By most accounts, the struggling economy is slowly beginning to recover. But the fallout will likely be felt for many months to come. The non-profit sector, in particular, will continue to struggle to respond to increased demands for service, while trying to cope with decreased revenues from funders and donors.
Recognizing the exceptional strain placed on the charitable sector over the past year and a half, forward-thinking United States grant-making foundations are investing in capacity-building, training and resources to support the non-profit sector. In the United States, the non-profit sector employs approximately 10% of the entire country’s workforce. Non-profit institutions constituted more than 5% of the country’s GDP in 2008. Wise grant-makers are cognizant of the economic contribution of the “third sector”, and the value of investing in its healthy future.
In California, the Annenberg Foundation’s Capacity Building Initiatives are focused on strengthening community-based non-profit organizations, through grantseeker forums, board development/fundraising skills training, and participation in industry conferences. Another California grant-maker, the James Irvine Foundation, has recently committed $2 million to help seven organizations adapt to the economic downturn and build long-term financial health. And the U.S. – based Foundation Center’s capacity building resource list contains links to more than a dozen books, articles and case studies on the topic.
Are Canadian funders following suit? We’ll examine that question in our next issue of In Bloom.
