That’s right Red Leader. Almost there! Stay on Target!

You’ll be o.k.

And, while I may not have had the Deathstar to blow up, I did have a research paper due yesterday. It was a ton of work, but I had a great time. Really. I'd like to compare it to having a bunch of puzzle pieces and dumping them out onto a table, and then having to put them together again. I actually quite surprised that no one resource had really compiled the rich history of nonprofits in our cycling community. I think it would make for a great lecturing piece. Any ways, I wanted to leave you with an summary of what I learned from the paper. So, here it is.

"Nonprofits have shared over a century of history with the cycling community. Organizations repeatedly met the needs of the cyclist when collaboration and advocacy was necessary to address inherent challenges of our car-centric society. Yet it wasn’t until the environmentalist movement and the advent of the mountain bike that two dynamic subcultures converged, adding momentum to an already burgeoning cycling lifestyle. With the transportation funding beginning to trickle to the cycling infrastructure, clubs and organizations recognized the power of advocacy. Signaled by the ISTEA of 1991 the role of advocacy and lobbying amongst bike nonprofits was to irrevocably change. Cycling’s new face of advocacy was cemented with the America Bikes coalition. This collective represented some of the most influential nonprofits from the world of cycling. With newfound collaboration, advocates realized an opportunity to add clear, undisputable quantification to benefits supported by previously unsubstantiated, anecdotal evidence. The Benchmark Project was introduced in 2003, and continues to define and affirm the advantages of active transportation. Backed by a government that understands these advantages and demonstrates that comprehension by funding cycling infrastructure, bike nonprofits are poised to take the next evolutionary step. Loek Heseman’s report reveals the importance of tapping into cycling’s social relevance. What capacity nonprofits have in the future of the cycling community relies on the activation of the bike culture."

If you could cram ~10 pages of cycling nonprofit goodness down to a paragraph, that was it. Whew.

So, is this the last post you'll see from me? Nah. Count on me chiming in from time to time, in hopes to elucidate the role of bike in nonprofits, nonprofits in bikes, and Magnum P.I. in shorts.

-michael

ps. And, yes Celeste, now we do the dance of joy.

Back in teh days...

I sit at today’s blog fully prepared to muse the intricacies of foundations and their benevolent gifts to our society. And, to be honest now that I’ve mentioned it, I really don’t want to deny you, the intrepid reader, the exercise your noggin undoubtedly needs. But, I feel that inevitable crush that happens near the end of each term. It’s that anxious yet pleasant feeling relating all of our work up to this point. That moment of sublime that flickers, and we, in its fleeting warmth, somehow experience wholeness.

Call it nostalgia. I dunno.

We’ve had a good run in PPPM 280. Nonprofits. I mean, whoa. Right? Well, in a way, yes. It is pretty mind blowing. Most people unfamiliar with the nonprofit sector really have no grasp of its sheer depth. I’ve come to learn that the nonprofit sector is pretty dern pervasive in our culture. I’d venture to say without it, our country would be seriously lacking. Admittedly, up to about three months ago I was one of those people. Now, those who know me must be thinking, “Dir sir, I do believe you are mistaken. Surely, you must remember some PPPM 480 (nonprofit management)?”

Hmmm. Well, yes, and no. Yes I do remember 480. And, yes, there was some crossover. But, really from when we started this class, I feel like I have a much better understanding of the big picture of things. Actually, in most respects I found having taken the courses out of succession contributed to that understanding. Having the intro class allowed me to step back and utilize some of my current knowledge to clarify how nonprofits are at work within our lives.

Memories. The relics of 280 I will not shortly forget in no particular order.

#1. Bob and his diligent use of PowerPoint. In all honesty, it was some of the most engaging use of slides I’ve experienced. He is truly the sharpest tack to wield a clicker.

#2 Sarah and her invaluable words of wisdom and, at times, diverging perspective. Also, kudos to Sarah for her relentless efforts in bringin’ back the use of the word “homies”.

#3 Greg and his bike- responsible for making tardiness stylish again.

#4 Ted and his elucidation of a colonial Oregon. And, his bike too.

#5 Julia. For clarifying discussions through her limitless library of anecdotal wisdom.

#6 Each and everyone who gave so much of themselves to this class to further our discussions, and inspire thought.

