Advice for the Next President

October 29, 2008

Advice for the Next President

With the Presidential election less than one week away, the Chronicle wants to know what nonprofit leaders think the next occupant of the White House should make his top priority.

If you had a chance to share your thoughts on what the new president should do for the nonprofit world, what would you say?

Click on the comments link below this post to share your advice for the next President.

And to see where Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama stand on key issues for the nonprofit world, check out Campaign 2008, our special report on the election. You also see what your colleagues rated as important in a new study by the Johns Hopkins University.

— Peter Panepento

Comments

My advice is to remember the promises you made to get where you are. Those of us who placed our trust in you expect you to honor your word.

— Virginia Oct 29, 01:07 PM #
Please recognize that the public sector has a critical role to play in solving some of the globe’s greatest challenges. The non-profit sector can do much, but not all, of this important work.

— Jane Oct 30, 01:42 PM #
For too long, government has left the responsibility for strengthening nonprofits to foundations and United Ways. In light of the fact that local, state and federal government depend on nonprofit organizations for more than 300 billion dollars worth of services in grants and contracts each year, it astounds me that government provides no assistance to them similar to the scope that the Small Business Administration provides to businesses. Much to its credit, the SBA does provide some limited assistance to nonprofit organizations.

My proposal is that the SBA be renamed the ‘Small Business and Nonprofit Administration’ and that its mandate be enlarged to encompass the nation’s community-based nonprofit organizations. It makes particularly good sense at an economic time when more Americans will be heading to ‘Nonprofit Street’ for credit counseling, job retraining, food and shelter, housing, legal counsel, and the myriad others services that nonprofits provide to the growing ranks of the most vulnerable in our midst.

Michael Seltzer
Greenwich Village
New York, New York

— Michael Seltzer Nov 3, 09:12 AM #
It’s time for a new New Deal.

With so much of our economy based on the service sector, this New Deal should focus on rebuilding not just physical infrastructure like roads and bridges, but also our major service industries, especially education and health care.

By training and putting people to work, we can rebuild our economy. The nonprofit sector has an important role to play, alongside government and business.

Bronwyn Mauldin
WorkforceDevelopments.com
Los Angeles

— Bronwyn Mauldin Nov 3, 10:22 AM #
I agree with Michael Seltzer’s comment above. Given the crucial services provided by nonprofits, improving all areas of human life, this country needs a mechanism to strengthen nonprofits and build their capacity. This could be through the SBA, or through improving and building on initiatives such as the (admittedly terribly named)Compassion Capital Fund.

— Nikki Zeuner Nov 3, 02:04 PM #
Michael and Nikki hit it—-it’s about the economy and the role we play in it. Let’s get smart and focus the powerful energy and idealism and totally tap into the entreprenurail spirit of this country’s nonprofit sector. It’s now or never.

— robert egger Nov 3, 02:39 PM #
Third Sector, Community Based Organizations can and should play a critical role in bringing a needed course correction to our country. Government is disconnected from “main street”, while we work on that street and know what is needed. Solving America’s problems is a huge task. CBO’s are the conduit for integrating the community into the solution – not government! CBO’s are more cost effective and much more accountable. The new President should consider the nonprofit sector as a key partner in rebuilding American, and create policy, funding streams and reduced federal bureaucracy to promote the nonprofit sector.

— Jim Roberts Nov 3, 07:39 PM #
Please, no more unfunded mandates. Nonprofits are not able to pick up any more of the government services that have been abandoned by a cash strapped federal budget squandered on a foreign war.

— Nonprofit Professor Nov 4, 03:00 PM #
Charity write off on tax returns for time and milage (federal employee rate).

— DBSA OR Treasurer Nov 6, 02:02 PM #
I also think Mike makes a very good point. I also think that it would be better in allowing smaller nonprofits the assistance they may need.

Oh and My message for Barack and Joe, Why not start giving more money to nonprofits out of your pockets. I was appalled at the average amount Joe Biden gives. He’s a millionaire! If mainstreet grandma can russle up $1,000 dollar donation by living on a fixed income, he should be able to give a lot more. Shame on you Joe!

— Bryan L. Freeman Nov 7, 02:55 PM #
Several nonprofits are grassroots organizations that are born out of the passion of an individual or group that has experienced the same hardship that they are advocating. Unfortunately, we may not have the resources or network to carry out our mission. It would be helpful to organizations like mine (Virginia Kids Eat Free, that works to end childhood hunger, in the state of Virginia), if there were town hall meetings or conferences that would give us information on how to best carry out our mission. We are excited that we have provided 286,472 free meals to kids, throughout the state of Virginia, in the summer of 2008. However, there are 80% of our kids that still need our help during the summer, when school is out. In addition, there is a great need to feed our kids in afterschool programs, as well.

— Donyata S. Washington Nov 8, 04:30 AM #
I feel individual donations should be considered a TAX CREDIT, and not a measley tax deduction.
Also, I feel money spent at NOT-FOR-PROFIT entities should be a tax deduction since it ultimately keeps the not-for-profit in business.
We know that services provided by government costs 6 times what not-for-profits can do it for.

— Al Lemke Nov 9, 12:50 PM #
Dear President Elect Barack Obama,
In order for people to continue to give to charities of all kind we have to have the money to do this. I am 79 and my husband is 82. We have served with the YMCA at home and abroad, Ethiopia for 14 years, with higher education, my husband was president of a small college for 19 1/2 years. This college was down and out when he took over and is now thriving. One of its hallmark courses is Service Learning. Over the years we were unable to save a lot because of the career path we both chose. We are presently involved in a hunger project for Ethiopia which is now our fulltime job. We have a home that is paid for and some stock along with social security and retirement income. I know there are many elderly in the same boat as we are financially. We have worked hard over the years and have given back many times over. Now we understand that you plan to raise tax on dividends, capital gains tax and the list goes on. With all of your big tax plans there is no way that people will be able to give to the charities they have in the past. This is true with persons who are millionaires. These are the people who create jobs and give to projects that you would like to have funded…people in poor neighborhoods. Harvard University is very fortunate to have the very wealthy contributors that they have, however, there are smaller institutions of higher learning that do not have the luxury of such wealthy contributors. Please reconsider you tax plans. You will hurt the middle class that have been good stewards of their money, but under your plan we would be losers and so would charities.

— Ruth Ludwig Nov 12, 04:03 PM #
After numerous discussions regarding social change, one company stands out as taking the initiative to actually implement change in America. Goto www.buzzfund.com.

I challenge the President elect to send a message to the millions of Americans, who donated $600M to get him elected, to continue their generous activities and donate to an American student struggling to pay his/her tuition.

— 4students Nov 12, 05:02 PM #

Commenting is closed for this article.

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