Illustration by Julianna Brion

Dr. Roland Kushner’s, Research Advisory Network (RAN) member, article “The Invisible Balance Sheet” was published in Stanford Social Innovation Review Spring 2023 issue (link below, article is available for free via open access until April 6).

Check out this video that Dr. Kushner made for NCNE explaining his article.

Dr. Kushner uses the balance sheet analogy to show how the commitments nonprofits make are Invisible Liabilities, the promises made to them are Invisible Assets, and the capacity for development and growth is analogous to Invisible Net Assets.

There are illustrations using nonprofits with national and regional footprints. Dr. Kushner suggests how nonprofit leaders can recognize and evaluate the elements, and manage them to strengthen their net invisible assets. That capacity builds resilience and strengthens their ability to achieve impact.

The online version has an exercise to apply to a nonprofit you’re interested in. Please share an invisible asset or invisible liability from your organization, and post #InvisibleBalanceSheet in the comments.

NCNE invites you to save the date for an SSIR webinar about the Invisible Balance Sheet: May 17

Here is a link to the article.