I’d like to talk a bit about class. I’ll forgo the obvious pun, and confirm that yes indeed, I am talking about PPPM 280. Those following closely from the internets may wish to go back to watching reruns of Simon & Simon on hulu, but for those interested in my thoughts about the class structure itself, please follow along. For one, I’d like to give mad props to the blog. This blog proved to be a great tool to unload what we as students, because of the class, were caused to think. Two things come to mind about the blog. First, the blog just works. It allows a more casual atmosphere and gives people a chance to grow out of their usual inhibitions. Secondly, I do think that other students checking in on our work helps keep things from getting too crazy- shirtless Sellecks aside. Another aspect that proved very insightful was the guest speakers. I feel we were really treated to some great presentations. Having that human element applied to an otherwise, bureaucratic, and at times dull field, helped inspire us. But, lastly this course wouldn’t be able to cover such breadth as it did without the guidance of both Bob and Sarah.

Thanks You!

Enronmental Nonprofits

The spokes, they may be rusty, but they ain’t broke yet. Bent? Maybe. On that thought, if you haven’t had a chance to build up a set o’ wheels, do it. It’s not as hard as you think and it’s quite a rewarding experience. I liken it to learning to sew. Or, perhaps constructing a wheelset is the bike nerdery equivalent of crocheting. For certain, though, the task is, in one way or another, meditative.

So, what have I been meditating on? Well, for one, I’ve yet to answer whether Higgins was really Robin Masters. I think so, but who knows?

Ehrm… nonprofits?

Yes, of course, that other thing occupying my thoughts- the nonprofit sector.

Specifically, today I found myself thinking of environmental nonprofits. Why? Well, the obvious reason is our lecture/discussion session from class last week… 2 we, ahem, 3 weeks ago. But, unless you’ve had your head buried in that copy of Atlas Shrugged oft found hidden under your mattress, you’ve probably noticed the horrendous spew of oil welling up from the Gulf floor. At the time of this writing, we’ve been subjected to 40 days of an uncontained 210,000 gallons (low estimate) of oil per day. Blargh! Blargh indeed. British Petroleum or, for the acronym savvy- BP, has come under scathing criticism for their handling of the Gulf fiasco. The debacle has brought light to a conundrum faced by environmental nonprofits that have become reliant on corporate funding. As society has become more hip to the environmental needs of our planet, nonprofits once at odds with industries and corporations alike have been awash in recent attention from companies looking to “green up” their image. Conflict of interest? Meh, I suppose. If you’re funded by BP? Good luck.

Check it out: BP oil spill poses PR dilemma for nonprofits or (So Much Drama In the LBC)

LBC?

Alright, well, if you simply cannot find the motivation to read the article, I’ll front ya the low down. Basically, BP funded a sea otter habitat for the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. In light of the recent drilling botch, the aquarium president had a decision- downplay their affiliation with BP or embrace the mullah. What do you think he did? BP just dropped a cool million for kids to hi-five Long Beach’s finest entourage of smug little sea otters. Can you blame him for taking the money?

Arguably, there is something smart in his choice. BP is in public relations hell. Normally they’d be happy for the headline to read “Petrol Giant BP Coddles Furried Friends”. Instead, the headline somewhere reads “This Just In, BP Is A Hypocritical Jerk”. More than likely, however, the aquarium’s decision was based on continual funding needs. But, one can hope they were snarky enough to at least think of the irony. Admittedly, Americans aren’t real quick to pickup on life’s subtleties. We do, however, tend to hone in on the irony of things. And, ironic as it may seem, we must ask ourselves “Is the problem in the funding that BP provides?” Nope. The issue is that they fund environmental organizations while destroying ecosystems. Now if BP really meant it when they changed their slogan to “Beyond Petroleum”, we probably wouldn’t be in this pickle.

I’d like to think I’m a fair guy. So, I’ll offer the other perspective on this one. BP isn’t necessarily the shining example of eco-friendliness that they prostitute themselves out to be. They have a laundry list of environmental infractions they’d like us to forget. And maybe it’s working. I personally didn’t know the magnitude of their prior offenses. I doubt many do. I can recall the countless ads touting BP’s research into alternative energy production. Reality check. BP’s supplies a mere 4% of their exploratory budget into seeking “green” energy. Dadgummit! I’d been GreenWarshed!

This is what we’re up against folks. Granted not all corporate affiliations rest in such hypocrisy. But, still we, as some component of the nonprofit sector, must query- “Should environmental nonprofits accept funding from such corporations?”

