Allen, Katie

This thesis explores practitioner perceptions of operational and structural experiences of non-profit organizations (NPO) and platform projects (PP) to develop an understanding of how a shared platform governance model can build resiliency and sustainability in non-profit organizations. The objectives of this research are to 1) develop an understanding of NPO and PP operational and structural experiences based on qualitative interviews with practitioners; 2) analyze how a PP model can address challenges facing the NPO sector; and 3) based on a thorough analysis of current literature and research findings, recommend a model that addresses these challenges and builds sustainability in NPOs.

A grounded inductive approach was used to identify a thematic narrative. The process was iterative, working between existing literature and interview data. Interviews with eight NPO practitioners and eight PP practitioners revealed four narrative theme areas: Financial, Funder, Organizational, and Emotional Tone. The results document several ways a PP model can provide opportunities to address the perceived funder and organizational challenges of small NPOs.

Keywords: non-profit organizations, collaboration, innovation, governance models, shared platform, platform projects

Author Keywords: governance model , innovation , non-profit organizations , organizational resilience, shared platform, Sustainability

The project's aim was to assess trends in Natural Heritage Planning and protection across the region of the Land Between; [sic] to gather information on review dates of Official Plans; as well as anecdotal data on development for comparisons across the region of the Land Between.