Introduction

"During my years as a fundraiser, I have worked with extraordinary volunteers at every nonprofit level. From multimillionaire businesspeople to homemakers, all have had a drive to be useful to their communities and true to their beliefs. This benevolence to not only friends but strangers, too, is a particularly human trait. It is impossible not to be moved by generosity, whether it is an enormous donation of money or a gift of precious time. The predisposition to service and charity is almost genetically coded. Only a rare few are left out of this gene pool, and it diminishes their lives."

With that introduction Norvell treats us to over 30 years of accumulated wisdom about how effective nonprofit organizations are built and maintained. At the center is the important role that volunteers play and how their personal values are reflected in the organizations they build and serve.