Symposium on Public Policy for Nonprofits
The Symposium on Public Policy for Nonprofits, convened annually by Independent Sector, the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA), and Nonprofit Policy Forum, is designed to explore key questions and issues related to public policy affecting nonprofits and philanthropy.
The symposium considers what additional research is needed to create better policies to sustain more vital institutions, meet social needs, and support civil society in the years to come. Through the symposium convenings and the additional conversations it creates, we seek to build bridges, deepen personal connections among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, and inform relevant, evidence-based nonprofit policy.
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Friday, September 22, 2023 – convened virtually.
To 2024 and Beyond: Public Policy Recommendations for the Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy: As the nation looks forward to the 2024 elections and beyond, what public policy recommendations should be considered by policymakers and others who care about the important role that nonprofits and philanthropy play in our society?
Past Symposia
Nonprofits 9 to 5: Nonprofit Workforce and Nonprofits as Employers
Nonprofit sector workers have a shared sense of pride, but also shared grievances and the desire for systemic change. The demographics of the nonprofit workforce are changing, workers are experiencing burnout, and rethinking their expectations around meaningful work. Despite the impressive size and impact of the nonprofit workforce, we are often invisible to policymakers. The sector needs to better understand our own human capital needs to advocate for the best policies.
Key Links:
Featured papers:
- “Precarious Professionals: The Impact of Neoliberalism on the Workforce of the Nonprofit Human Service Sector,” by Cheryl Hyde, Temple University
- “The Myth of Agency,” by Carrie Oelberger, University of Minnesota
- “’Beyond Psychic Income’: An Exploration of Public Policy Interventions to Address Work-Life Balance, Burnout, and Precarity in Contemporary Nonprofit Work,” by Robbie Robichau, Texas A&M University; Billie Sandberg, Portland State University; and Andrew Russo, Portland State University
- “Policy Intervention for Stemming the Reproduction of Employment Inequities by Embedding Inclusive Practices in Nonprofit Organizations,” by Ruth Bernstein, Pepperdine University & Paul Salipante, Case Western Reserve University
- “What Millennials Want in Nonprofit Workplaces,” by Samantha Plotner, University of Illinois Chicago
- “The Recent College Graduate to Non-Profits Pipeline: Opportunities and Challenges,” by Michael Ringenbach, Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts
Why & How of Civic Engagement: Legal, Practical, and Equitable Pathways for Nonprofit Civic Engagement in Elections and Democratic Participation
Nonprofit Policy Forum Featured Articles
COVID-19 Response, Civic Engagement, and Philanthropic Oversight
Nonprofit Policy Forum Featured Articles
Public Policy Agenda for the 2020 Election
Read the Symposium Summary and Nonprofit Policy Forum Special Issue for more information.
Nonprofits in Public Policy: Challenges and Opportunities
Toward an Index of a Healthy U.S. Nonprofit Sector
Read the Symposium Summary and Nonprofit Policy Forum Special Issue for more information.
Partnership Acknowledgement
Independent Sector is pleased to partner to convene the symposium with the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA), a diverse community of scholars, educators, and practice leaders who work to strengthen the field of charity, nonprofit, and philanthropic research to improve civil society and human life; and Nonprofit Policy Forum, an open-access academic journal that publishes original research and analysis on public policy issues and the public policy process critical to the work of nonprofit organizations.
