非營利組織的興起，是為彌補政府與企業界所提供服務之偏差與不足，雖不具備政府的強制力與企業界所擁有之商業能力，但是卻是改善人類生活的重要組織，故非營利組織在人類社會扮演極重要的角色與功能。本研究以半結構式訪談、參與觀察及文件蒐集的方式，研究財團法人主婦聯盟環境保護基金會所扮演的角色、功能及管理情形。從主婦聯盟歷年的工作重點，可歸結其扮演教育者、服務提供者、合作者、監督者及新觀念倡導者等五個角色，符合Kramer(1981)所倡言之角色﹔且其在環境保護及婦女教育上，已發揮推動生活化的環境教育─自然步道的推廣、結合社區資源推廣環境教育─喚醒社區意識、實踐簡樸生活─倡導綠色消費及開發婦女資源─鼓勵家庭主婦服務社會的功能。且該組織的宗旨明確，號召力強，為扁平式組織、有完善的財務管理制度、活動企劃方式、良好的公共關係等﹔惟缺乏績效評估之健全制度、人力資源稍嫌不足等，需要進一步研擬關懷面向之收斂性或開拓性、加強各委員會之橫向聯繫、澄清組織形象、開拓議題與開發人力資源等具體策略。後續研究者可針對績效評估進行專題研究、或針對不同類型、不同服務對象、不同立案機關之非營利組織，進一步探討其角色、功能及管理情形，以落實本土化的研究，及作為跨文化比較的基礎，進而了解非營利組織如何達成彌補公、私部門不足的第三部門角色。

To supply the public needs that are not available from the government and the business, the nonprofit organizations rise. Although they don't have administrative force and profit-making ability, the nonprofit organizations provide diversity services and goods to the public, especially to the minority; hence, they play important roles and improve the justice of the society.The main purpose of this study is to investigate the roles, functions, and the management situation of the Homemakers' Union and Foundation in Taiwan. Semi-structured interview, observation and documentary analysis are used as research methods in this study. The major results found here are the Homemakers' Union and Foundation plays as an educator, service provider, cooperator, supervisor, and advocator and coincide the roles what Kramer(1981) proposed. In general, it promotes environment protection such as green consumption, simplifies daily life and also advocates nature trails. Furthermore, it pays much attention to women education; for example, keeping family healthy, cheering housewives to participate the public affairs. In terms of the organization behaviors of the Homemakers' Union and Foundation have the following advantages: specific missions, strong callings, flat structure, adequate finance management, proper planning system, good public relations, however, the performance evaluation, human resource management and so on are the weaknesses of the Homemakers' Union and Foundation.