Membangun Model Kelembagaan Zakat Produktif ‘NU Preneur’ dengan Pendekatan Grounded Theory

Abstract

This study aims to construct an institutional model of productive zakat management called NU Preneur using the Grounded Theory approach. Unlike conventional research that tests pre-existing theories, this study inductively builds a theoretical framework derived from field data to explain how zakat institutions can function as catalysts for sustainable community empowerment. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and documentation involving the Nganjuk branch of LAZISNU and its beneficiaries. The analysis followed the constant comparative method open, axial, and selective coding to identify core categories that define the institutional dynamics of NU Preneur. The findings reveal that productive zakat management operates through three interrelated dimensions: (1) organizational legitimacy rooted in religious-social values, (2) participatory empowerment through entrepreneurship-based training and capital assistance, and (3) sustainability mechanisms ensuring zakat fund circulation and business mentoring. The resulting NU Preneur Institutional Model illustrates how zakat can transform from a redistributive charity system into a productive and empowering socio-economic institution. Theoretically, this research contributes a grounded model of productive zakat institutions, while practically offering a replicable framework for Islamic philanthropic organizations in Indonesia