Toward a Care-Centered Approach for Nonprofit Management in a Neoliberal Era

Abstract

Traditionally the nonprofit sector has played a dual role in American society, providing venues for both civic engagement and care for those who are unable to participate fully in either democratic governance or the marketplace. As the nonprofit sector becomes increasingly marketized, some scholars have developed “counter-discourses” that seek to reassert the civic role of nonprofits. These counter-discourses are vital to maintaining the sector’s civic role and thus for civil society; however, they neglect the caring role played by nonprofits. Moreover, they neglect the role that caring plays in civic engagement. Drawing on feminist care ethics, this article seeks to remedy this oversight by developing a counter-discourse of care for the nonprofit sector, to reassert a nonprofit management practice that engages in and values care. The article concludes with an exploration of practices and strategies to realize a counter-discourse of care.