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The
report follows up on the Roundtable's groundbreaking 2007 report, Beyond
Charity: Recognizing Return on Investment: How the Nonprofit Community Impacts
Greater Washington. That report documented the significant return on investment
achieved by area nonprofits in terms of societal cost savings from positive
outcomes achieved or negative outcomes avoided, the multiplier effect of the
dollar and in-kind donations that nonprofits' work leverages, and the
strengthening of the community and its institutions that their work triggers.
"Beyond
Dollars"
"Grantmakers
in the Washington region, rocked by sharp losses to their assets since the
beginning of the recession and faced with increased need in the community, are balancing
the need to fund direct services with a growing emphasis on ‘big change'
grantmaking - grants that go beyond addressing pressing needs and promise
greater and lasting impact," said Tamara Lucas Copeland, President of
Washington Grantmakers. That is the conclusion of the new report offering
examples of "big change" grantmaking in the Washington region.
Nonprofit
Roundtable/Deloitte Case Study
After the
September 11 terrorist attacks, corporate grantmaker Deloitte LLP leveraged its
consulting expertise and a partnership with the Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater
Washington to go beyond dollars and help create a strategic plan for emergency
preparedness, including Continuity of Operations Plans for key nonprofits. Washington area nonprofits are now better prepared to work together
and coordinate with the public and private sectors when the worst
happens-whether it's an epidemic, a terrorist attack, or a hurricane.
One goal
of the project was to increase awareness of the nonprofit sector as a vital
part of regional disaster response and recovery. Deloitte and the Roundtable
created the Roadmap to Preparedness, a regional strategic plan that has raised
the visibility of nonprofits in regional disaster planning, resulting in
improved cross-sector engagement and communication.
Four
Essential Elements of "Big Change"
Beyond
Dollars highlights essential elements of
the "big change" approach being adopted by a significant share of area
grantmakers, and offers a series of case studies demonstrating the impact. The
"big change" elements highlighted in Beyond Dollars include:
·Capitalizing on timing and momentum. By coordinating local and regional action with national
initiatives, timing action to coincide with groundswells of public sentiment or
moments of crisis, grantmakers are translating a vision for change into
on-the-ground progress.
·Being a strong voice for change. By creating a platform for affected communities to engage
in the policy dialogue, and sharing information with the media, policymakers
and others, grantmakers are creating energy to drive change.
·Leveraging key resources.
By supporting research, combining their knowledge and experience, and using
their dollars to open the door to national and government funding sources,
local grantmakers are creating the building blocks for change.
·Building true partnerships. By bringing organizations and individuals together in new
collaborations, grantmakers are strengthening the agents of change.
"Grantmakers
in the region recognize the need for a ‘big change' strategy, even while
they're working to combat the severe effects of the recession on the
community," adds Copeland. "In these tough economic times, philanthropists are
more motivated than ever before to go beyond dollars to effect big change."
The
Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers is a network of funders in Washington, DC, Maryland, and
Virginia, partnering with nonprofits and governments, that is
committed to improving the region by touching lives and changing communities
through effective and efficient grantmaking. Find more information online at http://www.washingtongrantmakers.org.
The Foreclosure Crisis & The Role of the Nonprofit Sector
Written by Amy Fishman, on November 20, 2009
Tuesday, the Nonprofit Roundtable brought together nonprofit leaders working on the issue of Foreclosure in the Greater Washington Area to come to consensus on the role of the nonprofit sector.
The discussion centered around ways that nonprofits can work better to address the problem including improving collaboration between nonprofits, governments and banks. Collectively, the group decided on seven priorities for the nonprofit sector:
1. Advocacy in local jurisdictions to support housing counselors and increase consumer protection
2. Financial Literacy Training for new homeowners
3. Identify the needs of housing counselors and share best practices related to loan modifications.
4. Create a unified database to track statistics and reduce duplication of work
5. Increased and better outreach to homeowners in trouble including a media campaign, clinics and door knocking
6. Neighborhood stabilization and focus on reusing foreclosed properties for affordable housing
7. Better coordination and division of labor in the nonprofit response
Comment on this post or email us to share your own thoughts or suggestions about the role of the nonprofit sector in preventing and mitigating foreclosures.
The Washington Post has released the first two articles (Staggering Need, Striking Neglect and "It Doesn't Seem Right") in a series investigating the DC Health Department and its funding of HIV/AIDS nonprofits. The Post writes that the DC Health Department's HIV/AIDS Administration has "awarded more than $25 million from 2004 to 2008 to nonprofit agencies marked by questionable spending, lack of clients, or lapses in record-keeping of care." Lack of oversight and lack of proper grant monitorting are two of the perhaps many problems in the HIV/AIDS Administration that led to this.
Mayor Adrian Fenty has responded, saying that most of the groups identified in the articles are no longer doing business with the city. Further, the DC HIV/AIDS Administration has taken steps in recent years to improve oversight.
While investigations continue, I think the most important issue is HIV/AIDS patients in need of care. HIV/AIDS rates in DC are higher than West Africa. Especially during our current economic times, the District government should be held accountable for its contractors and the millions of dollars in funding it provides to help those who need it most.
Recently, some employees of the community organizing group ACORN were caught on tape allegedly offering advice to people posing as organizers of a prostitution ring and evading the IRS. I am as concerned about ACORN as anyone. I like Darryl Jones’ advice that this incident should “reinforce the importance of nonprofit managers providing leadership, training and guidance to assure that our staff and volunteers are always acting appropriately and in accord with the public service missions of our organizations.”
Darryl writes in his letter to the Baltimore Sun: “When one nonprofit is perceived to have breached the public trust, all nonprofits -- and the clients they serve (often the most vulnerable members of society) -- suffer. Public backlash against nonprofits when they perceive a violation of this trust can lead to rips in the social safety net and dissolution of those services that create vibrant communities.” I agree and think that nonprofits have a responsibility to represent the entire sector accurately and positively, especially as budgets are shrinking and funding sources become less available.
While I feel like we may have dodged a bullet in the last full budget cycle (DC budget), I am certain that the crisis is not over.
The last round of cuts which eliminated earmarks were more painful for
several nonprofits. I am still anxious that the worst is yet to
come.
The Coalition for Community Investment and Save Our Safety Net DC are hosting a community meeting on Thursday, Sept 17 from 6-8pm at Busboys and Poets (5th & K St. NW) to plan for future advocacy around the DC budget. This work is important and more budget cuts could negatively affect the lives of our neighbors who are most in need.
We need to continually prepare our case for why investing in nonprofits improves the quality of life for everyone and why nonprofits are the lifelines for our most vulnerable neighbors. I hope you will join us to help build a strong case for support.
On August 26th, Governor Martin O'Malley and Maryland's Board of Public Works approved $454 million in additional budget cuts for the current year. Combined with cuts approved in July, the current budget has now been reduced by $736 million since its enactment. The cuts include $211 million to local aid, $75 million from state employee furloughs, and various rate reductions and program closures and curtailments. Download the Maryland Budget & Tax Policy Institute report.
Although the budget cuts currently focus on state positions and transportantion programs, I am concerned about cuts to local aid - to Montgomery County and Prince George's County budgets. I hate to be a pessimist but the worst is yet to come. More cuts will be scheduled for the coming year. Unfortunately, like DC, Maryland nonprofits will bear the brunt of the cuts as food and shelter lines increase at an alarming rate and the demand for social services rise.
The Roundtable continues to respond to budget cuts in DC, MD and VA by hosting events aimed at equipping nonprofits with the necessary tools to weather the storm. I look forward to meeting you at our upcoming events and working together to strengthen the nonprofit community.
