OUR NONPROFITS REPRESENT THE BEST OF US
Charitable nonprofits embody the best of us. They provide a way for people to work together for the common good, transforming shared beliefs and hopes into action. They give shape to our boldest dreams, highest ideals, and noblest causes.
Our many charitable nonprofits in Delaware County feed, heal, shelter, educate, inspire, enlighten, entertain, and nurture people of every age, gender, race, and socioeconomic status, from Fleischmanns to Sidney to Deposit to Grand Gorge. They foster civic engagement and leadership, drive economic growth, and strengthen the fabric of our communities. Every single day.
It’s easy to see a nonprofit’s mission in action when our families or neighbors are direct beneficiaries—such as when nonprofits provide food for the hungry, life-saving trauma care to someone in a car wreck, or rescue relief to hurricane survivors.
It’s harder to recognize the full impact of the indirect benefits nonprofits provide us. For example, the mission of the “friends of the local public library” might be to promote reading, but taxpayers also benefit when the nonprofit raises funds to buy books and equipment.
Nonprofits play a fundamental role in creating more equitable and thriving communities. Nonprofit organizations provide critical services that contribute to economic stability and mobility. They also strengthen communities in other important ways. Frequently, nonprofit leaders are the voice of the people they serve. Thanks to the combination of strong community relationships and intimate local knowledge, these organizations often understand better than anyone else their communities’ needs and the best ways to meet them. Strong, well-resourced nonprofits that are connected to the decision-making infrastructure in their communities can catalyze growth and opportunity.
But, as we witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic and in an era of growing needs and shrinking government resources, nonprofits are being asked to do even more with less, placing additional strain on their already limited resources. Public and private funding for nonprofits tends to focus on building and expanding programs, as opposed to investing in organizations’ core infrastructure, organizational growth and leadership development. As a result, many nonprofits are starved for the kind of support that can strengthen their operations, enable them to deliver their services more effectively and ultimately help create a strong economy that is good for all sectors.
How can the business community help? We need to expand our notion of support to include capacity-building investments, skills-based volunteerism, and network creation. As we think about our responsibility to the communities we do business in, we need to be creative and resourceful. We need to engage with these organizations and make the connections they often need to support their mission.
In addition, it is critical that nonprofits be included in policy-making discussions so economic growth is inclusive within and of all communities. The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce uses our power to connect to facilitate introductions and opportunities to ensure nonprofits have the opportunity to participate in conversations about addressing community challenges. In doing so, we help to make sure that we all benefit from the expertise and understanding strong nonprofit leaders can bring to the table.
National Nonprofit Day is August 17. I hope you’ll consider ways to recognize and thank those in our communities who are assisting our most vulnerable neighbors, keeping our historical traditions alive, staging world-class theatrical productions, creating new economic opportunities, or just lending a hand to a friend at a moment in need.
Volunteer. Send a note of encouragement. Say “Thank you”. Contribute financially if you are able. Offer your expertise to build their organizational capabilities. DO SOMETHING!
The key belief of the Chamber is that we are Stronger Together. With a dynamic nonprofit sector, prosperous private businesses, and strong civic leadership, we hope to create vital communities throughout Delaware County. Join us in this mission.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up