Comments on: No More Nonprofits! No More NGO’s!

By: Hildy

Hildy — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 21:38:37 +0000

Wow, Sheri - thank you!
We have had many people who work in government departments tell us similar things - that the term makes them feel included. So thank you for extending that to businesses who aim at benefiting their communities. (I happen to run one of those myself!)
Hildy

By: Sheri Herndon

Sheri Herndon — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 21:24:18 +0000

I also love this phrasing and reframing. For years now I have used the phrase “For the Profit of All” to convey the same concepts, but your phrase works better. It’s cleaner. Although I do think we are still somewhat creating distinctions between what we consider “business” and what is “not business”. Your phrase begins to blur that a bit more by helping us see that when we create or innovate or help bring about change in our world, locally, or globally, we are in some kind of business or community benefit. When corporations were first given state charters, their mission was about bringing benefit to the society. NGOs and NPOs moved in when corporations stopped living up to their corporate charters. You are helping revive this through your work in many ways. It’s wonderful! Thank you. I look forward to seeing how we can implement the Pollyanna Principles once they are available!
Sheri

By: Hildy

Hildy — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:06:36 +0000

Thank YOU, Sherri!
Hildy

By: Sherri Wood

Sherri Wood — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:58:16 +0000

The synchronicity of today’s e-mail and finding your blog is wonderful. Community Benefit Organization — you will now find that on our website, our newsletter, our guidebook, all of our materials — we will spread the word.

Thank you for creating a new moniker for our field.

By: Hildy

Hildy — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:47:29 +0000

Sounds like a wonderful mission! Given the conditions you note, though, you may want to consider something other than forming a tax exempt Community Benefit organization, as you will indeed have a board as well as standards to adhere to. To help you decide, this article is a great place to test your thinking about whether or not you want to start an organization: http://www.help4nonprofits.com/NP_START_IsItFeasible_Art.htm
Best of luck, whatever you choose!
Hildy

By: dollslikeus

dollslikeus — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:38:07 +0000

I have toyed with the idea of becoming a non profit but I don’t want other people telling me what to write or I don’t want to start a non profit organization and be thrown out of it on my ear .For someone else with a different view point then mine to run . I have one purpose and one purpose only to tell people loving other people is the most important thing they will do while they are a live .

By: Hildy

Hildy — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 18:00:33 +0000

Thank YOU, Tracey! And yes, use the term Community Benefit Organization or any other proactive, positive term you can think of. Spread the gospel! Hildy

By: Tracey Sisson

Tracey Sisson — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 16:34:19 +0000

Hildy,

THANK-YOU!!

For over a decade, I’ve been on my soapbox about moving toward a term for who we ARE, AS the sector, IN the sector, FOR the community and WITH our colleagues and partners with whom we actively participate.

Everywhere I go I have posed the challenge to everyone I meet, to think about a “new” umbrella term - something that is life-giving - not just something “more”, “better” or “different” than who we’ve been.

I believe that you have hit the nail on the head, and I applaud your “freely releasing” permission (with enthusiasm and gusto I might add!) to use the term to all who find themselves in alignment with your views and hear the call…

Your work has, and now with your Blogs will continue to have, a ripple effect on the community, and I look forward to participating in it with you AND watching it happen!

With Gratitude,
Tracey Sisson
Licensed Belief Re-patterningTM Practitioner
Calgary, AB Canada

By: Hildy

Hildy — Thu, 17 May 2007 14:29:00 +0000

Ron - So glad you wrote that! We really have created so many arbitrary barriers, separating all of us who want to create a better future for our communities. Great point - thanks for bringing it up. It makes me wonder - how might that change how your department (and other government departments) do their work?
Hildy

By: Ron Miller

Ron Miller — Thu, 17 May 2007 14:22:12 +0000

I really like the concept of Community Benefit Organizations for the reasons you stated. But also because it creates a large umbrella we can all join together under.
For instance, I work for a county government mental health agency working to employ job seekers with intellectual disabilities. So legally we are not a non-profit organization, but our mission and values work to benefit our community. So the idea that we all are working together to create a new and better future is a powerful uniting vision - we are all creating the future together to benefit community. And that’s a good thing!

Ron