In my tradition of idealistic guarded optimism, yes. To explain, I’ll use Apple Computers as an example. There was a time not to long ago when their laptops and computers contained a bunch of toxic metals. Long story short- now they don’t. How are Dell, HP, or anyone else expected to compete? They need to follow suit. Point being, I don’t feel these marketing types are as smart as they think they are. Right now our culture is in the middle of a green revolution. Corporations are so reactive. They focus on short-term goals and quick money. If Wal*Mart wants to act green? Let ‘em. Nasty companies want to fund nonprofits? Go for it. Really, I think they’re shooting themselves in the foot with this one. If their focus groups indicate this as some trend to tap into, they’re ignoring the obvious. This isn’t a pair of Jordan’s we’re talkin’ ‘bout here. This is a way of life. As environmentalism becomes continually more pervasive, companies will no longer be simply following a trend. They will be part of a much larger requisite shift in how they operate.

TTFN,

Miguel

Research Paper...

To prepare the intrepid bloggists and blog followers unfamiliar with the happenings of our class, I’ll clue you in. As the conclusion of 3PM 280 draws neigh, so too, must we conjure the triumphant display of our procured knowledge from the nonprofit world. In non-bloggenese dialect, I’m referring to, of course, our research paper. So, with that being said, I give you my abstract, my inspiration, and a few resources that I plan on using. Enjoy!

What is the role of nonprofits in the cycling community? Specifically, what progression has the role of nonprofits had in cycling, how do they currently function, and what path can we expect from this movement in the future? The relationship between cycling and nonprofits is a unique one. The growth of cycling’s role in active transportation is multifaceted. Distinct to biking is the merging of cultural, societal, and infrastructural needs. Most notable about this marriage of opportunities is the ability to quantify progress in an otherwise abstract area. With funding options often hindered by requisite progress or goal reports, nonprofits unable to valuate their impact are left with little support. By exploring the roles nonprofits assume within cycling we can achieve a more coherent map of how to approach this bridge between the quantifiable and progress otherwise undefined by the empirical.

In any instance of deficit, charitable giving and altruism have sought to tackle the challenges we face as a society. The nonprofit sector tends to mirror our approach to meeting these needs. At one point in history we gave simply for the sake of helping others in need. Arguably, in the name of efficiency this transitioned to the explicit need to assign a value to the achievements made by such giving. While the benefits of this approach may have finally been realized with the recent increase in government support, giving based on measure alone creates hurdles within the nonprofit sector. Nonprofits struggle to receive support when their mission ties directly to strengthening the community or building social capitol. Rather than focusing on the organization’s goal, nonprofits are often compelled to divert energy and resources into creating methods to measure their impact. An analysis of the nonprofit sector’s relationship with the cycling community may provide insight into how organizations can activate the cultural element of a given cause. There is a common goal for organizations in their approach to cycling- increase ridership. The knowledge gained come from how we foster that ridership can provide insight into what works and what doesn’t in a field otherwise dominated by quantifiable data. When a city builds bike and pedestrian pathways, we expect increased use. Yet a more dynamic approach may be to spur usage by utilizing societal and cultural elements within the community at large. When nonprofits add bike parks, teach bike education in schools, hold group rides, bike scavenger hunts, and fund bike related art projects, they are building our cycling community through cultural relevance. Documented increase in bike usage comes from applying that cultural connection. Quantifying the unquantifiable, something bike nonprofits do well.

Here’s a sampling of resources that I plan on using for the paper.

http://brmba.org/index.php

http://bikeportland.org/

http://www.bta4bikes.org/

Heseman, Loek. Cycling in the Pacific Northwest. 1997. Dutch Ministry of Transportation, Public Works, and Water Management

Peters, Deike. Por El Futuro, Usemos Bicicletas: Feasibility Study for a Cycling Network in Managua. 1997. Institute for transportation and Development Policy

http://www.copenhagenize.com/

http://africabike.konaworld.com/

Last time I left ya’ll with some unanswered questions:

What does this mean for the future of the nonprofit sector?

What happens when the needs are met for social services, healthcare, and education?

Will I continue to unabashedly use the 80’s to my own device?

Let me try to answer those in the least verbose manner possible.

Opportunity.

Progress.

Is Cabot Cove the murder capitol of the world? You Bet!

Now allow me to expound on this reply in a manner that falls within 500-750 words. Opportunity. Some who’ve been following along may recall an earlier post referencing this concept of opportunity, yet until now I’ve remained somewhat aloof on the matter. The knee-jerk response, may lead many to assume I’m referring to the recent influx of federal support and, in a way, they’d be correct. I’ll explain. We’ve witnessed a massive policy shift with regards to the current administration’s healthcare revamp. While we have yet to fully realize the changes this may have on the nonprofit sector, specifically nonprofit healthcare, it is undoubtedly apparent that some impact will occur. The hope is that the government will alleviate some of the burden currently saddled on charitable healthcare institutions. At face value it may seem as though additional requirements may hinder these healthcare providers, I’d argue that the new regulations will only act to strengthen the core services that relate to the nonprofit’s mission. Similarly, we see the government working with many nonprofit organizations to restructure the failing education of our youth. Whether it is healthcare, education, or social services, our government continues to either adopt certain approaches and policies initially implemented by nonprofit organizations or provide direct support to those organizations.

