The Social Sector Today Would Try Any Nonprofit Soul. We work long hours, are provided minimal support and are compensated less than almost every other profession. Yet in spite of our daily sacrifices, our work is constantly scrutinized and occasionally even portrayed by the media as negative or fraudulent.
Moreover, congress is ready to put strict limits on how nonprofits fundraise and administer funds; public confidence is at an all time low; and charitable tax benefits are in serious jeopardy (which would lead to a devastating loss of billions of dollars for nonprofits). Charitable giving is still low even as the economy has improved, and government grants are continually being cut while simultaneously closing public programs and expecting nonprofits to take on the added responsibilities without providing additional funds.
As challenging as these outside influences are, some of our biggest issues are sadly self imposed. For example, Most nonprofits OperatE in silos, leaving the sector with limited access to valuable knowledge, ineffective programs and wasted resources as we each try to reinvent the wheel. A lack of funds requested and allocated for capacity and development has further Made us inefficient and struggling to simply survive.
Therefore, as we work to educate the public on how they can best strengthen the social sector, let’s not forget that we too must change and learn to work together for the good of society.
Mario Morino, co-founder of Venture Philanthropy Partners and author of Leap of Reason, recently stated, “the magnitude of this combined hit of reduced funding and increased need, requires organizations to literally reinvent themselves. Incremental responses will be insufficient. Therefore, we can choose to respond with infighting, continue robbing Peter to pay Paul and/or maintaining incremental efforts to be better. OR we can respond with greater discipline, unity, and focus on making a quantum change in the effectiveness and impact of our entire sector."