Author Archives for Christian Clansky

Inclusion Over Sectarianism

February 9, 2021 7:20 pm Published by Leave a comment

Despite recent calls for unity, we are at a moment in our nation where competing visions for our future are in constant tension.

Rather than unity, I’ve been wondering if we shouldn’t aim for inclusion instead.

For our United States to be successful, we need a well-functioning democracy that meaningfully addresses the needs of a diverse people who experience varying levels of harm or injustice from the systems we inhabit.

But democracy goes beyond diversity of views, beliefs, and convictions. Successful democracies require diverse stakeholders to engage each other in good faith and together chart a path forward – a common path that serves all equally and leads to a future where we all can thrive.  Democracy requires both the inclusion and the healthy tension that still exists in difference.

Over the last 30 years, compromise and collective policy formulation have given way to a “winner takes all approach” to how our “democracy” operates.  What I’ve found so disheartening is how the “winners” and “losers” make sense of their current circumstances, and how those circumstances feed ever-increasing polarization.

In a recent article in Science Magazine, I discovered a particularly compelling diagnosis of our current cultural and political moment. The piece, written by 17 social scientists, asserts that we find ourselves in a time of “political sectarianism,” consisting of three core ingredients:

  • Othering
  • Aversion
  • Moralization

Othering is the tendency to view the opposing side as essentially different or alien to oneself; aversion is the tendency to dislike and distrust the opposing side; and moralization is the tendency to view the opposing side as morally wrong.

The combination of these three factors has caused the American system, in which we all live, a great deal of harm. And because of the increased sectarianism among us, the hope for some baseline level of inclusion, necessary to make our democracy function, seems out of reach.

For the most part, we are leaders stewarding nonpartisan missions toward creating a healthier and more equitable nation. But we cannot ignore the environment we all live in. Our ability to advocate for real change over time, build deep relationships and strong community, and realize our sector’s full impact is being held hostage by this growing sectarianism.

I want to offer less of a call to action today and more of a deep reflection that we consider this in our daily actions and decisions.

Are we othering when we should be including? Are we sowing more distrust in our relationships rather than finding common ground? Are we looking for the good in the other side, even when it’s hard to hear or see?

The authors offer some avenues for intervention: correcting faulty perceptions of the “other side,” altering the way social media works to spread disinformation, and creating incentives for political leaders to behave different.

But I’m curious what you think.

I want to hear from you on this and understand your thoughts on the roles your organizations and civil society, as a whole, can play in turning the tide. Feel free to email me at danc@independentsector.org.

Nonprofits Identify What They Need from the U.S. Government in 2021

January 15, 2021 5:35 pm Published by Leave a comment

Independent Sector is in conversations with the Biden-Harris Transition Team on behalf of the nonprofit and philanthropic community about sector needs. In discussions, the Biden-Harris team asked Independent Sector for information about the challenges nonprofits continue to face and specific ways federal policymakers can help the sector serve hundreds of millions of people in communities nationwide during this challenging time.

To ensure the best possible response, Independent Sector surveyed nonprofits about how policymakers can best help them in the next six months. Over 900 organizations completed the survey, providing confidential quantitative and qualitative feedback. We are awed by such an overwhelming response from organizations across the country. Already, insights from the survey are informing important conversations with the transition team and feeding into the work of national nonprofit advocacy coalitions.

Highlights of Findings

An initial analysis of survey responses reveals three main take-aways:

  1. Nonprofits are most concerned about operating while protecting the health and safety of staff members and community members. Sixty-five percent of respondents report they are concerned about how to safely continue operations amid the ongoing health crisis.
  2. Policymakers can help nonprofits by providing more resources for nonprofits to keep doors open, maintain staff members, and meet growing community need. Sixty-seven percent of respondents said incentivizing more charitable giving is a critical way for federal policymakers to help nonprofits.
  3. Subsectors and marginalized communities have unique needs that policymakers also need to address, particularly advancing policies that promote equity and fight racism.

