By Ashley Leasure
Despite the economic downturn, we’re calling on individuals to step up to help the nonprofit sector.
We know the news. For the past year our region — along with the rest of the nation — has been struggling with the realities of the economic downturn. Many have lost jobs. We’ve seen the value of our investments and our homes decline. State, county and municipal governments have slashed budgets. Businesses are struggling with lower profits.
Something that is often overlooked, but is so important, is how this economic downturn has affected the third pillar that makes up the community — the nonprofit sector. This community safety net has been hit especially hard as government grants and business sponsorships and donations have diminished.
According to a study by the Giving USA Foundation, charitable giving across the country fell in 2008 by the largest percentage in five decades. Individuals and institutions made gifts and pledges of $307.65 billion, a decrease of 5.7 percent on an inflation-adjusted basis over the $314 billion given in 2007. About two-thirds of public charities saw donations decrease in 2008. The outlook for next year remains uncertain.
On Friday, Nov. 13, nonprofits throughout the state of Washington will celebrate National Philanthropy Day, a time to honor organizations and individuals for the time, energy and money they donate to nonprofits in our state.
Locally, Nancy Skinner Nordhoff will be honored as Outstanding Philanthropist for her impact on numerous organizations around Seattle and on Whidbey Island, where she founded Hedgebrook, a writer’s retreat for women, and the Goosefoot Community Fund to sustain the rural character of the island.
In honor of National Philanthropy Day and the efforts of all those who contribute, we are calling on individuals in the community to reach a little deeper. If you thought philanthropy was important in boom times, it’s even more important in times when we’re struggling. Now is the time for individuals to engage mentally, physically and financially.
Who will step in to help when no one else can? These local nonprofits pick up the slack. If they can’t support people in these difficult times, who will?
American history shows us that when times are tough, people come together and help each other. Now is the time to step up. Think about a time in your own life when someone helped you or when you were inspired by another. Consider paying back an individual or an organization in the same way. Celebrate what’s right in the world, and use these troubling times as an inspiration to do something for others in the community.
Ashley Leasure owns OrangeGerbera, Inc., a local consulting firm that primarily works with nonprofit organizations including several Whidbey Island organizations. She is also a board member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Ð Washington. AFP Ð Washington works to advance philanthropy through advocacy, research, education and certification programs, fosters development and growth of fundraising professionals, and promotes high ethical standards in the fundraising profession. For more information, visit www.afpwashington.org.
