As we head for a changing of the guard in Washington DC, the Obama government will take over a country facing its toughest economic challenge since the Great Depression. Nonprofit staff and boards are worried as an impending financing challenge awaits the nonprofit sector in the coming year as donations, foundation grants and state funding are cut. Despite this perilous situation and despite having a huge role in the economy, the nonprofit sector is largely missing from the public discourse on the economic crisis. Nonprofit professionals and board members need to ask why we are not part of the conversation and how we ensure that our interests are going to be heard in public policy decisions that affect the sector.
Why the Nonprofit Sector Must Speak Up
While the Great Depression provided much of the impetus for government run safety net programs, social services are now largely delivered by the nonprofit sector. Over the last 30 years, government has devolved much of its traditional responsibilities to the sector (whether this is a good thing or not is a subject for a different blog). As the economic crisis takes hold, the demand for nonprofit human services, food from food pantries, and services in other sectors such as workforce development will increase dramatically. While demand is increasing, the supply of services will decrease as donors and state governments cut back. If our missions are to survive, we need a much stronger voice in public policy affairs.
