), and uses SCFF’s struggles as a lens for examining why organizations thrive or collapse.
Smith draws on anecdotes to show us his philosophies on vulnerable people. One of the most memorable ones includes a man with an intellectual disability who wasn’t able to share that he had a toothache. In pain and feeling helpless, the man sat on a highway filled with traffic. Ryan was able to reach this man, understand his needs, and find a solution. It is this philosophy he brings into all of his work with Imperium: the ability to put people first, see the gaps, address the problem, and offer solutions.
What distinguishes SUSTAINING THE MISSION is Smith's open exploration of failure. When organizations stumble (including Imperium, he argues), it is often about incomplete knowledge. That includes knowledge of the cultural and social norms shaping the communities they serve. Stigma, antiquated systems, policy shifts, and inadequate staffing all have an impact—as does a lack of public trust or financial blunders.
The writing is precise and example-driven, moving from individual cases of institutional deception to government policy failures. Smith consistently prioritizes the dignity, care, and empowerment of the people these organizations serve. Readers outside of the United States might need to translate some of the social context, but it's largely universal.
SUSTAINING THE MISSION comes across as an essential read for nonprofit professionals, social workers, and policy advocates. But it's also for anyone who wants to understand why social care organizations might fail, and why—with the right clarity, diversity, insight, and adaptation—they don't have to.
Ryan Smith’s SUSTAINING THE MISSION: Building a Billion-Dollar Nonprofit Network by Rewriting the Rules of Partnership offers a candid, example-driven examination of the challenges and failures faced by social care organizations. Through personal experience and compelling case studies, Smith outlines how clarity, adaptation, and a people-first philosophy can help nonprofits survive and thrive.
~ Nicci Attfield for IndieReader