Venture Philanthropy Partners: Investing in Social Change.

Leap of Reason

LeapofReason.org provides free access to a suite of materials, including articles, speeches, videos, guides, and other tools, which build on and augment Leap of Reason: Managing to Outcomes in an Era of Scarcity, a book written by Venture Philanthropy Partners Chairman Mario Morino in partnership with McKinsey & Company and a dozen other social-sector experts and practitioners. You can also download David Hunter’s new book, Working Hard—and Working Well.

More to Explore

A young nonprofit leader discovers Leap of Reason, and more in the latest update from the Leap community.

Read some examples of leaders using data to "geek out for good" in this month's Leap of Reason update. 

What People Are Saying

"Our journey was transformed by … Leap of Reason… Mr. Morino's words proved inspirational to us--so much so that we adopted many concepts from his book for our reinvention."

--Denise Zeman, "Foundation Uses Tough Times as Opportunity to Refocus," Crain's Cleveland, 12/3/12

David S. Kass, President, Council For A Strong America

"This book pushes us in the nonprofit field not to confuse good intentions with real results.  In a book that is remarkably free of jargon, he asks that our discipline be as strong as our convictions and we define where are we going and how we're going to get there—because that's how we change the world. Every nonprofit leader will benefit from reading this book."

—David S. Kass, President, Council For A Strong America

Bill Bryant

"I expected to be enlightened; I didn’t expect to [find] a book that so reinforced our … work that it became almost required reading for our Ready by 21 team in Atlanta."

--Brad Bryant, ED, Georgia Foundation for Public Education

Phil Cubeta

"Mario is not … commenting on the game from the skybox. He is a coach, teaching core skills to nonprofit managers, for the benefit of the community served. The skills he teaches are skills he has mastered and lived."

--Phil Cubeta, GiftHub blog, 9/21/12

Michael Bailin, former president, Edna McConnell Clark Foundation

"I can say that without a doubt this book is the most useful, practical, down to the real-deal publication of this kind that I have come across in my decades of not-for-profit work."

– Michael Bailin, former president, Edna McConnell Clark Foundation

Pat Lawler, CEO of Youth Villages

“This book is the blueprint for leading a high-performing
nonprofit. The chapter on culture is one of the best I’ve read." 

– Pat Lawler, CEO of Youth Villages

Tris Lumley, Head of Development, New Philanthropy Capital

"If you hadn’t guessed already, I love this book. It says things that really need to be said if charities are to fulfill their promise and help tackle the problems society faces. It says them clearly, and with passion, conviction and insight based on deep experience.”

—Tris Lumley, Head of Development, New Philanthropy Capital, Alliance Magazine, Leap of Reason - Managing to outcomes in an era of scarcity, 9/1/11

Geoffrey Canada, President and CEO, Harlem Children’s Zone

“This monograph is a must-read for nonprofit leaders. It will help you stay singularly focused on your core mission and help you be effective at making a difference in people’s lives.”

—Geoffrey Canada, President and CEO, Harlem Children’s Zone

Margaret Bernstein

"When Mario Morino talks, nonprofit leaders listen…. No more excuses. That's the pointed message Morino threw out to his City Club audience. I'm hoping their enthusiastic applause means they're ready to start walking the walk.”

—Margaret Bernstein, "Nonprofits can transform society but first they must transform themselves,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, 5/27/12

David Gergen, Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School; Senior Politic

"Passionate and provocative, this work should prove deeply relevant for any leader—government, business, or nonprofit—whose organization provides service to others. Mario’s [insights put] him at the head of a wave of thinking that is beginning to transform the social sector."

—David Gergen, Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School; Senior Political Analyst, CNN

Rick Wartzman, Executive Director of the Drucker Institute at Claremont Graduate

"After Morino’s keynote, a large contingent of nonprofit executives at the Assembly meeting committed themselves to the kind of bold ‘reinvention' that he said is so urgent. The question now is, what are you as a corporate leader going to do to help?”

Margaret Bernstein

"Fans rave about the book as if it's a spine-tingling bestseller.”

—Margaret Bernstein, "Mario Morino's book, 'Leap of Reason,' has nonprofits examining how they operate,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, 1/30/12

NCNP

"The beauty of Leap of Reason is its clarity.... The book has hit a home run in the nonprofit community."

—Nonprofit Knowledge Matters newsletter, Help Your Nonprofit Take the Leap (of Reason), National Council of Nonprofits, 2/9/12

Joyce Lee-Ibarra

"Have you ever read a book that so clearly, concisely, and compellingly distilled an issue, you just felt the need to share it? Recently, I encountered such a book ... Leap of Reason...”

—Joyce Lee-Ibarra, Founder & Owner, JLI Consulting

"What I have come to love about Mario Morino on metrics is the passion with which he drives power down the line to the nonprofit leaders … and to the communities served."

--Phil Cubeta, "Big Data as a Social Justice Issue," Gift Hub blog, 1/9/13

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What People Are Saying

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Tools You Can Use

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