Supersizing Philanthropic Leadership: The Case of the Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Center

Nationally, minority- and women-owned businesses suffer inequity in the construction marketplace(Blanchflower2008; Bloch 2003). In a world where the "good old boys" network can dominate the bidding and awarding of contracts, it may seem overwhelming for a small, private, faith-based nonprofit to seriously consider making an impact on the contract-awarding process. After an analysis of this case study using Spear's (2004) servant-leadership framework, we conclude that the Salvation Army created an impact, with millions in contract dollars going to unlikely candidates to serve its mission and promote community transformation.