New Council Will Help Nonprofits Facing Tough Economic Times

Horizon Foundation president and CEO Richard Krieg is concerned. "Due to the economic downturn, the challenges faced by nonprofits are unprecedented," he said. "Many community organizations are under stress. They're in cutback mode and the low hanging fruit has been cut."
Enter Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, who on Sept. 16 announced the creation of the county's 13-member Nonprofit Resource Development Council that will advise him on strategies to make the local nonprofit organizations more resilient.
Krieg and Association of Community Services (ACS) executive director Anne Towne will co-chair the council. "Members of the human services community are particularly hard hit right now with a double whammy. They people they serve need more help with food, shelter, transportation, health care - the basics," she said.
"At the same time, as nonprofit organizations, they're finding their government, foundation, civic and business funding sources are having to cut back. Now is the time to find new and innovative ways to address both these problems," said Towne.
In making the announcement during ACS's monthly meeting in September, Ulman promised he'd "do everything I can to support the nonprofit community," despite the county's own economic woes. But he conceded he can't "make any promises" in this difficult economy and suggested the groups would need to work together to find efficiencies in order to continue providing services.
"The council's perspective," Krieg said, "will be to take a systemwide view of the nonprofit community. Since we haven't met yet, I don't want to get too far ahead. But issues of financing and cost control are bound to come up. We'll support nonprofits being as creative as possible as they grapple with a difficult environment. Importantly, the council reflects the community coming together behind our nonprofits."
Krieg predicted that there might be interest in new techniques for partnering among nonprofit organizations.
"If there are opportunities to develop economies of scale in service delivery, that would be great," he said. "Depending on the interests of individual groups, the merit of strategic restructuring might be looked at. In terms of The Horizon Foundation, our trustees are very interested in going to the roots of effectiveness, efficiency and system-wide approaches."
"One way we're fortunate is that this new council will have two important initiatives that we can build on: the 'Leading in the Lean Years' summit and the Howard County Department of Citizen Services' 'Building Capacity to Serve,'" said Towne.
The "Leading in the Lean Years: Organizational Survival Strategies" summit convened last March by The Horizon Foundation and ACS attracted more than 250 participants.
It will also build on the Department of Citizen Services' initiative to explore new approaches to service delivery while also strengthening the organizational capacity of participating nonprofits.
Thirteen nonprofits participated during a seven-month period, and the final report, "Building Capacity to Serve," offers important findings for both individual organizations and the nonprofit sector, collectively.
In Howard County, the nonprofit sector represents approximately 15% of the workforce. It supports human services, health, the environment, the arts and other activities which Howard County residents rely on.
The council will explore resource development, best business practices and opportunities for collaboration to develop strategic recommendations intended to ensure the long-term health and resiliency of the county's nonprofit groups. Members will meet three times a year during the next three years.
Between meetings, consultants will assist the council and assist with fact-finding and analysis.
In addition to Krieg and Towne, members of the 13-member council include Susan Rosenbaum, Department of Citizen Services; Richard Story, Howard County Economic Development Authority; Valerie Gross, Howard County Library; Kate Hetherington, Howard Community College; Beverley Francis, Columbia Foundation; Dr. Peter Beilenson, Howard County Health Department; Dr. Sydney Cousin, Howard County Public School System; Coleen West, Howard County Arts Council; Pam Klahr, Howard County Chamber of Commerce, Ned Tillman, Commission on the Environment; and Vic Broccolino, Howard County General Hospital.
The council members will serve three- year terms.