| |
|
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions: Section
II
Section I: Understanding
Local Government
Section III: Building Effective
Relationships
Section II: Understanding Nonprofits
Taken from: "A
Primer on Nonprofits "(And Why Working Together
is Good for Government and Communities) by Gita Gulati-Partee,
with contributions from Kate McGuire and Emily Crowder
What is a nonprofit corporation?
A nonprofit corporation is a private
corporation that works for the public's benefit. It
is separate and independent from government. Churches,
day care centers, arts programs, human services, and
youth centers are examples of the many nonprofits
with which we come into regular contact. Nonprofits
receive tax-exempt status in exchange for providing
a public benefit. Nonprofits may earn revenues, but
they cannot distribute profits for private gain by
individuals. Since nonprofits are guided by a specific
mission, staff and volunteers focus their work on
providing a specific public benefit. Governments may
choose to contract with nonprofits to provide community
services as a way of meeting their own public responsibilities.
What roles do nonprofits play in my
community? Why do they matter?
We often think of nonprofits serving
needy people - and they do. But nonprofits do much
more than that. They help connect the community to
the arts and culture, ensure public safety, help with
economic development, and provide mental health and
other social services. The nonprofit sector is having
a growing positive impact at local, state, and national
levels. As of October 2000, North Carolina has 29,337
nonprofit organizations. The scale and scope of the
nonprofit sector means that most citizens are working
with, for, or though a nonprofit at some time during
each week.
Local government cannot do everything.
How do nonprofits help address problems in my community?
Government is generally responsible
for the broad goal of serving the public at large.
Nonprofits usually serve particular groups of citizens,
and local governments can capitalize on that expertise
by seeking information from nonprofits for program
development or community problem solving. Additionally,
local government can contract with nonprofits for
services that the government probably cannot afford
to do efficiently. Local government officials also
can look to nonprofit leaders as a source of current
research or specialized knowledge. In order to bring
a voice or perspective for the community that might
not be represented otherwise, government officials
can ask nonprofits to sit on local government boards.
Because of their lean structures and close connections
to their client populations, nonprofits can quickly
identify trends and solutions, and adjust their strategies
as the needs of the community change.
|
