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Author Guidelines

General Guidelines
The Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs (JPNA) accepts manuscripts on a wide range of issues relating to the fields of public and nonprofit affairs. Author(s) must submit their manuscripts electronically (click here). If you have not previously registered with the journal, you will need to register as an author and then follow the instructions on the screen for submission.
 
Readership of the journal includes both academics and practitioners. Author(s) are encouraged to write such that the content of the manuscript is accessible to both groups. When applicable, author(s) are requested to include a discussion of the practical application of the findings to public administrators.
 
Typically, most manuscripts should be no longer than 12,000 words, including the abstract, references, and tables. However, see below for specific submission instructions for each of JPNA's sections. The submission of a manuscript is an indication from the author(s) that the manuscript has not been published elsewhere and is not currently under review at another publication. JPNA strives to have a double-blind review process. Author(s) should prepare their manuscripts accordingly. This includes reviewing the properties of the manuscript to ensure that the names of the author(s) and their institutions have been removed. In the text of the manuscript, the names of the author(s) should not be included and any indication of authorship should be avoided when possible. 
 
The title of the manuscript, along with an abstract (maximum of 150 words) should appear on the first page of the manuscript. The main body of the text should begin on the second page. All tables and figures should be embedded in the manuscript where they are referred to in the body text, rather than placed at the end of the manuscript. On submission of the manuscript, the author(s) will be asked to submit 3-5 keywords. Upon acceptance of a manuscript, the author(s) will receive further instructions on the publication process and initial manuscript formatting for publication. 
 
Use of Figures and Illustrations
The requirements for the inclusion of any figures or illustrations in a manuscript differ between the initial submission for consideration of publication and final publication. Prior to final acceptance, authors must provide a high-resolution .tif or .jpeg file (1200 d.p.i. for line drawing and 300 d.p.i. for color and half-tone artwork). Figures and illustrations should not portray the logo or name of other institutions without consulting the editors prior to submission. In the event that the figures or illustrations are copyrighted material, it is the author(s) responsibility to obtain permission for publication in JPNA under its creative commons license. Any and all fees associated with this permission are the responsibility of the author(s). Evidence in writing that the rights have been obtained must be provided to the editor(s) assigned to the manuscript.
 
Tables
When applicable, tables should be created in MS Word and not pasted into the manuscript as a graphic or Excel file. 
 
References
The journal adheres to the reference and citation guidelines of the American Psychological Association (APA). In following APA guidelines, references must include the direct object identifier (DOI) if a DOI has been assigned to the reference by its publishers. All manuscripts must include appropriately formatted citations prior to the final acceptance of the manuscript. Specific questions regarding the formatting of references and in-text citations can be found at http://www.apastyle.org. Verification of whether a DOI has been assigned to a publication and the resulting identifier can be found at http://www.crossref.org/guestquery.
 
Footnotes and Endnotes
When necessary, the journal supports the use of footnotes within the manuscripts it publishes. The use of endnotes, however, should be avoided.
 
Disclosure Statement
Upon submission of a manuscript, author(s) should incorporate a section into the text titled "Disclosure Statement." The section should be placed after the end of the main body of the manuscript but before the reference section. This section should disclose any conflict(s) of interest or funding sources that pertain to the author(s) and/or the research. The statement will be made available to referees. In the event that there are no conflicts or funding sources, author(s) must include the statement:
The author(s) declare that there are no conflicts of interest that relate to the research, authorship, or publication of this article.

Submission Preparation Checklist

All submissions must meet the following requirements.

  • The appropriate disclosure statement was included in the manuscript, as outlined in the Author Guidelines.
  • The submission has not been previously published, nor is it presently before another journal for publication consideration.
  • The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines. All identifiable information about the author has been redacted.
  • The submission file is in Microsoft Word format and all tables and figures are in print-ready format and embedded in the body text and not at the end of the manuscript.

Research Articles

JPNA publishes research articles from diverse theoretical, methodological, and disciplinary backgrounds that addresses topics related to the affairs and management of public and nonprofit organizations. This includes, but is not limited to, research that addresses state and local government management, nonprofit management, intergovernmental relations, organizational theory and behavior, civic engagement, budgeting and finance, human resources, and ethical issues in public affairs. We especially welcome research articles on social equity and other related topics that are commonly discounted in government and nonprofit affairs scholarship, as well as from international scholars and research on public affairs topics outside the U.S. context. Articles are expected to adhere to scientific standards and, when applicable, provide a discussion of the application of the research to the practice of the discipline. Upon submission, articles are first reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or Associate Editor(s) with content expertise for quality and likelihood of publication. All research articles that pass this initial review will undergo a double-blind peer-review process, with the final decision for publication remaining with the Editor-in-Chief.