Concerns About Health and Safety

Top Concerns Facing Nonprofits in 2021

65%

Safe Operations

57%

Growing Demand for Services

57%

Funding to Pay Staff

53%

Systemic Inequality

50%

Funding to Keep Doors Open

17%

Other

Sixty-five percent of respondents report the safe continuation or resuming operations amid the ongoing health pandemic as a top concern. Within this category, the largest number of respondents expressed significant interest in federal government support for the timely rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine and increasing the availability of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to communities they serve. Many organizations expressed concern for the mental health and well-being of staff members, which they linked directly to their capacity to continue operations. A few responses extended the scope of concern to include protecting staff and community members from violence. Finally, some respondents said their business model cannot accommodate social distancing, so they are concerned about reaching a threshold of community health safety that will enable them to reopen and resume operations.

 Concerns About Resources

Areas the Federal Government Can Help in the Next Six Months

67%

Incentivize Giving

61%

More Direct Relief to Individuals

57%

Streamline Government Grants & Contracts

54%

New Forgivable Loans

43%

Expand Broadband Access

31%

Cover 100% of Unemployment Insurance

28%

More Payroll Tax Relief

Just over half of nonprofits responded that they need funding to maintain payroll and keep their doors open, but a lack of money and human resources proved to be a theme underlying the comments. It is possible the overwhelming need for resources, whether to make up for budget shortfalls or to expand operations to meet growing demand, is why three of the top four responses were about how government can focus on helping nonprofits access resources. Incentivizing charitable giving, often a critical source of flexible funds for nonprofits, ranks the highest among policies federal lawmakers can advance to help nonprofits.

Concerns of Subsectors and Marginalized Communities

Topline findings highlight concerns that span the nonprofit sector, but aggregated findings also can disguise the acute challenges of some communities. Beneath the surface of the “most popular” responses, respondents identified specific types of nonprofits and communities that require additional support. Specifically, a large proportion of respondents said policymakers need to prioritize tackling racial and economic inequality in any future COVID-19 related policies. Many respondents added that nonprofits and issues unrelated to the COVID-19 recovery still need support and attention in the next six months.

 Nonprofit Leaders: In Their Own Words

Because stories and anecdotes from nonprofit members are important to the national discussion, the survey asked individuals whether they were willing to share a quote about their work and be identified. Independent Sector plans to use these quotes in the coming weeks to better tell the story of the sector. In the meantime, here is a sample of quotes that illustrate a more complete picture of respondents’ greatest concerns for the first half of 2021.

Quotes on Nonprofit Concerns in 2021

Facing Our History

January 11, 2021 4:10 pm Published by Leave a comment

“Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.” – James Baldwin

The violence and rage that gripped the United States Capitol Building and the nation on January 6 stunned me. My horror has only grown as more videos and photos have been released in the week since. People wore pro-Holocaust and racist t-shirts, erected a cross, installed a gallows with a noose near Capitol grounds, called Black police officers the n-word, and carried plastic restraints in a plan to take hostages. One insurrectionist even admitted to wanting to shoot the Speaker of the House in the head on live TV.

Yet, as stunned as I was, I know many fellow Americans, especially Black Americans, have seen this president and his most extreme followers for what they are: white supremacists. Undoubtedly, there is a straight line between President Donald Trump’s history of racist and inflammatory language and policies to the conspiracy theories and lies that led to this attempted coup. In short, the January 6 insurrection led to American carnage, the very thing that President Trump claimed he’d stop almost exactly four years ago during his inauguration.

I wrote in the wake of the November elections that as leaders in American civil society, our most precious task is to remember and focus on the everyday acts of democracy. I still firmly believe that this is the way forward. However, we cannot sweep our most painful attributes as a nation under the rug. We must face white supremacy and the hatred it fuels head on — now and always. We must face our history of political violence.

