This text is the first to dedicate itself to the nonprofit sector. It provides a comprehensive overview of nonprofit and voluntary organizations, nongovernmental organizations, philanthropic foundations and civil society institutions. Taking an international perspective, it details the background and concepts behind these organizations and examines the theory, management and policy which informs them. Questions answered include:

• What are nonprofit and voluntary organizations?
• What is the history of the nonprofit sector?
• What is the scale and structure of the nonprofit sector?
• How can we explain the existence and behaviour of nonprofit organizations?
• How do nonprofits obtain funding and how do they manage resources?

With strong pedagogical features and the author's own extensive experience, this book is a valuable reference for all those involved in non-profit making organizations, as well as those in the wider public administration and management arena.