It’s not surprising that nonprofits have struggled during the Great Recession, as charitable giving and government investment in public structures have declined and the demand for nonprofits’ essential services has risen dramatically. It’s also unsurprising that these struggles are deeply affecting the most vulnerable North Carolinians. As support for nonprofits wanes, children, seniors, low-income families, people with disabilities, victims of domestic violence, and others who rely on their services can’t get the level of care they need. [Continue Reading...]

If you believe some recent commentary on talk radio and in the print media, it’s morally wrong to spend your time and money helping people in need. [Continue Reading...]

With revenue shortfalls forcing lawmakers in Raleigh to make deep and painful cuts to the state budget, the last thing North Carolina needs is further legislation that would reduce the state’s investment in essential services by another 2%. Unfortunately, the General Assembly is considering a bill that would divert a portion of state grants to nonprofits away from the services they provide. This could mean: 2% fewer meals served to those in need; 2% less help for women experiencing domestic abuse; a 2% reduction in services to protect children’s safety; 2% fewer people served by free health clinics; 2% cuts in programs for seniors and people with developmental disabilities; and 2% fewer mentoring programs for students. [Continue Reading...]

For college basketball fans, this is the exciting time of year in which they scour their brackets for lower-seeded college basketball teams who might pull off upsets in the NCAA basketball tournament. It’s inspiring and fun to hope that an underdog might overcome the inherent disadvantages of having lower-paid coaches, fewer sponsorships, and less-highly-recruited players to pull off a surprise victory over a higher-seeded team. [Continue Reading...]