Promoting Innovation in Non-Profit Organizations
Author: Dr. Anna Neya Kazanskaia
Publisher: NEYA Global Publishing
Article | NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies
Year: 2025
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5669-1676
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-bld-lrn-org-07
This material forms part of the NEYA Global knowledge architecture. Institutional, organizational, professional, training, consulting, curriculum, program design, or implementation use requires an active license from NEYA Global
Explore Architecture →
Module Overview →
Request Institutional Access →
About the Article
This article examines the role of innovation in strengthening resilience, efficiency, and sustainability in the non-profit sector. It connects theory with practice, drawing on Kotter’s framing of change as opportunity and Schumpeter’s distinction between creativity and innovation. Case studies from Uganda, Nigeria, India, Kenya, Peru, Tanzania, South Africa, Nepal, Ethiopia, Cambodia, Bolivia, the Philippines, and Rwanda illustrate how brainstorming, prototyping, pilot testing, mobile health solutions, and social enterprises are reshaping organizational practices. The discussion highlights strategies for building an innovation-friendly culture—encouraging openness, rewarding experimentation, supporting risk-taking, and embedding monitoring mechanisms. By transforming creative ideas into scalable, evidence-based solutions, non-profits can sustain impact, extend their reach, and adapt to resource-constrained environments.
Key Topics
- Innovation as a strategic necessity for non-profits
- Cultivating an innovation-friendly culture
- Low-cost prototyping and pilot testing
- Structured processes for scaling innovations
- Case studies of innovation in global non-profits
- Overcoming barriers to innovation in resource-limited contexts
Suggested Citation
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Promoting Innovation in Non-Profit Organizations. NEYA Global Publishing. https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-bld-lrn-org-07
References
| Blank, S. (2013). The four steps to the epiphany: Successful strategies for products that win. K&S Ranch. | ||||
| Clark, D. (2015). Learning and development: Strategy, design, and implementation. Kogan Page. | ||||
| Jones, G. R. (2013). Organizational theory, design, and change (7th ed.). Pearson. | ||||
| Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Building Learning Organization. NEYA Global Publishing. https://doi.org/10.64357/building-learning-organization-2025 | ||||
| Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Designing and Delivering Engaging Workshops. NEYA Global Publishing. https://doi.org/10.64357/designing-and-delivering-engaging-workshops-2025 | ||||
| Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Training for Impact: Building Skills. NEYA Global Publishing. https://doi.org/10.64357/training-impact-2025 | ||||
| Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Developing Training Programs: From Concept to Delivery. NEYA Global Publishing. https://doi.org/10.64357/developing-training-programs-2025 | ||||
| Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Promoting Innovation in Non-Profit Organizations. NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies. https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-bld-lrn-org-07 | ||||
| Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Knowledge Management in Non-Profit Organizations. NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies. https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-bld-lrn-org-05 | ||||
| Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading change. Harvard Business Review Press. | ||||
| Schumpeter, J. A. (2008). Capitalism, socialism and democracy. Harper Perennial Modern Thought. | ||||
| World Bank. (2015). Innovation for development: A strategic framework for harnessing innovation in the developing world. World Bank. | ||||