New Voices Section

The New Voices section provides an outlet for early scholars to refine their work for publication in JPNA through a developmental peer-review process. The goal of this section is to assist pre-tenured faculty and doctoral students as they navigate the peer-review process by ensuring authors receive detailed reviews, editorial guidance, and an enhanced opportunity to revise work from diverse theoretical, methodological, and disciplinary backgrounds with potential to make an important contribution to topics related to the affairs and management of public and nonprofit organizations. This includes, but is not limited to, research that addresses state and local government management, nonprofit management, intergovernmental relations, organizational theory and behavior, civic engagement, budgeting and finance, human resources, and ethical issues in public affairs. 

For submissions to this section, the Associate Editor will ensure authors receive productive peer-reviews and will take a developmental approach as editor to guide authors through the peer-review process. While the publication process remains competitive and not all manuscripts will be accepted, the peer-review process in this section takes a more developmental approach to help early scholars share their perspectives with the field.

Articles are expected to adhere to scientific standards and, when applicable, provide a discussion of the application of the research to the practice of the discipline. Upon submission, articles are first reviewed by the Associate Editor for quality and potential for publication. All submissions to this section that pass this initial review will undergo a double blind peer-review process with the final decision for publication remaining with the Editor-in-Chief.

Social Equity Section

In pursuit of social equity in research and the practice of public and nonprofit management and affairs, JPNA is dedicated to enhancing diversity and inclusion within academic publishing that addresses any number of inequities in the public and nonprofit sectors, as well as topics commonly discounted in government and nonprofit affairs scholarship. As such, JPNA encourages and welcomes research articles dedicated to myriad social equity issues.

In addition, JPNA offers a supplemental, dedicated outlet for this important work under the Social Equity Section to disseminate work on emerging social equity topics more quickly. As a matter of policy, JPNA does not publish unsolicited articles in this section. Rather, pieces that appear in this section are commissioned by the Associate Editor in the form of viewpoint essays, case studies, and other applied research. All submissions to this section are subject to editor-reviewed process rather than the blind peer-reviewed process of research articles (although rare exceptions may exist), with the final decision for publication remaining with the Editor-in-Chief. They should be written so as to inform a broad readership of public and nonprofit managers, practitioners, and researchers. 

To express interest in publishing in this section, please send abstracts for consideration to Helen H. Yu, Associate Editor, Social Equity Section, at [email protected].

Book Reviews

Books that are well-researched, make an original contribution to the fields of public and nonprofit affairs, and that would have an interest to academics and practitioners will be considered for book reviews. Publishers and authors that are interested in having their books considered for review in JPNA should send a copy of the book to:

    Nicole M. Elias
    Department of Public Management
    John Jay College of Criminal Justice 
    City University of New York 
    524 West 59th Street 
    New York, NY 10019 
    

As a matter of policy, JPNA does not publish unsolicited book reviews. Rather, reviews are commissioned by the Associate Editor for Book Reviews, though JPNA does welcome expressions of interest from individuals who would like to review books. Such an expression of interest should be directed to Nicole M. Elias, Associate Editor for Book Reviews at [email protected].

Most published book reviews are between 1,000 and 1,500 words. They should be written so as to inform a broad readership of public and nonprofit managers, practitioners, and researchers. Specifically, they should explain what the book is about and enable prospective readers to decide whether they would like to read the book. When appropriate, longer reviews and reviews involving multiple books on a single theme may be commissioned. Book reviews undergo an editor-reviewed process with the final decision for publication remaining with the Editor-in-Chief. 

Symposia & Special Issues

CALL FOR PAPERS: Special Issue on Nonprofit Governance:

Featuring Research From Early Career Scholars in Mentoring Partnerships with ARNOVA’s Section on Governance

Abstracts due January 19, 2021

Manuscripts due May 1, 2021

Issue Editors: Dr. Alicia Schatteman, Northern Illinois University [email protected] and Dr. Yvonne Cafik Harrison, University at Buffalo, State University of New York [email protected]

Overview  

Dimensions of operations and governance capacity include functions such as strategic planning, management skill development, board/staff relations, organizational culture, board training, routine management practices, and managing facilities. Board members of nonprofits who are sufficiently trained are more engaged in the organization, which improves their overall effectiveness (LeRoux and Wright 2010; Gazley and Nicholson-Crotty 2018; Millesen and Carman 2019). Those engaged in assessments of board performance tend to be clearer about their role and responsibilities in the governance process, which increases perceptions of the value of their contributions and the overall effectiveness of the board and organization. In particular, the practice tends to develop leadership at the governance level, most notably the board as a team (Harrison and Murray, 2015). In addition to the impact of the CEO (Herman and Heimovics, 1996), the style of the board chair as a team leader has also been found to have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the board, CEO, and organization as a whole (Harrison and Murray, 2007; Harrison and Murray, 2012; Harrison, Murray and Cornforth 2013).  Nonprofit students and administrators also need to be trained in nonprofit governance to support effective leadership, management, and service delivery (Corbett and Strawser 2020; Bernstein, Aulgur and Freiwirth 2019).  Attention to board development, not only contributes to board effectiveness (Harrison and Murray, 2015), it can lead to organizational sustainability and improved financial health (Dula, Nicholson-Crotty and Gazley 2020; Fredette and Bernstein 2019; Harris 2014; Buse, Bernstein and Bilimoria 2016).

