Lifting
Nonprofit
Voices
Nonprofits rallied
in the Illinois State
Capitol as part of
a campaign that
persuaded lawmakers
to pass temporary tax
increases to help pay
for social services.
Successful advocates offer tips to help
charities defend their interests
THANK SUPPORTIVE POLITICIANS
Patricia Hayden, a
YWCA executive and
co-chair of Seattle’s
Human Services Coali-
tion, says politicians
should understand
that helping nonprofits
can pay off at the
ballot box. “Each
and every one of us
votes,” she says.
Seattle’s Social-Service Groups
Band Together to Influence Policy
LIKE MANY CITIES, Seattle has been struggling to pay the bills. But every time city officials try
to shave spending on community health and human-services programs, a formidable group is looking over
their shoulders—the Seattle Human Services Coalition.
DEVELOP AN AGENDA
The underlying
message of priorities
for politicians, says
Ron Cretaro, executive
director of the Connecticut Association
of Nonprofits, should
be: “Nonprofits are
businesses and we
want to be treated as
businesses.”
Connecticut Charities Land
an Official State Liaison
CONNECTICUT’S GOVERNOR, Dannel P. Malloy, issued a news release in January titled “Gov. Malloy
Announces New Initiative to Streamline and Modern-
ize Contracting Process for Nonprofits.”
He said he planned to create a new office to handle
complaints that nonprofits had raised about the red
tape and late payments they face when they get state
contracts to provide health and human services.
Connecticut’s governor created
a cabinet office to work
with nonprofits. He hopes it can serve
as a “one-stop shop” to represent
their interests.
like businesses, needed a “one-stop shop” to represent
their interests. “Every state government has a bank-
ing commissioner,” he said. “Every state government
has an insurance commissioner.”
Mr. Malloy entered office with a strong affinity
for charities (several of his family members, includ-
ing his wife, have worked for nonprofits). But he was
also able to build on years of work CT Nonprofits
had put into educating lawmakers and state officials
about problems with state contracting. In 2009, the
group issued a report about the cash-flow problems
that nonprofits faced because of late payments, while
also complaining about low cost-of-living increases
that were putting providers “in a precarious posi-
tion.”
In 2010, it helped persuade the Legislature to set
up a commission to study those issues and others—
The association’s relationship with Mr. Malloy
stretches back to his time as mayor of Stamford from
1995 to 2009. Ron Cretaro, the group’s executive di-
rector, says it helped the mayor plan a reception for
nonprofits and invited him to speak twice at its an-
nual conference. When running for governor, Mr.
Malloy attended a CT Nonprofits candidates forum
and issued a policy paper saying nonprofits received
too little money and appreciation and would win at-
tention in his cabinet.
After he won the election, Mr. Malloy became the
first sitting governor to address the association’s annual conference. He also appointed Terry Macy, a
charity executive and member of the CT Nonprofits
board, to be commissioner of the Department of Developmental Services.
CT Nonprofits has worked closely with Deb Heinrich, who gave up her seat as a state representative
to become the first Nonprofit Liaison. Mr. Cretaro
says she has already improved the contracting
process for nonprofits, for example, by simplifying reporting requirements and making it easier for nonprofits to spend government money without prior approval.
Ms. Heinrich, who is stepping down from the position this month. says both as a legislator and in the
cabinet, she relied heavily on the association for information. “They’ve been digging in this field for so
