V3 Campaign Updates

This past weekend, students nationally were lining up in caps and gowns to celebrate educational achievements. At Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, commencement speaker and V3 Campaign Founder Robert Egger recognized the vast increase in service by young people:

“You are the forefront of America’s most diverse generation ever – 60 million strong. Your generation has been raised doing community service,” Egger said. “Not since World War II has a generation answered the call to service in the numbers as this generation. The stakes for our country have never been higher.”

This same message of service was echoed at The George Washington University commencement, in which First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama recognized the 168,000 hours of community service performed by students.

“I promised you that if you performed 100,000 hours of service to the greater Washington community this school year, that I’d come and speak at your commencement. Well, I am a woman of my word!  So congratulations on this remarkable achievement.  Thank you for the incredible contributions that you’ve made to the lives of so many people.”

“And that’s what you guys have done, simply because this university decided to play a role in the life of its neighbors.  You have made immeasurable differences in the life of this community and to your country.  And you should be so proud, because we certainly are. And for every act of service that you performed for the community here in D.C., you committed yourselves to serving the greater global community, as well.”

The class of 2010 and those following in their footsteps are growing up in a culture of service. As nonprofit leaders, it is up to us to make sure that this incredible energy is put to the best  possible use. Let us ensure that the next generations of nonprofit leaders have the opportunity to grow and learn within our organizations.

The V3 Campaign is happy to announce the graduations of three of our  staff members. Volunteer staffer Lucia Chile has received a bachelor’s of science in foreign service degree from Georgetown University and Tim Gowa has received a bachelor’s degree in political science from The George Washington University. Director Courtney Sieloff has received a master’s degree in women’s studies and public policy from The George Washington University. Congratulations to our graduates.

Tim toasts to his graduation

At the V3 Campaign, we are seeking partners from all facets of the nonprofit sector who want to work together to demonstrate the economic value we offer our communities.

Today, pass this newsletter on to your nonprofit colleagues or contribute to the V3 Campaign!  With your help, we will be able to send our volunteer staffers to an upcoming organizer training!

Robert Egger explaining the importance of nonprofits and dispelling the “false notion that [nonprofits] don’t create anything of value.”

Please meet the amazing Maya Enista! Maya is the CEO of Mobilize.org

Mobilize.org was founded 8 years ago on the campus of UC Berkeley with the question, “If we aren’t advocating for ourselves, who will?” Over the past 8 years we have expanded into a national movement that has as its mission to “make democracy work better by investing in Millennial-driven solutions.” Our theory of change, entitled Democracy 2.0, was developed through collaborative processes between our staff, advisors, funders, and most importantly, grassroots networks. It begins with Millennials identifying problems at the local, state or national levels. Once problems are identified, citizens must work collaboratively to propose innovative solutions to the problems they have identified. Mobilize.org believes that Millennials are the best and most knowledgeable problem solvers in their communities and on their campuses, and it is our role to equip them with the resources necessary to improve their democracy by implementing their solutions. Through the success of citizen-generated initiatives, Mobilize.org’s end goal is to institutionalize these solutions, particularly those led by the Millennial Generation, as a staple of American governance at all levels.

What challenges do you see for nonprofit organizations?

This is an exciting and trying time for non-profits. I feel that the most important obstacles to address are the lack of collaboration and the tendency to function with a deficit mentality. In the time of restricting funding and economic distress, it’s important that non-profits collaborate, share resources, best practices, etc. and work to reduce redundancy and increase efficacy. Additionally, it’s crucial that we begin to understand and recognize the immense value that our work creates (as V3 knows!) as an economic, cultural, social and political force.

How do you view the relationship between nonprofit organizations and elected officials?

I believe it needs to be strengthened and I very much appreciate the work of V3 in this area. I was surprised to learn that approximately 10% of our nation’s non-profit workforce is in the state of NY and I imagine there are tons of other similar statistics that underline the crucial role that non-profits play in our communities, counties and states. This stories need to be elevated and the voice of the NP sector needs to be amplified to ensure that we’re spearheading and supporting laws that protect, benefit and build our sector and allow us to continue our important work.

What would you want elected officials to know about the work that your organization does?

Our work is about empowering the Millennial Generation to build the democracy that they want to inherit and it’s essential that we engage with our elected officials to learn from their experience, share our knowledge and build partnerships that ensure a robust, participatory democracy. We might not be able to do it without you, but you can’t do it without us…

What advice would you offer to people graduating from college this week?

When I was younger, I remember my mom telling me that if I am lucky enough to find a job that I love, I’ll never work a day in my life. It’s just recently that I’ve begun to understand what she means. I wake up each morning so grateful for the opportunity to work with people whom I admire, doing work that I love. I know I’m lucky and I wish that for this year’s graduates, who have endless potential, opportunity and energy.

The News and Views roundup brings you articles to keep you informed about legislation and trends affecting the nonprofit community now.

Nonprofit arts organizations working together to fight budge cuts

At midnight on May 15, an estimated one-fifth to one-quarter of some 1.6 million charities, trade associations and membership groups will lose their tax exemptions, thanks to a provision buried in a 2006 federal bill aimed at pension reform

What sets a nonprofit organization apart is its mission, at two levels. At the level of the not for profit sector, nonprofit organizations exist to do some good piece of work in the world; they don’t have making a profit in their mission.

Many of these young people are under 20 – and they are already making big waves in their communities!