Opportunity. So, is the opportunity in the support we see from the govt? Meh, you could argue that I’m sure. Where the real opportunity exists lies in the new wave of nonprofits we see emerging as the current lot of nonprofits that have been struggling are fostered in some way by our federal institutions. Which leads me to my next point. Progress. The change is happening now. Now, of course, is a relative term. Now, for the sake of this rant, references the next 10 yearsish. What happens in the next decade will shape the direction of our evolving culture. I’ll contend that nonprofits have been and will remain a reflection of our society. Nonprofits are a reflection in such that the sector reflects our need to tackle the social deficiencies of our nation. For the sake of this blog I’ll say the opportunity is not in the support we receive in the nonprofit sector, but in the support that is not present- the lack of funding. The absence of support is what drives innovation and creativity amongst nonprofits. It forces collaboration and efficiency.

Perhaps I’m too idealistic. I’d like to clarify one thing, though. Not for a moment do I think that, with regards to social services, healthcare, or education, we are there yet. We’ve come a long way and we still have many challenges to overcome. I will say with certain idealism that the direction of the nonprofit sector will see a shift from the reactive, quantitative programs, to services that mend the societal rifts that afflict our communities, proactive organizations whose benefits cannot be gauged by numbers.

BAM! 554.

Right about now I’m sure you have some questions rattling around up there. They probably fall into one of the following basic categories.

- 1. “Who is ALF and why is he running for president?”

- 2. “Do nonprofits actually taste like cats?”

- 3. “Really, Michael. Why on earth would you dredge up an artifact like ALF and discuss it here on your nonprofit blog”

- 4. “I was more of a Perfect Strangers type of guy/gal, can you somehow relate the nonprofit sector to that show?”

- 5. “I’ll cut to the chase, is it hard being an unappreciated genius?”

Now, here comes the fun part. I will make an attempt to provide an evaluation of you based on the proximity of your thoughts to these five questions. Why? Because I find it mildly humorous… and it provides me with a quasi-interesting lead in to the topic of today’s post.

If you answered:

1- I’m sorry, but there are inherently at least two things wrong with this statement. First, if you don’t know who ALF is, that means you either were born post-ALF and therefore this and all future inquiries bear little meaning to the scribe of learnings artfully presented before you, or your life coincided with the glory of Gordon Shumway and, yet, your subconscious chose to ignore his greatness. Second, do you really need to question his quest for presidency?

2- Similar to the number above, but it shows me your thinking outside of the box. I like that.

3- Ah. You know of the ALF, but fail to see the application herein the world of the nonprofit sector. Congratulations. You are tragically hip. Now, go back to re-watching your boxed set of Six Feet Under.

4- Will you marry me?

5- My work here is done. The teacher has become student.

Ugh, get to the point already.

So, as you may have guessed it, if there was one thing that has shaped my life, for better or worse, more so than bikes, it is 80’s pop culture. It’s what I grew up with. Whether it was Magnum P.I., Murder She Wrote, or Reaganomics, I am what I am because of it.

As life has charted this path for me, so has it the journey of the nonprofit sector. I won’t get into the detailed history of organized philanthropy over the last century or so, but I would like to examine what has happened over the last several decades. Why focus on this temporal chunk of nonprofitness? Well, what has taken place recently in the sector has had a dramatic impact on the growth and future roles of nonprofits. America rode into the eighties on the coattails of many federally enacted policies and programs. The progressive nature of the 60’s and 70’s only served to incubate any number of services dedicated to the social welfare of our country. However, there seemed to be a fair amount of backlash to this liberal mindset during the 80’s. Politicians levied the goal of “getting America back on track” against many of these services that relied on federal support. The 80’s were a time in which conservatism ushered a shift within the nonprofit sector. Reagan had successfully decentralized government spending. To a point that support, which had previously fostered social welfare programs, had all but dried up. In a way this allowed altruism to do what it does best and help those now in need. Interestingly, this void left by unfunded or terminated federal programs spurred the growth of the nonprofit sector to become what it is today.

