The Intersection of Nonprofit Roles and Public Policy Implementation

Abstract

Many nonprofit organizations implement policy through service delivery. In addition, these nonprofits serve other roles in their communities. Policy implementation strategies that overlook the many roles nonprofits play may misunderstand implementation challenges or fail to maximize the benefits of public-nonprofits partnerships. We aim to inform policy implementation by presenting a narrative that explores the intersection of these nonprofit roles and policy implementation through nonprofit service delivery. We situate this focus on nonprofits as policy implementers within a framework of nonprofit roles. We present commentary that integrates policy implementation and nonprofit roles by focusing on four themes: nonprofit role simultaneity, service delivery/policy implementation perceptual asymmetry, nonprofit roles over time, and network participation. Accounting for this multidimensionality can help government actors facilitate partnerships that enable service delivery while also recognizing what nonprofits do independent of their formal arrangements with governments.

Keywords:

• Nonprofit roles
• policy implementation
• public service provision
• public-nonprofit partnership

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Sanjay Pandey, Jasmine McGinnis Johnson and the anonymous reviewers whose feedback helped shape this article. We also wish to thank Amanda Keating for her graphic design work, and Eve Fyall for inspiring us.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jamie Levine Daniel

Jamie Levine Daniel is assistant professor in the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis. Her research interests include nonprofit management, nonprofit roles, resource acquisition, organizational identity, and collaboration

Rachel Fyall

Rachel Fyall is assistant professor in the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy & Governance at the University of Washington. Her research examines the ways in which nonprofits shape public policy through advocacy and policy implementation.