Columnist Made Wrong-Headed Attack

December 9, 2004

To the Editor:

Pablo Eisenberg is right to point out that the nonprofit sector could stand to benefit from a long hard look in the mirror to ensure that the public interest remains its number one priority. But I take issue with his analysis of the recent legislative loss over car-donation programs as just another case of nonprofits' arrogant self-interest.

Mr. Eisenberg makes it sound as though the coalition of 200 national nonprofits that was opposed to the provision in the corporate tax bill restricting write-offs for car donations were against any type of reform, period. In fact, the coalition was simply against throwing the baby out with the bath water. That's why they put forward an alternative, less-draconian reform proposal of their own that would have gotten rid of exaggerated deductions without putting car-donation programs at risk. Congress ignored them.

Why? Because when push comes to shove, nonprofits get pushed and shoved.   They haven't built the political power necessary to hold their own against competing interests that are infinitely better prepared to do what it takes to move policy in their favor. You may agree or disagree with car donations as a legitimate form of charitable giving. But we can all learn one lesson from the car-donation loss, which is that the sector must do a better job of promoting its own reform initiatives and of clarifying its raison d'être in both the policy and public arenas--or risk getting steamrolled again.

This means launching a strategic campaign that proactively positions nonprofits as indispensable champions for the public interest and responds to congressional attacks with a combination of smart alternatives, grass-roots mobilization, lobbying, and the cultivation of supporters in Congress who will go to bat for the sector.

Car donations are just the tip of the iceberg for the challenges nonprofits will face in the coming year, as Senator [Charles] Grassley has sworn to clean house in the nonprofit sector just as his colleagues did by drafting sweeping legislation on corporate governance and financing. Mr.   Eisenberg's right, the nonprofit sector must never lose sight of its overriding purpose: serving communities. But nonprofits will serve communities best by first protecting--yes, it's okay to say it--their own interests against concerted attack.

Daniel Silverman
Senior Vice President
Fenton Communications
San Francisco