ARNOVA’s Section on Governance is particularly interested in supporting governance research by junior (pre-tenure) scholars and doctoral students. The Governance Section will provide mentored manuscript development and assistance to authors chosen to submit full manuscripts.

We invite empirical and/or theoretical papers exploring nonprofit governance from anywhere in the world.  Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Measuring nonprofit board and governance effectiveness
  • Organizational values and how they affect nonprofit governance
  • Promising governance and leadership strategies to deal with COVID-19
  • Nonprofit board diversity and relationship to board and organizational effectiveness
  • The role of the board in nonprofit financial sustainability
  • The training of nonprofit students/administrators in nonprofit governance and promising strategies to teach governance
  • The role of the board in nonprofit mergers/acquisitions/collaborations/networks
  • Global and/or comparative dimensions effective nonprofit governance models

Proposal Submission Process and Timeline

Proposals of no more than 500 words should be submitted by 11:59pm ET on January 19, 2021 by email to [email protected]. Proposals should include information on the purpose or aim of the article, a discussion of the methods or approach used, and a discussion of the fit with the symposium topic.  Also indicate author name(s), affiliation(s), full contact information, and current status as either doctoral student or tenure-track, pre-tenure faculty. Guest editors will inform authors of decisions on proposals by 11:59pm ET on January 31, 2020. Full papers accepted for development will be due in in the JPNA article submission portal by 11:59pm ET on May 1, 2021 for peer review. Final decision on manuscript acceptance is anticipated by November 1, 2021 with publication in late 2021. Questions should be directed to [email protected].  

References

Bernstein, R., Aulgur, J. and Freiwirth, J. 2019. Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Nonprofit Governance: Case Studies for Use in the Classroom and Practitioner Training. The Journal of Nonprofit Education and Leadership. 9(4). DOI:10.18666/JNEL-2019-V9-I4-10071

Buse, K., Bernstein, R.S. and Bilimoria, D. 2016. The Influence of Board Diversity, Board Diversity Policies and Practices, and Board Inclusion Behaviors on Nonprofit Governance Practices. Journal of Business Ethics. 133-179-191.

Corbett, L. and Strawser, C. 2020. Nonprofit Governance and Leadership for Social Impact in Teaching Nonprofit Management, editors Karabi Bezboruah and Heather Carpenter. Pages 56-73. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Dula, L., Nicholson-Crotty, J. and Gazley, B. 2020. Female leaders and board performance in member-serving nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit Management & Leadership. 30(4): 655-676.

Fredette, C. and Bernstein, R.S. 2019. Ethno-racial Diversity on Nonprofit Boards: A Critical Mass Perspective. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. 48(5): 931-952.

Gazley, B. and Nicholson-Crotty, J. 2018. What Drives Good Governance? A Structural Equation Model of Nonprofit Board Performance. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. 47(2): 262-285.

Harris, E.E. 2014. The impact of board diversity and expertise in nonprofit performance. Nonprofit Management & Leadership. 25(2): 113-130.

Harrison, Y.D. and Murray, V. 2015. The effect of an online self-assessment tool on nonprofit board performance. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. 44(6): 1129-1151.

Harrison, Y. D. and Murray, V. 2007. The best and worst of Board Chairs. Nonprofit Quarterly, Summer 2007, pp. 24-39.

Harrison, Y. D. and Murray, V. 2012. The best and worst of Board Chairs. Nonprofit Quarterly, Winter 2012, pp. 86-91. 24-29.

Harrison, Y. D. and Murray, V. 2012. Perspectives on the leadership of chairs of nonprofit organization boards of directors: A grounded theory mixed-method study. Nonprofit Management & Leadership. 22(4):411-437.

Harrison, Y.D, Murray, V., and Cornforth C. 2013. Perceptions of board chair leadership effectiveness in nonprofit and voluntary sector organizations. Voluntas. 24(3): 688-712.

LeRoux, K. & Wright, N. 2010. Does Performance Measurement Improve Strategic Decision Making?  Findings from a National Survey of Nonprofit Social Service Agencies. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. 39(4): 571 – 587.

Millesen, J. and Carman, J. 2019. Building Capacity in Nonprofit Boards: Learning from Board Assessments. Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs. 5(1): 74-94.

Copyright Notice

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
     
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional, contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.

  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (see, The Effect of Open Access).

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