In this second edition of his immensely successful volume on American nonprofits, Lester Salamon and his colleagues update and augment their integrated, authoritative assessment of the state of nonprofit America and the key trends affecting its evolution.The thousands of organizations that comprise America"s private nonprofit sector represent a national treasure. Yet serious pressures are altering the playing field on which nonprofits operate, and many are responding in ways that may undermine their popular support. Despite the significance of these developments, little has been done to analyze and interpret them in a clear and understandable way. The State of Nonprofit America provides a basic sourcebook for sector leaders, the press, public officials, and citizens concerned about the future of America"s nonprofit sector and eager to understand the forces affecting it. It has been completely revised and updated to reflect changing political realities and the punishing economic climate currently battering the nonprofit sector, which faces a deteriorating fundraising environment during a time when its services are needed more than ever.Praise for the First Edition"Salamon"s volume presents a robust entry-level overview of the [nonprofit] sector from some of the most notable scholars currently in the field." —Arthur C. Brooks in Public Administration Review " The State of Nonprofit America gives us a much-needed assessment of one of the true treasures of American society —our private, nonprofit organizations —at a critically important moment in their development. All of those concerned about the special qualities of our society should read and ponder its message." —President Jimmy Carter, 2002 Nobel Laureate"This book is arguably the most comprehensive and valuable collection of readings on the nonprofit sector." —Kevin Kearns in Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly "This is a thorough, extensive portrait of the nonprofit sector in the U.S. and the major fields of endeavor, presenting the challenges facing the sector and its limitations, while acknowledging its strengths and contributions. All those who care about the sector will find something of interest." —Sarah E. Meléndex, Independent Sector