Real Need |
Nov 6, 2009 |
Every month, I see more unusual newsletters from organizations crying out for support. I am shocked at the breadth and type of nonprofits that exist. These organizations do everything from protecting amoebas to worshipping Zebras. The nonprofit sector, prior to our economic free-fall, was approaching 2 million organizations in number. The combined budgets of the nonprofit sector was over $2 trillion dollars, making it 1/25 of the total domestic product of our nation. Needless to say, nonprofit has grown to a massive business. Do all these organizations have a real purpose? Are they serving real needs? How are all these organizations surviving?
I recently had a call from a person who wanted to turn their for-profit company into a nonprofit. I asked a pretty simple question: “Why?”
This person replied, “I can’t making a living selling my product, so I figure I’ll just do the same thing as a nonprofit and have people give me money instead of doing sales.” At first, I thought this was a joke, but this person was serious. He wanted a handout and saw the nonprofit as the path to success.
We seem to be making up ideas for nonprofits faster than anyone can fund, and we aren't even sure if any real need truly exists. The end result is that this massive influx of so called "nonprofits” impacts all nonprofits. The nonprofit is supposed to do real service, make real benefit, and do meaningful things, not just form as a nonprofit because they can’t make it in the business world. When nonprofits become irrelevant, funding and volunteers will dry up. Those organization that can keep sharp focus on genuine need and can offer meaningful solutions will be the drivers of the nonprofit sector.