As leaders, we work within our organizations and communities in a way that affirms a set of values that we have agreed upon. I also understand that it is from that set of “American values” that our political leaders often say, “This is not who we are.” But I offer that values are meant to be revisited, reflected upon, and refined based on the desires of the community adhering to those values. I think it is time – as Americans of all creeds, religions, races, ethnicities, ability, sexual orientation, and genders – to reconsider whether we are living our values, or whether they need to change. Perhaps, we should refrain from talking about “who we are” and instead collectively work toward who we ought to be. To thrive, we must recommit every day to live up to the values we aspire to for all people, especially Black, Native, and other communities of color who so often face the brunt of harm in our nation.

One of our goals over the course of this year is to make clear which values we — as Independent Sector staff, board, members, and this broader nonprofit community — will commit to as we execute our work. As we continue to build trust within this community of changemakers to advocate for a healthy and equitable sector and country, these national conversations and our dependence on a strong, healthy, and equitable democracy are clear. Our public policy priorities, which increasingly center the outcomes of our work to address inequities that impact Black, Native, and other communities of color, as well as low-income people, will continue to be shaped by this community as we prepare for new leadership in the Administration and Congress.

As one organization, we alone cannot achieve the painstaking work of moving forward from our past – whether we are talking about last week, the last four years, or our collective and shared national history. But we are committed to working together with the charitable community to be values-driven and honest as we create a healthier and more equitable future for all people.

 

A Focus on Health

January 5, 2021 3:01 pm Published by Leave a comment

As we enter 2021, one word continues to circle around our collective hope and stress: health.

As a global community, I don’t think we’ve ever truly been this connected by a health crisis before. The last time we dealt with anything of this magnitude was with the 1918 flu pandemic, and certainly the lack of connection between people in different parts of the world and the slow pace of information would have made the experience unrecognizable to us today.

But in 2021, our health matters more than ever. We are facing, still, a global health crisis that, as I write,  has taken the lives of more than 350,000 people in the United States and nearly 2 million worldwide. Back in the summer of 2020, the majority of U.S. adults reported their mental health had been negatively affected by the worry and stress of this pandemic. As open beds in hospitals became limited, the demand for psychiatric hospital beds has outpaced their availability. One psychologist recently described our upcoming mental health crisis as a category 4 with a category 5 crisis not far behind. Furthermore, the COVID-19 vaccination distribution has not gone as well as hoped and there is growing concern that while millions of vaccines are being produced every day, their distribution and application is falling short.

And the reality, as we should all know by now, is that the burden and the missteps will affect low-income, rural, Native, Black, Latinx, and other communities of color more than anyone else.

While one can get lost in the dread of these numbers and this reality, we must all understand that we have a role to play in recovering, rebuilding, and renewing our commitment to health and equity moving forward. As nonprofit and foundation leaders, we have the unique honor and expertise to change the course of how this plays out over the next few months and year for our own staff, communities, and the sector. Last year, Independent Sector released its first annual Health of the U.S. Nonprofit Sector report to help guide our work moving forward. The four areas of the framework – Financial Resources, Human Capital, Governance and Trust, and Public Policy and Advocacy – are meant to help us understand not only what the data tells us about our organizations and sector, but also what more we must do to improve these areas, especially as they relate to our ability to recover from COVID-19, advance racial equity, and address our climate crisis.

As much as we’d love to leave 2020 behind, the effects of the pandemic, the economic crisis, racial injustice, and our environmental disasters still very much affect all of us. As such, Independent Sector will remain steadfast in our commitment to advocate for the appropriate relief and future investments for our sector and the communities we all serve. In addition, we are in active conversations with the new Administration and have a survey out now to collect your organizational needs over the next six months. With that feedback, we will develop a rapid snapshot of critical nonprofit needs to help shape policy efforts in the first 100 days of the Biden Administration and the 117th Congress.

