On Wednesday, I got a call from a long term client. He asked me if I was still working with nonprofits’ partners. I told him COVID19 was taking up much of my time. I was having discussions with several nonprofits. I wasn’t certain where these discussions would end up.
He asked if he could send me a press release that had just come across his desk. He asked me to read it and set up time to talk. I asked him if it could wait.
When he said no, I knew something was wrong. This client is the most compassionate person I know. He sent me the following press release It’s about how nonprofits are being impacted by COVID19. Here are the numbers from the press release:
- 12 million workers in America’s charities are on the frontlines of the coronavirus response. This is the equivalent of over 4 times Wal-Mart’s workforce!
- Those 12 million workers in nonprofits are 10% of the U.S. GDP.
- The financial impact of this crisis has put the survival of many essential service providers at risk. They need funding to retain them.
- Nonprofits are on the frontline serving people, especially those in need. They need business continuity relief.
Two things we need to do to help our nonprofits:
- Gift nonprofit payroll tax credit relief as this is the most significant tax they pay.
- Provide an” above the line” or universal charitable deduction for contributions through the end of 2021.
I’m sure other countries have similar relief available.
I know about 35% of my readers are in other countries around the world. Many of them do significant volunteer work with a variety of nonprofits in their areas of expertise. We need even more participation to help people in our nonprofit communities. Many are on the front lines today serving others.
I have written many blogs on the power of nonprofits to transform a person’s life and the people around them. The numbers I share above would be similar in many parts of the world based on my experience and my heavily used CIA Fact book.
I personally know what volunteering did for me at age 13. It’s continued every year since. I can only think of one year that I wasn’t involved in nonprofits. That was the year my wife had open heart surgery. That year I curtailed almost all of my activities.
Many of my friends are struggling. Many own their own businesses or work for smaller businesses. Their organizations have been hard hit by the Coronavirus. They are not certain they will survive. Several former larger clients have begun laying off people. I’m getting calls on a regular basis.
What can I do for my friends and nonprofits? How can we help people get back on their feet? It’s hard to be grateful when things are this challenging. This is when I’m grateful for having the ability to just ignore or, as my father used to say, bend reality. Serving leaders are great recruiters to causes greater than themselves. It allows us to use our God given gifts of collaboration, community, and creativity.
Here’s my solution. I’m going to share with you how to build extraordinary partnerships between nonprofits, businesses, and the government organizations. I can manage the first two with help from friends. I need your help to reach out to your government officials. WE need their help. Every person can make a huge difference by reaching out to their elected officials today!
I’ll start collecting favors from many people I know. We will begin to share how to create extraordinary partnerships between nonprofits and business. If you master this skill, we can still make 2020 the best year ever.