“It’s time for us to realize that democracy is not a spectator sport.”
Sam Daley-Harris, founder of RESULTS
What kind of day was it that turned on 18 diverse nonprofit leaders from Montana? Lit a fresh fire in the heart of a missionary reverend from Connecticut? Created bright eyes and smiles on the faces of young women from one of Pennsylvania’s largest foundations? It was a day when over 100 people from 28 states called on approximately 110 of their Members of Congress. Indeed, it was Lobby Day, the concluding day of the Nonprofit Congress National Meeting here in Washington DC. What better way to end our own congress than taking our message about supporting and partnering with America’s nonprofits to the Hill.
It was a day of enthusiasm beginning with a breakfast on the Hill where we were welcomed by bipartisan representatives of the Senate Finance Committee. It was a day of citizenship for those who had made time to tell their stories and bring their messages to elected officials. It was a day of empowerment when people realized that they are constituents in a sector that is a key partner with government and who have a voice that will be listened to by their elected officials. It was a day of learning the truth that Sam Daley-Harris speaks of in his book, Reclaiming our Democracy:
“By and large, members of Congress are dedicated, committed people who got caught without us. We sent them to Washington and then we abandoned them there. It’s time for us to get back into action.”
And that we did by bringing members of Congress our stories from the field about the good work that nonprofits are doing at home. By reminding them of how we leverage resources to benefit communities in their states. And by widening the circle of the Nonprofit Capacity Building Initiative.
In these times of state budget deficits, a weakening economy, and job shifts that will occur as a result of the “party being over” with cheap oil, the need for the federal government to partner with the nonprofit sector to meet this country’s expanding needs feels like a history-making milestone. The milestone where both the existing and latent capacities of the sector are recognized in a new way, our work is reframed and honored in compelling language, and the partnership is recognized with new ties and tools of governance. As Rusty Schweichert the astronaut put it, “We aren’t passengers on spaceship earth. We’re the crew…” And the nonprofit crew is finding its voice, and using it!
UPDATE: This post was featured as part the Carnival of Nonprofit Consultants weekly roundup, up at the Donor Power Blog.
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