Over the course of the next few months, you will learn more about how you and your organization can join us in our collective efforts. We remain hopeful that a healthier and more equitable future is possible, and we look forward to working with you to achieve it.

Let Our Values Be an Example

September 23, 2020 11:54 am Published by Leave a comment

This year has called on us many times to collectively mourn. This week is another such moment as we mourn an icon and a hero. Ruth Bader Ginsburg is revered for her fight for justice and women’s rights and she made this country better for all of us. Even in dissent, she advanced the work with her powerful arguments and words, and we have much to learn from her fight. As leaders of nonprofits and foundations, what we can take away from RBG’s legacy is that even in moments where we feel like we’re on the losing side, we have to push to move systems work forward.

With the backdrop of Ginsburg’s passing this weekend, I also was reading the new book, CASTE: The Origins of Our Discontents, by Upswell headline speaker, Isabel Wilkerson. Chapter eight of the book blew me away. For those who have not read it, it discusses how German Nazis modeled their caste system after American racist laws and policies. It was a painfully powerful reminder of the role the United States played and continues to play in shaping global values and modeling how those values get codified into legal and cultural systems. Like it or not, we are one of the most powerful (and wealthy) nations in the world and what we do matters elsewhere. While necessarily focused on keeping our own house just and a place of individual and collective flourishing, we have an added responsibility to take into account that civil society leaders across the global are engaged with us and often impacted by what we do, why we do it, and how we do it. In some regards, American civil society has a global leadership role that demands we act with and because of the highest standards.

I heard this very reminder from our recent Nobel Peace Prize winner and Upswell Pop-Up speaker, Tawakkol Karman, in our discussion earlier in the month. In response to my question regarding her take on this moment of social activism in the U.S., she makes an impassioned plea to the American civil society to be aware that our fight for social justice is NOT just for our nation, but for the world. She makes clear that many, many civil society, political, and business leaders look to the U.S. to guide their efforts because of our global leadership role. “It’s a shame that America is [still] suffering from racial practices,” she said. “But there is hope that the people demonstrating will stop this.” She said protestors across the world stand in solidarity with the protestors here in the United States and that together we could all uphold human rights here and abroad. While we often understand this global leadership in economic and political terms, we, as civil society leaders, should remember that we influence not just what happens in our own communities or country, but how the value of human life is seen across the globe.

As we enter in this fall season and an election cycle unlike what we’ve seen in generations, I want us to remember that the world is watching. How we show up and do our work, how we fight for systems change even in dissent, and how we uphold the value of human dignity and worth will impact our sector, our communities, and people around the world for generations to come. Are we living up to the serious responsibility that power and influence merit? I believe we are all earnest in our efforts, but we could be doing more, and I call on all of us as leaders to consider that question right now in your staff meetings, board meetings, convenings, and virtual conferences.

As always, we stand in solidarity with you.

Dan Cardinali, Marc Morial, and James Siegal on Infrastructure

July 22, 2020 5:40 pm Published by Leave a comment

In an op-ed published on Medium, Dan Cardinali (Independent Sector), Marc Morial (National Urban League), James Siegal (KABOOM!) consider Building Our Nation’s Infrastructure Beyond Roads and Bridges:

“In the depths of the Great Depression, the Works Progress Administration was credited with putting nearly 8.5 million Americans back to work. Today, we find ourselves in a similar moment of economic and social distress. With double-digit unemployment that could linger well into 2021, the question of a bold, national infrastructure program is top-of-mind once again as the Trump administration prepares a one trillion dollar infrastructure spending package.

This is a welcome development. But as we consider an infrastructure investment for a modern era, it is time to re-evaluate what truly constitutes “infrastructure.” In an increasingly complex world, it’s too narrow-minded to classify infrastructure as simply the world of bridges, highways, and dams. We must invest in infrastructure that strengthens our civic bonds across the country, puts people back to work, delivers equitable outcomes for communities of color and indigenous communities that have borne the brunt of this pandemic. This is ambitious and it is possible through a strong partnership between nonprofits and local governments.”

