In 2002, a successful community development corporation in Boston, Massachusetts was approached by two other organizations about potential mergers. Each organization had distinctive geographical and ethnic roots but there were clear financial and management advantages to be had from combining assets. In one case, merger discussions proceeded with the benefit of lawyers and common board connections. In the other case, despite good progress at the beginning, the merger talks became increasingly contentious with opposition from community groups who rallied political leadership to step in. HKS Case Number 1921.1

Although precise numbers are difficult to obtain, the United Nations reports that 2.5 million people are trafficked each year. Approximately 80 per cent of victims are women and girls, with most engaged in the sex trade. The authors, members of the Massachusetts General Hospital Initiative to End Slavery, conducted research in eight metropolitan areas: New York City, Los Angeles, London, Manila, Mumbai, Kolkata (India), Rio de Janeiro and Salvador (Brazil), interviewing hundreds of health workers and anti-trafficking leaders. Based on their research, they make four recommendations for global businesses, who they encourage to exercise leadership in the effort to eradicate human trafficking.

In 2002, a successful community development corporation in Boston, Massachusetts was approached by two other organizations about potential mergers. Each organization had distinctive geographical and ethnic roots but there were clear financial and management advantages to be had from combining assets. In one case, merger discussions proceeded with the benefit of lawyers and common board connections. In the other case, despite good progress at the beginning, the merger talks became increasingly contentious with opposition from community groups who rallied political leadership to step in. This case offers the opportunity to analyze the action and decision-making of the three organizations using alliance, negotiations, organizing and strategic frameworks. It also allows the class to engage in discussion about the nature of "community" in community-based organizations. HKS Case Number 1921.0

The economic prosperity of the 1990s, along with the coming of age of the US baby boom generation, led to new types of philanthropy at the turn of the new millennium. This case tells the story of The Hestia Fund, a "women's giving circle" based on innovative philanthropic concepts. Hestia was not a registered nonprofit, nor a private foundation; its 40 members held that all funds donated should be on a "pass-through" basis. Each year the fund spent all it took in and passed the funds on to nonprofit organizations-with decisions as to recipients based on a collective decision-making process.