The irony, of course, is that post Reagan/Bush, we saw a massive influx of funding for both federal programs and support through federal grants to nonprofits. This accelerated the process of nonprofits filling a need in an absence of government intervention, the government eventually funding those said nonprofits, and the subsequent adoption of the nonprofits’ programs as a formal gov’t institution. It is the very model of efficiency. The government is allowed to distance itself from perhaps more radical or presently socially unacceptable programs, until the time is right to fund those programs or adopt them as their own. An example might be the needle exchange program. Junkies hooked on smack would be much less likely to contract diseases from shared needle use if the clean needles were readily available. Adopting a policy like this may have been political suicide, especially during the “war on drugs”, but organizations implemented the program, shared the results (a 2cent needle vs. a lifetime of healthcare costs) and eventually gained backing from gov’t. agencies.

What does this mean for the future of the nonprofit sector? What happens when the needs are met for social services, healthcare, and education? These questions and more to be answered, assuredly, at length, perhaps without 80’s pop references, next week. For now that’s all from The Rusty Spoke.

-michael

My most sincere apologies for the delay. I’m certain word has spread like a wildfire and many have been eagerly awaiting my weekly deluge of nonprofit goodness. We’ll you’re in luck. Put on you’re rain slicks ‘cause this is gonna be a torrent. You’re probably asking yourself “What on earth could possibly impede the conscious stream of intellect that flows so gracefully before my eyes?” One word- taxes. Lame excuse, I know. But, there is a silver lining to the bureaucratic cloud that looms over the week of April 15th. I was, for lack of better word, inspired.

As frequently happens ‘round Duncan Manor, I was conversing with a friend about the nonprofit sector and queried, “By chance, is there any thing you find perplexing about nonprofits?” Her response, “So, nonprofits- they can’t make any money?” With enthusiasm and subtle arrogance I relay that this is a fairly common misconception. Of course they can! Otherwise we probably wouldn’t ’ve witnessed support for such fervent growth in recent years. The next line of thought asks how one really defines the nonprofit sector and what motivates persons otherwise capable of working for the “for profit” world to jump ship and go, erhm… profitless?

Most readings I’ve come across suggest that for many it is more straightforward to define what a nonprofit isn’t rather than what it is, or perhaps it is easier to contrast the differences between gov’t, private, and nonprofit sectors. Well, I’ll save the philosophical thinkings for another time. For now I’d like to focus on a few things:

-Skrilla and how nonprofits make it.

-How this eventually ties into me and my taxes

-If at all possible, I’ll work in an example relating to bikes

Cash Rules Everything Around Me.

Often times I feel that much of life’s lessons ought be learned through the lyrical waxings of the Wu-Tang Clan. The concept is no different when applied to the world of nonprofits. While volunteerism is an integral part of the nonprofit sector, there are paid employees just like anywhere else. Where a nonprofit may differ from a business is the lack of profit sharing. If the year was good for a given organization and they sold more colored bracelets, stainless steel water bottles, canvas grocery bags, or whatever hip-to- slap-your-name-on product that happened to be hella rad this year, they cannot give the extra income to officers, members, or directors. It must go back into the organization. So, to again answer my friends question in a very public forum, yes, nonprofits can and do make money on a regular basis. Most nonprofits can take in revenue any number of ways. Funds can come from individual donors, grants, membership fees, and income from goods or services provided. And, yes, employees of nonprofits can be paid competitive wages- despite the stigma associated with the sector. As of note, wages are kept in check by an unpaid board of directors. Just in case anyone was getting the idea of starting a nonprofit and paying themselves eleventy-billion dollars.

Me and my taxes. I pay them and nonprofits don’t.

I always find that quite a bit of folks I talk to are really, really interested in the tax-exempt status of nonprofits. It’s as if there is some secret society of people that don’t pay taxes. There is this surreptitious element to it- like celebrity gossip or scientology. Well, let us take a peek behind Oz’s curtain.

To clarify not all nonprofits are tax exempt, just those classified as 501(c)(3)-(27).

And, that encompasses all sorts of different types of nonprofits ranging from trade associations to social clubs. The big one, however, is the 501(c)(3). This group includes private foundations and public charities such as religious, educational, scientific organizations, among others. What makes a nonprofit that is 501(c)(3) status unique, is that contributions to such an organization are tax deductible. I made no contributions worth claiming this year, so I was outta luck. Maybe next year.

Oh and the bike example. Well, I’d like to look into this a bit more, but right now I’m thinkin’

-Charitable Organization Provides Youth Outdoor Bike Program

-Land Donated to Organization is Write Off?

-Nonprofit Owned Land Exempt from Property Taxes

I’ll try to track down a good one for ya next time.

-michael