People are motivated to action by learning from others through stories. So this is a spot for the community to share stories of Lean thinking applied to NGO and Nonprofit activities, so that NGO/Nonprofit leaders and the funding community can understand the true relevance and value.

To share your own story and photos, please go to "contact us" and follow the directions to submit comments or a document for review.

Can a 5S exercise (sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain) cause a nonprofit organization to run, not just more efficiently, but with renewed respect for its staff, volunteers and recipients? At Global Links, a Pittsburgh-based NGO focused on improving healthcare in underserved countries, that’s just what happened.

 5S Global Links.pdf

In any crisis situation, for example drought, earthquake or war, logistics and supply chain activities connected with providing HA are vital to the effective provision of relief to affected populations. Yet in many recent crises situations, logistics continues to be an area that is not as well managed or resourced as it might be.

 Taylor & Pettit 2009 HA and lean.pdf

Toyota Launches National Program to Expand Efforts to Help Schools, Hospitals and Community Organizations Make the Most of Every Dollar
 
At Clinton Global Initiative Meeting, the Company Announces It Is Donating Toyota Production System Expertise to Benefit Up to 20 Organizations in the First Year
 
Initial Project to Focus on New Orleans Nonprofit That Expects Toyota Techniques to Help It Accelerate Post-Katrina Rebuilding

 Read the complete release.

"The value of doing this is, it saves us a ton of time," said Bruce Bohmke, deputy director at the zoo. Using lean techniques to design the new penguin habitat, the zoo was able to reduce its exhibit design cycle to eight months from 18.

The process helped save the project 1.5 percent, or more than $90,000, and also eliminated the need for additional fundraising.

 Lean Nonprofit Boeing

This article aims to show how some lean concepts appliance helped Cooperativa Aliança, in Sumaré-SP, to improve its productivity, income and work environment. We hope this example can contribute to inspire similar initiative in other communities, bringing them results as significant as those presented here.

 Read the complete article.

The research outlined in this paper was commissioned from the Logistics and Operations Management Section of Cardiff Business School (CBS) by the charity Advance Aid in order to provide an independent and systematic evaluation of conventional methods of supplying aid products to Africa compared with the model of local manufacture and prepositioned stocks proposed by Advance Aid.

 Read the complete article.