Charity Programs Should
Increase Value to Taxpayers
woes. Perhaps just as important, however, are philanthropic efforts that prevent the problems that end up costing society
the most to deal with—problems
like drug addiction, illiteracy,
and criminal behavior.
The U.K. is moving to formalize that idea. It now issues
“social impact bonds” that will
provide government payments
to private investors who finance
nonprofit programs that are
able to reduce the government’s
costs. For now, the bonds apply just to groups that reduce
Continued from Page 37
ed by companies in the United
States. Nonprofits and philanthropists can help fix that problem.
Nonprofits themselves already contribute mightily to the
employment market—after all,
they employ one in 10 workers
and as a group have produced
faster growth in new jobs than
their for-profit counterparts.
But nonprofits also play a
critical role in the job market
by offering retraining classes
for workers, by employing individuals who otherwise wouldn’t
find jobs and preparing them to
enter the traditional job market,
and by stimulating job growth
in critical areas such as education, health care, and clean energy. Retooling the American
work force for the new normal
must become a top priority for
philanthropy.
When a crisis ends, it is natural for people to breathe a sigh
of relief and attempt to return to
the status quo before the crisis.
While the financial emergency is behind us, the challenges
ahead will take every ounce of
creativity and hard work we can
muster.
Philanthropists and nonprofits must not relax and retreat
but instead must redouble their
efforts as active players in shaping how society works. If philanthropy ignores the big issues
caused by the changing economy, it could become little more
than a morally righteous activity—and not a vibrant, powerful
force for social good.
THE CHRONICLE OF PHILAN THROP Y
SCOTT ARTHUR MASEAR
“I thougt she was being genuinely nice, but it turns our her grant is up for renewal.”
Nonprofits need
to get more involved
in helping America
climb out of the
unemployment crisis.
An Entrepreneurial Mind-Set Is Key to Help
Nonprofit Leaders Survive the ‘New Normal’
the number of people who commit crimes after they are released from prison. But that
idea should be expanded to
other causes and to the United
States. Philanthropy must embrace this sort of sophisticated
financing strategy that aligns
the interests of government, donors, and private investors.
The nonprofit world must not
let itself be a victim of government spending cuts but instead
offer solutions that help close
the deficit by offering social
programs that deliver better results at a lower cost to taxpayers.
Nonprofits will also need to
get more involved in helping
America climb out of the unemployment crisis.
One reason job growth is so
sluggish is the misalignment
between the skills of American
workers and the skills need-
Sean Stannard-Stockton is
chief executive of Tactical Philanthropy Advisors, in Burlingame, Calif., and author of the
Tactical Philanthropy blog. He
is a regular columnist for The
Chronicle of Philanthropy.
dime, find another job. Cataclysmic times require fast and
strategic thinking, not about
long-term plans, but instead
about short-term opportunities
that maximize stability and
positive results from programs.
No others need apply.
Ambiguity creates opportunity. While people are confused about what path to take,
nonprofit leaders can take a
chance to shape the agenda and
thus build their organizations
in smart new ways.
Consistency of message is
everything. So right now (with
a nod to James Carville), “it’s
the economy, stupid.” Just as the
voters made clear in this recent
election, it all comes back to economic security. Absent that, for
example, good health care, good
child care, or a good education
can’t be achieved. Significantly,
to achieve these ends for Amer-
Continued from Page 37
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ica’s at-risk families, organiza-
tions need to direct their orga-
nizing and services to women,
for it is women who head these
at-risk families.
Rebecca Sive works in Chicago
to advise nonprofits on advocacy
campaigns, fund raising, and
other matters.
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