Nonprofit capacity and social performance: mapping the field and future directions

Nonprofit organizations are critical actors in the Sustainable Development Goals as they provide a wide range of social services to community and contribute creating sustainable future. They must compete for funding or government contracts by showing high performance. Among top factors influencing performance is capacity, it has received considerable attention public nonprofit literature. Capacity refers resources, capabilities, practices required perform their functions achieve mission However, studies concerning capacity linked with remain controversial. Understanding linkage between relevant funders, board directors, management helps them enhance organizational This research aims assess flow knowledge study field make recommendations future research. The focuses on nonprofits thoroughly reviews literature using complementary bibliometric analysis: co-occurrence analysis keywords, sources, authors bibliographic coupling documents. We conduct systematic peer-reviewed journal articles published 1955 2022. Seven significant themes emerge among most prominent researchers: (1) link performance; (2) dimensions capacity; (3) human resource performance: (4) financial (5) building (6) collaboration (7) affecting capacity–social determined have inconsistent findings regarding relationship Research various relationships also scarce. article highlights major principles discipline identifies theoretical gaps body knowledge. It outlines conceptual foundation makes further From managerial standpoint, sheds light whether higher levels provides policymakers guidelines implications collaboration.