Nonprofit Congress

I have spent my entire professional life in the nonprofit sector - in community based organizations, higher education, and a national association. So, I have a lot of ideas of how to improve the state of the nonprofit sector. In fact, I have tried to work to move some of my ideas forward and have the scars and bruises to prove it and, occasionally a plague of appreciation. I believe I can speak with some level of creditability on this topic.

According to recent data from the National Center for Charitable Statistics the overwhelming majority of nonprofits (94%) are small organizations with less than $1 million in revenue. This is 1.3 million out of the total 1.4 million charities in the country. These organizations survive on less than 10% of the total assets of the nonprofit sector. Think about those numbers again: 94% of nonprofits live off of less than 10% of the total revenue for all nonprofits. 

These small organizations located in almost every community in our country are on the front lines dealing with some of the most serious and challenging problems we face as a nation. They protect, feed, heal, shelter, educate, and nurture bodies and spirits through direct services. But nonprofits also give shape to our boldest dreams, highest ideals, and noblest causes by engaging others on wide range of issues and community and civic related activities. They create the space and inspiration for the individual to be a part of the social system we broadly call community.

I have a grassroots background and have an affinity for the small guys - those on the front lines who see and feel (through increased demands for their services and attention) the impact of broad social and economic fiscal and policy decisions on individual and family life. I sense that those who have served and continue to serve in this noblest of efforts have reached the point of saying enough. There is weariness to being the "band-aid" to social and economic ills of our society. It truly is the time for the small and critical mass of nonprofits to promote systemic and long-lasting change in our society that works for all - not the few and privileged - but all.

So where do we begin? We have begun this new movement through the Nonprofit Congress. As with all movements it has to begin with recognizing and embracing our common values. These values are laid out in a proudly proclaimed Nonprofit Constitution. These values are reminders that the nonprofit sector is other-interest and not self-interest oriented. The second step is to unite around a common agenda and priorities. In many ways, I've found that the process of identifying the priorities was far more important than the priorities themselves. In our case, we sought input from nonprofit leaders and allies in 117 Town Hall meetings with thousands of participants held across the country throughout 2006. This input was used by delegates representing the diverse size, scope, and subsectors of the entire nonprofit sector during the first national meeting of the Nonprofit Congress. The delegates voted on three top priorities that we can all unite around, and given that the issues were identified by those on the front lines, we are finding many in the field concerned and/or addressing the priorities in some way. This is further evidence that the ownership of this movement belongs where it should be - at the local grassroots community level. The third step of the process is to exercise our collective voice on these priorities and to continue to raise the profile and involvement of front line nonprofit staff and allies. The work has to be done, and coordinated, at the local level through the empowerment of individuals and organizations. Waiting for others to do "it" for us (whatever it may be) is not going to result in the kind of change we seek.

One exciting development that evolved was the Primary Project, a national effort to make the needs and impact of the nonprofit sector part of the national dialogue by educating candidates and the public about the sector. The leadership at the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits coordinated a series of successful activities to ensure that the presidential candidates were asked to address how they plan to work with and strengthen the nonprofit sector. Our plans are to take the lessons learned in NH across the country for local and state elections as well as continue to work at the national level.

Change is definitely in the air and the nonprofit sector is front and center. Join us at the 2008 Nonprofit Congress National Meeting to keep the momentum and movement alive.