Also by the Author
Over a career spanning half a century, Thomas Wolf has written many books. His first one, Touring Opera: A Manual for Small Companies, was co-written with his uncle Boris Goldovsky in 1975 and is long out of print. But several of the others are listed here including some which feature free downloads for readers of this web site.
Musical Gifts
How did a fishing village, famous for its great sailing ships, its lime kilns, and the purity of its winter ice become a center for great music? This charming book tells the story of a coastal Maine town that has, for almost a century, been a destination for some of the world’s greatest musicians. Launched as a summer music colony by the philanthropist Mary Curtis Bok Zimbalist in 1930, the community’s history reflects a larger story of classical music in America. The story is told by Thomas Wolf, the former Artistic Director of Bay Chamber Concerts, whose family was part of the musical history of Rockport, Maine for three generations. The book contains over 60 historical photographs and is full of amusing and never-before-told anecdotes of some of the great musicians of the twentieth century.
Otter Island Films produced a documentary about the history of Rockport’s musical community and Lea’s family’s involvement in its sustenance. The film, Musical Gifts, is based on the book by Thomas Wolf. Watch it here.
Musical Gifts or How a Maine Fishing Village Became a Center for Great Music
by Thomas Wolf
$25.00 U.S.
Hardcover: 62 pages
Illustrated
Published by Bay Chamber Concerts
Publication date: May 15, 2011
Language: English
ISBN: 978-0976970422
A free electronic copy of the book can be found here.
And the Band Stopped Playing
Though this is a book about a specific orchestra in a particular city, it contains lessons for arts organizations and nonprofits in many fields. It is also directed at the funders that support them. This is a challenging time for the nonprofit sector, especially symphony orchestras. But it is also a time of great opportunity for innovation and experimentation. The authors are impressed by the many examples of nonprofit institutions that are redefining what it means to be central to those who live in their communities. They applaud the many leaders — professional and volunteer, artistic and administrative — that make innovation and excellence possible. A free download is available.
And the Band Stopped Playing
by Thomas Wolf and Nancy Glaze
Paperback: 96 pages
Published by Wolf, Keens & Company
Publication date: 2005
Language: English
Free download available here: sanjosesymphony.pdf
Managing a Nonprofit Organization — 40th Anniversary Edition
An essential and practical resource for the nonprofit field.
Celebrating its fortieth anniversary, this classic is now updated for a new generation. Tens of thousands of staff members, trustees, students, and volunteers can once again hone skills and acquire new knowledge from this significantly revised and expanded volume. Nonprofits today face new challenges: political, economic, and demographic shifts affecting governance, funding, and services. At the same time, organizations still require strong leadership and skilled management. But in an age of technological innovation, they must leverage social media and viral marketing, reassess service delivery, and meet the needs of new constituents.
Dr. Wolf’s update of Managing a Nonprofit Organization broadens the conversation and includes new chapters on diversity, equity, and inclusion; philanthropy; and crisis management in our highly connected, social media-fueled world. The book looks anew at the pillars of nonprofit management—assembling a cohesive team, recruiting the right members for the board, creating good internal policies and sound financial management, ensuring long-term sustainability, and providing effective leadership. At the same time, Dr. Wolf offers an updated roadmap for raising money and telling your story effectively. The book’s easy-to-understand language and study questions at the end of each chapter guide readers through the complexities of the nonprofit world, giving you everything you need to succeed.
Whether you are an executive director, a board member, or someone contemplating either important role, Managing in Nonprofit Organizations is an excellent resource for understanding the dynamics of nonprofits and creating a strong organization.
Managing a Nonprofit Organization
by Thomas Wolf
$23.00 U.S. | ebook $14.99
Hardcover: 489 pages
Illustrated
Published by Free Press
Publication date: July, 2022
Language: English
Buy the book.
Effective Leadership for Nonprofit Organizations: How Executive Directors and Boards Work Together
Managing a nonprofit organization has many challenges. One key to success is building a strong relationship between the executive director and the board of trustees. This book is a treasure trove of information for navigating the personal, political, and legal minefields that cause so many nonprofits to fail. Dozens of case studies illuminate the key issues that often impede the progress of nonprofit organizations. Each chapter also contains a set of questions that enable leaders to reflect on the health of their own organization and also evaluate other nonprofits, as well as to create sustainable, effective business practices and productive working relationships. Topics discussed here include:
Communication between managerial parties
Sharing powers and responsibilities
Fund-raising
Financial oversight and boundaries
Planning programs
Hiring and firing
Developing partnerships
Assessing business practices
Building productive working relationships
And much more
Whether you are an executive director, a board member, or someone contemplating either important role, Effective Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations is an excellent resource for understanding the dynamics of nonprofits and creating a strong organization.
Effective Leadership for Nonprofit Organizations
by Thomas Wolf
$24.99 U.S. | ebook $12.99
Hardcover: 192 pages
Illustrated
Published by Allworth Press
Publication date: January 2, 2019
Language: English
How to Connect with Donors and Double the Money Your Raise
Many nonprofits are constantly seeking out new donors to raise funds and meet fundraising goals. In the chase for those additional dollars, fundraisers and institutions often forget what’s at the heart of it all: human relationships.
Ten years after the initial release of this book, Dr. Thomas Wolf published a new, digital edition titled How to Connect with Donors and Double the Money You Raise. It features an introduction by the late Hodding Carter. Replete with new stories and updated to reflect the ever-evolving ways we connect, the book convincingly shows that successful fundraising is all about turning a name in a database into a relationship. When you do that, the money will flow.
How to Connect with Donors and Double the Money You Raise
by Thomas Wolf
FREE DOWNLOAD.
Electronic only: 112 pages
Published by WolfWorks
Publication date: 2021
Language: English