There are many rules and guidelines for nonprofits becoming involved in advocacy, but a nonprofit attorney in Tennessee, Stewart Clifton, put together a guide for 501(c)(3). It explains the “do’s and don’ts” for nonprofits looking to advocate for their cause. This 2010 election is important and this guide will help us have our voices heard both locally and federally.

Check out the guideline and pass it along!

Often we do not take the time to meet our elected leaders until we need something or if there is a crisis situation.  However, waiting until this time is often too late in the game.  In Toledo, the United Way and a few other nonprofits recognized this fact and organized a creative solution to bridge the “meet” gap between elected officials and nonprofit leaders.

In January, these Toledo nonprofit leaders came together with their elected officials in a comfortable setting allowing for relationship building and informal discussions.

In an article printed in the Toledo Free Press, Mayor Mike Bell stated: “This is a great opportunity for our service organizations to network, but more importantly it is an opportunity for everyone to come together to see how the organizations can help one another, and how elected officials can help them to access resources they need to provide assistance to our citizens.”

This can be done in your city too!  The V3 Campaign is happy to work with you to create events like this in your hometown. Let us use our political campaign experience to help you reach out to your elected officials!  Please reach out to us for more information on how you can make this happen in your community.

More than a few of us over at V3 Campaign headquarters have spent many a long and sleepless night dreaming of a future where the nonprofit sector comes together to realize  our collective economic power to exert greater influence in policy and politics.

As Debra Blum reports, our dreams are becoming reality faster than even we anticipated. Minnesota’s local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity upended the once faux pas of the nonprofit world – lobbying – to seek support from state lawmakers.  Unfortunately the full article lies behind the great Chronicle of Philanthropy’s paywall, but it’s worth a close look:

“Roughly 200 staff members and volunteers from Minnesota’s Habitat for Humanity affiliates are expected to attend an advocacy event this month at the state capitol. They plan to meet with lawmakers to seek continued support, push policies that promote low-cost housing, and speak in favor of bills on foreclosures.

“For most of the participants—described by an organizer as “willing but nervous”—it will be an introduction to Habitat’s new lobbying.”

For us, this is a big win. Once a few nonprofits begin recognizing their ability to advocate during the political process, it opens the door to a transformation in the way we think, act and lead.

We invite you to take the first step with us.  Join colleagues from across the nonprofit sector at our 2010 kickoff event: this Wednesday at 6 p.m at the dynamic Busboys and Poets . In just a few short days, Robert Egger will celebrate a bold shift in how nonprofit leaders approach their work. RSVP today.

V3 Campaign founder Robert Egger sat down with Zach Maurin, executive director of ServeNext.org, to talk a little about the need for a united nonprofit sector. Check out this video for a casual sit-down talk with Robert and Zach!

Robert and Zach

We will be hosting our 2010 Campaign Kickoff event and Fundraiser Wednesday, March 31^st at 6 p.m. at the DC location of Busboys and Poets. Please RSVP and join us for our first step in creating a united nonprofit sector!

Our event will feature Steve Gunderson, CEO of the Council on Foundations and a former representative from Wisconsin. Gunderson will speak about the importance of elected officials working closely with nonprofit organizations in their districts, and provide tips for nonprofits on how to engage elected officials.  Nonprofit leaders are encouraged to attend.

“Nonprofits generate 10 percent of the GNP, pay 10 percent of American wages, and represent 14 million workers,” said Robert Egger, V3 Campaign founder and president of noprofit powerhouse DC Central Kitchen. “But with all this impact, nonprofits are not considered a constituency group during campaigns or the legislative process.  We’re going to change that.”

Every nonprofit is a small business and a valuable member of each community – members of the community that elected officials cannot ignore. We are looking to ensure every legislative office has a dedicated staffer whose responsibilities include sustained communication and collaboration with nonprofits in their district. This Campaign Kickoff celebrates the 2010 election season.

The Kickoff will take place at 6 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. on March 31^st at Busboys and Poets, 2021 14^th Street NW. Admission with suggested donation of $100. Please donate today!

Robert Egger created the V3 Campaign to bring people together in order to create a New Deal for this country and educate nonprofit leaders about their organizations’ impact. This new organization envisions an American economy powered by social enterprise. We are seeking a new era where the biggest employers believe that the good of their community can also impact the bottom line. We are not talking about a socialized economy, but an economy driven by its society.

The V3 Campaign believes that the key to actualizing this new vision is a unified and empowered nonprofit sector whose values are known, whose voice is heard, and whose vote is an instrument of change.

The first step is recognizing nonprofits’ collective value. Today, the citizen sector generates 10% of the gross national product, pays 10% of wages and represents 14 million American workers. However, these contributions to social and economic well-being often go unrecognized by elected officials and the general public.

The mission of the V3 Campaign is to help people appreciate that a large part of our national productivity is already generated by philanthropic organizations and to encourage more and better support for the charitable sector. This can be accomplished by working with decision makers at all levels to make it known that a philanthropy-driven economy is not really a revolution – just common sense.

Each month, our newsletter will offer information for the common values and shared issues of the nonprofit community.  For decades philanthropic organizations have been the place where people come together, but now it is time to create the common ground for nonprofit unity.

This month begins a conversation about what we will achieve when we work together.  Join the dialogue with the V3 Campaign and our network this month through our blog, website and Twitter feed to get news and views on why nonprofits win when we are all in—together.