Read the full article here.

Emergency Funding for Safe Elections and an Accurate 2020 Census

July 21, 2020 1:49 pm Published by Leave a comment

(WASHINGTON, July 21, 2020) – The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the 2020 election and census administration processes in ways previously unimaginable. In anticipation of forthcoming legislation, Independent Sector and Nonprofit Vote issued the following joint statement:

“Civic engagement gaps among communities served by the nonprofit sector are more apparent now than ever. The imperative to attain an impartial and accurate count in the U.S. census should be a national priority for all sectors. Equivalently, ensuring that Americans can vote safely and securely amidst the coronavirus crisis is not a partisan debate. It’s a constitutional and human right.

The ongoing pandemic has endangered the accessibility of the 2020 elections and Census for constituents nationwide and will continue to have a disproportionate impact on civic participation in underserved communities, which have been affected most. Congress must allocate an additional $3.6 billion to defray the costs associated with implementing the necessary adjustments to ensure polling places remain open and in compliance with public health guidelines during this national emergency. State and local election officials must be equipped with resources to improve the efficiency of our elections systems, minimize lines, and reduce exposure. Such resources include broadband and cybersecurity support, additional machines, healthy staffers, and larger voting spaces. The global pandemic has derailed many initiatives to ensure that everyone in our communities is counted. To prevent a vicious cycle of exclusion for years to come, provisions in the next relief package must include $400 million to increase the emergency budget for the 2020 census, $10 million to further support current surveys, and a delay of statutory deadlines by four months for census reporting of 2020 results.

How does voter and census participation impact the nonprofit sector? The answer is simple. Political candidates and incumbents seek out and engage with communities that have higher voter turnout rates. As a trusted partner to government and constituents, nonprofits serve as a reliable and impartial source to help stakeholders and voters understand the impact that elections have on our daily lives. An accurate 2020 Census is the only way that nonprofits can measure community needs, develop community solutions, target services, and track progress. Historical discrepancies within electoral and census processes are deeply correlated to the many forms of racism in our political system. Emergency funding must be secured to ensure the rights of our nation’s most vulnerable populations are not infringed upon.

Since our inception, nonprofits have served as the bridge between government and community – a role that has ultimately defined America. A 2018 study conducted by Nonprofit VOTE determined that Nonprofit roots and trust within communities provide ample opportunity to increase civic engagement among those who are regularly excluded from the democratic process. Our natural engagement assets and unparalleled reach make us particularly well suited to encourage civic engagement. As the nation’s third largest employer we have the capacity to organize 12.3 million employees and mobilize networks of donors, volunteers, and constituents across 1.5 million organizations.

As we attempt to navigate through these unprecedented times of national uncertainty, we must take immediate action by amplifying our efforts to ensure that those who are eligible are accounted for and can cast their ballot safely. Time is of the essence —submit a letter to your member of Congress to encourage their support for safe elections and a complete 2020 census. Now is the time to get informed, educated and motivated. Please share these vital advocacy resources with your personal and professional networks to inspire sector-wide engagement. Our collective advocacy is our nation’s best defense.”

***

Independent Sector is the only national membership organization that brings together a diverse community of changemakers, nonprofits, foundations, and corporations working to ensure all people in the United States thrive. Learn more at independentsector.org.

Nonprofit VOTE partners with America’s nonprofits to help the people they serve participate and vote. We are the largest source of nonpartisan resources to help nonprofits integrate voter engagement into their ongoing activities and services. Learn more at www.nonprofitvote.org.

Contact: Independent Sector: Kristina Gawrgy Campbell, media@independentsector.org; 202-467-6144; Nonprofit Vote: James Hill, james@nonprofitvote.org, 202-609-8968

Welcoming the 2020 American Express NGen Fellows

June 18, 2020 1:10 pm Published by Leave a comment

Independent Sector proudly announces our 2020 American Express NGen Fellows cohort.

