Why Charities Need a Home in Government
Imagine Canada is carrying on with the important work after the delivery of the Senate report on the charitable sector. In this article there is a convincing argument about how the sector is under represented within Government.
” When farmers need a policy solution to a problem they’re facing, they can approach Agriculture Canada. Artists looking for support for a new project turn their attention to Heritage Canada. Small businesses can rest assured that Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada has their back.”
Where can charities and nonprofits turn to? Because there is no home within government the sector is negatively impacted in many ways. For example:
- The Government sometimes adopts legislation without considering the impact that it will have on charities and nonprofits. When Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation was created, its regulations restricted charities’ email-based revenue generation activities.
- Nonprofits may be excluded or believe that they’re excluded from Government programs that could benefit them, such as programs that encourage innovation or environmentally-friendly business practices.
- Sometimes there are issues in the relationship between charities and the Government – such as the fact that Government grants and contributions do not cover the full administrative costs of the programs they fund – but there is no centralized agency or department to raise these issues with, making it difficult to advocate for change.
Read the entire article on the Imagine Canada website