Non-Profit Directors Quiz the Candidates

Village of Hope

"How would you describe the impact nonprofits have on the city of Bemidji and the surrounding area? Do you have a sense of how may people our homeless shelter and our food shelf serve in a year?"

There were eleven non-profit directors present when candidates for city government met with them for a discussion last Friday. the event was organized by Community Resource Connections (Bemidji Council of Nonprofits). Unfortunately, because of the early morning time, only three of the invited eight were able to attend: candidate for Mayor, Ron Johnson, At-Large candidate, Jim Thompson, and yours truly.  (I'm running for Ward 4.) That was too bad because the discussion was interesting and frank and enlightening. For the three of us, the small number made for some good discussion.

"Do you have any thoughts about how we might improve our city transportation system? My clients have to wait an hour or more for a ride. There is not adequate transportation to accommodate the demands of employment."

We heard a lot of discontent about our transit system. Concerns were shared (via several stories) about unreliability, lateness and the perceived general inefficiency of the dial a ride system. There was a lot of support for a fixed route system.

"It would seem that some of the city council's processes for conversation and decision-making have been inefficient at best and in some cases, damaging to individuals and to the team that is meant to work together to deal with complex issues. Do you have any ideas on what can be done to improve the methods and systems for communication and problem-solving?"

Hmmm. I've observed the same thing myself. Yes I do have some ideas and I'll share them in a separate post.

"What are your thoughts about the changes happening at JEDC concerning Larry Young's retirement: Is there any possibility that a reconfiguration could include nonprofits as part of the area's economic development drivers?"

This question generated a lot of discussion about the impact of nonprofits in our community. They described their organizations as businesses that attract outside money, support substantial employee payrolls and provide local purchasing power. Should they be considered basic economic activities? Much of their budgets are generated by grants and funding from outside our community. This question will be easier to answer when the "asset mapping" project currently underway is finished. Agencies are completing a survey that will help quantify the impact or our nonprofit sector.

Other topics covered  included the potential for collaboration with the city (they want it), streamlining the housing development process (the JPB is unpredictable), questions about the event center (where do they fit in?) and regular opportunities to visit with local government (city and county).

It was clear to the three of us that these directors have a lot to say. And we have a lot to learn. (By the way, the shelter serves about 500 per year and the food shelf served 18,525 people last year.)

How to Turn $1 into $138? Give it to a Non-Profit

Non-profits provide great benefit to our communities and this study by the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy quantifies their impact. The comprehensive study of 15 Minnesota non-profits shows that for every dollar that foundations invest in the organizing and advocacy work of non-profits, there is a return on investment of $138 for communities.

The report went on to say that grantmakers can achieve the greatest return on investments by following these recommendations:

1. Increase the percentage of grant dollars devoted to advocacy, community organizing and civic engagement.
2. Engage board members and donors in dialogue about how advocacy and organizing can help a grantmaking institution achieve its long-term goals.
3. Strengthen peer learning and strategizing about advocacy and organizing.
4. Engage nonprofit partners in strategic planning and grantmaking process of foundations.
5. Apply a racial equity lens to grantmaking.
6. Provide general operating support and multiyear grants.

These are all important recommendations, but having foundations pay attention to number six would make a huge difference for non-profits who struggle to fund their operating expenses every year. Let's hope that the message is heard by foundations across the state.

Supporting Non-Profits: Got Any Good Ideas?

Times are tough. And according to Non-profit leaders, times are really tough for them. Non-profit executive directors are in a never ending quest for funding and are finding local government partnerships to be changing or ending all together.

In addition to contracting with non-profits for services, Beltrami County has a grant program funded by timber sales and distributed through a competitive application process. The County Board makes the final decisions. Unfortunately, the City of Bemidji doesn't have a pot of discretionary dollars to grant out to worthy causes. But that doesn't stop organizations from asking for donations in a variety of forms. In addition to donations for operations or matching funds, there are requests to forgive building fees, special assessments, and miscellaneous other permits and fees.

The City Council has currently imposed a moratorium on donations, but everyone knows that non-profits are essential to making our community livable. So how can the City support non-profits without handing out cash?

I was looking for an answer to that question when I attended the Non-profit Survival Summit recently (3/20) in Bemidji. The participants discussed the survival of non-profits in times of declining resources and increasing need. We identified challenges and opportunities facing organizations and the potential for working together to strengthen one another.

Consultant Jeanne Edevold Larson leads the planning session.

I didn't find any answers at the summit, but I hope to continue the conversation as the group continues to meet.

By the Numbers
67 - Number of non-profit organizations that gathered for the Non-profit Survival Summit in Bemidji
100s - Number of organizations listed on the Community Resource Connections that utilize volunteers
$12 billion - Value of wages paid to employees in the non-profit sector in MN according to this report (PDF)
$19.51 - Estimated dollar value of volunteer time in 2007 according to the Independent Sector
4 - Number of houses that Northwoods Habitat for Humanity built in 2008

Maybe it's time for a study of the non-profit sector in Bemidji to identify the economic impact that non-profits have. I believe we might be surprised at the number of employees working for non-profits and the value of the grants and contracts generated by non-profits for Bemidji. A study could be the basis for creating a policy to guide the City when requests for support are received. What do you think? Can the City of Bemidji find ways to support non-profits in our community that don't involve cash?