5/1/2023 0 Comments 2020 hindsight meme![]() After all, the growth of the nonprofit sector in the 1980s and 1990s was the result of increased outsourcing of services by governments. When the scope of the pandemic came into view in March 2020, we heard nonprofit leaders say, “Philanthropy has to step-up.” We agreed and we knew they would, yet noted that philanthropic dollars represent a fraction of dollars that support the safety net system and other nonprofits. Having a seat at federal, state and local policy tables. It is time to prioritize the mental health and wellness of people in nonprofits by recognizing their vital role in communities, by showing them respect, and by funding organizations adequately so they can take care of their workforces. ![]() Nonprofit organizations play an essential role in all communities, and often at the expense of the mental health and well-being of the people who work in, volunteer for, and lead them. In fact, it is common to hear funders and people from the private and government sectors lament the high pay and administrative expenses in nonprofit organizations -despite the fact that both are incredibly low compared with for-profit enterprises - reflecting a gross misunderstanding of what it takes for nonprofits to contribute to healthy communities and economies. People working in nonprofits are expected to work for low pay and benefits, in uncomfortable and under-resourced workplaces, and without much respect or appreciation from the general public. What’s obvious now: The current situation is not fair and it is not sustainable. This work, too, is generally done by staff who are passionate, underpaid, and under-appreciated. Now, they do this with the added pressures and dangers from the pandemic.Īnd our communities are made more vibrant and healthy by those working in the arts, for the environment, and in community development. This is true in the nonprofit sector, which is staffed by individuals who deliver food, shelter, health care, and other basic services, often with low pay and scant or no benefits, and often with little respect for their work and commitment to the common good. Societal awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness continues to grow, and yet prioritizing resources and practices that promote it in workplaces lags behind. As Erin Aubry Kaplan wrote in The New York Times, “Over and over, Black people have asserted the simple but radical truth of their own humanity and worthiness, and over and over, America has not fully heard them.” This is the moment to hear and respond by centering anti-racism: to interrupt racism by correcting the policies and practices in our organizations and in our society’s systems that are built on and perpetuate entrenched racism that harms Black people and all people of color. ![]() In many ways, the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors serve as patchworks that keep racist systems in place. Our organizations need to address diversity, equity, and inclusion, and do much more - we need to center anti-racism in everything we do. What’s obvious now: Why were decades of advocacy needed to make this a priority? Why didn’t we go further, more forcefully amidst such blatant racism? Well, we know why, and it’s simple – racism and privilege, including our own. Addressing racism head-on was almost unheard of. In recent years, equity became a buzzword even as its meaning remained nebulous to many. It took years of advocacy to mainstream these concepts and to build commitments to advance them. Centering anti-racism.įor decades, advocates worked to advance racial diversity, equity, and inclusion in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. Let’s start with the following priorities. They demand new ways of learning, planning, thinking, and doing. Of course, some among us already knew these things, and now the rest of us cannot ignore them. This year, 2020, is 20/20 - the year that everything we should have known became obvious. Our understanding and perspective of phenomena or events are vastly improved, maybe even perfect, only after they have happened. Upgrading our technology earlier this year was a good call. The person we hired for that position was destined to do great things. Buying a house in San Francisco in the early 1990s would have been an amazing investment. With the passing of time, some things become so obvious: Hindsight is 20/20. ![]()
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