"Allow me to share what I mean-and propose a new form of funding, one that I believe could do much to help get us back on course by investing in the true fuel that powers our sector: its workforce. Back when COVID shuttered workplaces in 2020, Congress created the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), forgivable loans that enabled employers to maintain payroll during lockdown. But the legislation initially left out nonprofits -a sector that comprises roughly 10 percent of the American workforce."
"It was only because of the advocacy of thousands of nonprofit leaders, rallied by the National Council of Nonprofits, that nonprofit employees were covered by this essential relief. So, why did our government almost leave us out? The second Trump administration is definitely not ignoring the power of the nonprofit workforce. Apparently, it didn't occur to our political leaders that people work for a living in nonprofit organizations, or that nonprofits are major employers."
The nonprofit sector lacks momentum due to chronic underinvestment and political attacks, threatening services and jobs. New targeted funding should invest directly in the nonprofit workforce as the sector’s primary operational fuel. During COVID-19 relief, nonprofits were initially excluded from the Paycheck Protection Program until sustained advocacy secured coverage, illustrating persistent policy blind spots. Historically, nonprofit employment was omitted from Social Security protections until 1984, underscoring long-term neglect. Government and philanthropic underfunding have contributed to staffing instability. Strategic investment in pay, benefits, and capacity will strengthen nonprofits’ ability to deliver programs and retain skilled staff.
Read at Nonprofit Quarterly | Civic News. Empowering Nonprofits. Advancing Justice.
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