Archive for Sunday, July 20, 2008
Betsey Jay: Invest in good
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Steamboat Springs — We couldn't agree more with the phrase in your July 16 editorial that nonprofits "help form the fabric of our community." Here at the Yampa Valley Community Foundation, we see and support the great work of nonprofits every day.
However, we don't agree with your headline, "Nonprofit groups should tighten belts." Belt-tightening is not a new concept to nonprofit leaders in our community. In fact, it's their daily modus operandi. Nonprofit employees work with modest compensation, frequently without benefits, and already are experts at "getting by with less." These multi-taskers run mission-driven organizations while organizing volunteers and continuously raising funds from a variety of sources in order to make a difference.
To secure financial stability, organizations look to the four-legged stool: (1) charitable gifts from individuals; (2) private support from corporations and foundations; (3) income earned from fees for service; and (4) government support. This shared-cost model distributes funding responsibility and frequently leverages dollars through effective partnerships.
We can't argue that the livability of our city is, first and foremost, dependent on essential governmental services - water, power, roads, schools and law enforcement. At the same time, our quality of life - whether your favorite cause is kids, culture, healthcare or the environment - is directly impacted by the noble work of nonprofit organizations. Investing in the greater good isn't a bad idea, whoever you are.
Betsey Jay
Executive director, Yampa Valley Community Foundation
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