Engendering Relationship Outcomes Through Stakeholder Involvement: A Case Study of a Nonprofit Organization

Abstract

This study examined the recent efforts of a nonprofit to engage its stakeholders in its planning and programming and empirically tested whether the sharing of tasks cultivation strategy positively related to the relationship outcomes of commitment, control mutuality, trust, donations, and volunteering. Two hundred and fifteen stakeholders affiliated with the nonprofit Streams and Valleys completed an online questionnaire. Results indicate that nonprofits can facilitate greater involvement from stakeholders via collaborative volunteer projects and open forums. As predicted by relationship theory, the sharing of tasks relationship cultivation strategy is positively related to the relationship outcomes of commitment, control mutuality, and satisfaction and to the behaviors of donations and volunteering.