Young people continue to show us through individual and collective action that there is vast, emergent power in our next generation. While the pandemic has elevated conversations about reworking systems and values, we’re also openly grappling with structural racism as a nation. The activism and movements currently unfolding are being led by our next generation of leaders – leaders with a vision for a better world, like the 12 outstanding social sector leaders, age 40 and under, who are our latest cohort of American Express NGen Fellows.

These latest leaders in our Fellows program – designed to deepen their individual capabilities, expand their collective knowledge, and grow their professional networks – join the ranks of more than 112 American Express NGen Fellows alums. Please join us in celebrating this group of outstanding leaders.

Christine Balarezo
Collective Liberty
Denton, Texas

Monita Bell
Southern Poverty Law Center
Opelika, Alabama

Janelle Choi
Marguerite Casey Foundation
Seattle, Washington

Roque Diaz
MacPhail Center for Music
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Esther Gross
Child Trends
Bethesda, Maryland

Olivia Jefferson
Greater Twin Cities United Way
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Juvaria Khan
The Appellate Project
Washington, DC

Eric Lopez
Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility
Washington, DC

Selina Pagán
Metro West Community Development Organization
Cleveland, Ohio

Danielle B. Powell
Leadership 18
Alexandria, Virginia

Meghan Shea
Persistent Productions
Rockport, Massachusetts

Lillian Singh
Prosperity Now
Washington, DC

This selective fellowship program continues to build the next generation of charitable leaders as part of Independent Sector’s NGen: Moving Nonprofit Leaders from Next to Now initiative. The American Express NGen Fellows program is part of the American Express Leadership Academy.

Meet the 2020 Fellows and Learn More about the Program Here

Independent Sector submits written testimony ahead of the Joint Economic Committee hearing on Charitable Giving

June 9, 2020 11:09 am Published by Leave a comment

Independent Sector submitted written testimony ahead of the Joint Economic Committee hearing on “Supporting Charitable Giving during the COVID-19 Crisis”, in favor of expanding the charitable deduction. The hearing is scheduled for today at 2:30 pm and will be presided by Chairman Mike Lee.

This hearing comes at a time when nonprofits and charities have stepped up to meet the unprecedented level of need in our country due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though they face many of the same economic challenges of other industries, nonprofits are straining to meet increasing demands in our communities on the frontlines, caring for the sick, feeding families, and keeping our communities connected.

As you may recall, Congress took a first step in addressing the loss of revenue and increased demand nonprofits face, through the CARES Act by enacting a $300 universal charitable deduction, to ensure that additional funding can flow into nonprofit organizations. Unfortunately, more needs to be done to ensure that nonprofits can provide critical services to all Americans in need.

This hearing is very timely to continue to build support for an expansion of the universal charitable deduction, as there is a bipartisan effort led by Senator James Lankford along with a group of bipartisan Senators including Mike Lee, Chris Coons, Jeanne Shaheen, Amy Klobuchar and Tim Scott that would expand the charitable incentive to non-itemizers to allow a deduction for up to a third of the current standard for contributions made in fiscal year 2020, which would allow single filers to claim up to $4,000, and for joint filers up to $8,000 in charitable contributions.

 

Take Action to Support Nonprofit COVID-19 Relief

April 22, 2020 7:01 pm Published by Leave a comment

In 60 seconds, you can make sure that your Representative is looking out for nonprofits.

As Congress debates the next COVID-19 funding package – and thinks about what relief comes after – it’s critical that we collectively remind our representatives that our organizations need their support.

Right now, a bipartisan letter is circulating the Hill, asking that nonprofits on the front lines of serving our communities get the critical relief they need to keep going.

The call to action is simple: ask your Representative to co-sign the letter.

The deadline is April 28 and with just a few quick clicks, you can help guide billions of dollars to nonprofits and charities in need across the country.

Take Action Here