photo_70691_landscape_650x433ItÔÇÖs a jungle out there for nonprofits. Like an organism, a nonprofit must acquire resources to stay alive and accomplish its mission. It must carve out a niche in a crowded ecosystem of other organizations. Every year witnesses the birth of new groups and the death of old ones. To stay alive, a nonprofit must adapt to its ever-changing environment at a dizzying pace.

Most readers can probably grasp the Darwinian imagery in that description. But many might be surprised to learn that evolutionary thinking can do more than just describe biological processes. It can also provide insights into the human condition to help philanthropic leaders accomplish their missions…