Founded in 2000, the Bridgespan Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps nonprofit and philanthropic leaders in the hard work of developing strategies and building organizations that inspire and accelerate social change.
MISSION
We work to build a better world by strengthening the ability of nonprofit organizations to achieve breakthrough results in addressing society’s most important challenges and opportunities.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
At the heart of our mission is the belief that a strong and effective nonprofit sector can be a powerful force for change as well as a source of human inspiration.
We believe that results are driven by three levers: solid strategy; access to appropriately structured capital; and talent that begins with leaders and senior managers. We exist to apply the best relevant thinking and tools to strengthen these levers and help organizations deliver on their missions.
WHAT WE DO
We pursue our mission through three sets of activities:
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Strategy consulting, executive search, and philanthropy advising, to help nonprofit organizations and philanthropists develop and implement strategies with the potential to achieve significant results
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Sharing insights, strategies and tools developed by us and by others through research and client engagements
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Developing or supporting strategic initiatives that aim to improve performance across the nonprofit sector. Notable among these is the Bridgestar initiative, which seeks to help nonprofits attract, connect, and develop strong leadership teams
VALUES
The Bridgespan Group's values are grounded in our mission.
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Impact: We value performance and results. We set and hold ourselves accountable for high standards.
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Respect: We listen to and learn from our clients, funders, and one another. We value diverse perspectives and strive to incorporate them in our work.
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Candor: Good choices are grounded in good information. We value facts and feedback, speak our minds, and understand that hard choices and difficult tradeoffs are often necessary.
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Collaboration: We work as a team within the Bridgespan Group and with our clients. We share what we know and try to align our efforts with those of others who are dedicated to achieving social impact.
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Passion: We are committed to making a difference through our work. We seek to understand what can be, not simply what is.
COLLABORATION
We actively seek out collaborations with others pursuing common or complementary objectives. Our initiatives include Bridgestar’s alliances with intermediaries, philanthropies, and colleges and universities to increase the flow of talent into and within the nonprofit sector; knowledge-sharing alliances activities, including service on the advisory boards of distinguished publishing platforms; co-hosting conferences and convenings; and reviewing and advising colleagues and peers on articles and scholarly publications. Members of our team also serve on committees and advisory groups of leading nonprofit organizations, including Independent Sector and Grantmakers for Effective Organizations.
Bain & Company
Bridgespan and Bain & Company are separate, independent organizations with no legal affiliation; however, the close relationship between the two has been a key factor in Bridgespan’s history and development. In addition to having incubated Bridgespan and committing more than $2 million in seed capital and other grants–plus essential infrastructure support–Bain generously offers Bridgespan employees access to its intellectual capital and thought leaders. In turn, Bridgespan hosts Bain consultants for six-month externships.
We are privileged to have Bain senior management team members serving on our board of directors.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BRIDGESPAN GROUP
An Introduction to the Bridgespan Group
History of The Bridgespan Group
Bridgespan Group Annual Report Archive
Harvard Business School case studies:
The Bridgespan Group has been the subject of two case studies by Harvard Business School. Each is available for purchase from Harvard Business Publishing at the links below.
"Bridgespan Group"
traces Bridgespan's founding story while highlighting early successes and challenges.
"Bridgespan Group: Chapter 2"
examines the firm's growth and efforts to enhance its impact during its first eight years.
Copyright © 2009 The Bridgespan Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Bridgespan and Bridgestar are registered trademarks of The Bridgespan Group, Inc.