![]() We love Cindy Mardenfeld and her endeavor to advance a Long Island kindness movement. She offers her thanks to anyone who participates in her Kindness Challenge -- Committing to do a kindness every day and possibly report on it using the hashtags #kindnessambassadors, 30-day #KindnessChallenge, spread the love, #InspireChange & make kindness the new norm with 😀#payitforward Now, Cindy is not going to discourage remarkable giving, but she shares our belief that the small things also matter tremendously. A cup of coffee, a friendly smile, a held door...these all count!!! Please also consider checking in on folks who may be alone for Thanksgiving, and helping make sure our neighbors don't go cold and hungry for the holidays. Here are some great, charitable resources that welcome donations of goods and time to help the less fortunate on Long Island: The INN (Interfaith Nutrition Network): "addresses the issues of hunger and homelessness on Long Island by providing food, shelter, long-term housing, and supportive services in a dignified and respectful manner for those who seek our help. We are a not-for-profit, volunteer-based organization with a dedicated staff, a broad base of community support and a commitment to educate the public about these issues." Island Harvest: "Providing food and services for people who are hungry, and a voice for people who are in need. Island Harvest is the largest hunger relief organization on Long Island. By relying on volunteers, in-kind services, and donated food, we devote more than 95 cents of every dollar contributed directly to our programs." LI Cares: "Founded by the late Harry Chapin, Long Island Cares brings together all available resources for the benefit of the hungry and food insecure on Long Island and, to the best of our ability, provides for the humanitarian needs of our community. Our goals are to improve food security for families, sponsor programs that help families achieve self-sufficiency, and educate the general public about the causes and consequences of hunger on Long Island. Our vision is “A Hunger Free Long Island”."
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![]() As our tour of Pal-O-Mine Equestrian was coming to a close, someone asked, “What percentage of funds go to fundraising and administration?” We never learned the answer because very quickly another visitor, Cindy Krezel of the New York Community Bank Foundation, interjected, “Pardon me, I don’t mean to interrupt, but that is the WRONG question to ask if you care for this organization and its work, or about any nonprofit!” Wait, What? Attendees were intrigued. Cindy proceeded to explain. When we asked if she’d like to share her words here, she replied, “I’d be happy to, but you REALLY ought to speak with my boss! She’s the real expert!” So, we did – and, boy, is she an expert! Marian Conway has served the NY Community Bank Foundation since 2002. She advanced there from Program Officer to Executive Director in 2007. It’s a somewhat unique organization in that, beyond the grants they give, they spend a lot of time offering consultation to local organizations they support. She is also on no fewer than 10 non-profit boards. Those she currently serves wearing her NYCB Foundation Hat include: Cleary Foundation for the Deaf, Community Development Corporation of LI, Farm Education Inc, Long Island Arts Alliance (Board Chair), The Middle Country Library Foundation, SUNY Empire State College Foundation (Board Chair), The Queens Chamber Foundation, The Red Cross of Long Island, and the Urban League of Long Island. These are far from all the groups she’s been closely connected with. On top of all of this, in 2013, Dr. Conway achieved her Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration, Nonprofit Management from Walden University. Her dissertation specifically explored “What are the general operating expenses for nonprofits and who pays them.” She’s also a teacher, both formally and just because it’s what she’s inclined to do. Usually the lessons are about what NOT to do, but she also tries to reinforce the good. Here, we’re just going to blow off a bit of steam with her. Maybe it will drive something sensible forward... THE WAY THE STATE TREATS NON-PROFITS IS DISCRIMINATORY The first thing Marian does is hand us two forms from New York State regarding the rules for budgeting for contracts, one for for-profit businesses, the other for non-profit organizations: “Look at this! A for-profit doesn’t have the same restrictions a not-for-profit does. When the contract is for a for-profit to pave a road or fill a pothole or build a bridge, why is it that they are granted funds to pay workers and allow for a PROFIT, and non-profit groups can’t bill for either? I don’t even want a profit!” All she’s asking for is reasonable compensation for nonprofit employees to do the work that has to be done. The way it is now, a non-profit often doesn’t even get reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred while providing services! She won’t say it’s not fair – because life isn’t fair -- but it’s not right!!! It takes hours to apply, and hours to report. They will only cover 10% for overhead, and only pay when they get finally around to it, well after the organization has laid out the funds. On top of this, the very State that refuses to fully pay its contracts will then not only REQUIRE all manner of tedious reports, but also impose diverse legal mandates, including that nonprofits pay their employees minimum wage! So, basically, if you get a contract, YOU THEN HAVE TO EXPEND OVERHEAD RAISING MONEY TO PAY FOR STATE-MANDATED OVERHEAD. She rattles off a few examples. For a business, a government contract can be great. For a non-profit that is actually dedicated to the public welfare? They start out with a negative number in covering costs, and if they need a loan while waiting to be paid, they have interest to be paid, too! ________________ All she’s asking for is reasonable compensation for nonprofit employees to do the work that has to be done. The way it is now, a non-profit often doesn’t even get reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred while providing services! She won’t say it’s not fair – because life isn’t fair -- but it’s not right!!! _______________________ “How great is it that someone’s job is to administer good deeds? That they get to do hard work raising money to help kids, build houses, or try to keep our water safe? Why is paying for this considered some kind of a sin? There are established reasonable rates for compensation. We should apply them to the NFP sector, too.” JUST BECAUSE IT’S NON-PROFIT DOESN’T MEAN IT SHOULDN’T BE PROPERLY STAFFED – WE WANT GOOD PEOPLE IN THESE POSITIONS! THEY NEED TO MAKE A LIVING! Please understand -- A mature, effective organization PAYS STAFF. Yes, it’s great when they start small – The Book Fairies are a great example of an organization that got really far with some folks pursuing the passion of a great and helpful idea. Eventually, though – especially if it’s successful! -- SOMEONE HAS TO BE PAID TO ADMINISTER THE ORGANIZATION!!! Some do it with volunteers, yes! Still, we must recognize that the volunteer is then the one paying! What’s more, to get to the next level – or beyond the passion of one really lucky, dedicated person -- an organization ultimately needs to raise enough money to HIRE PROFESSIONALS. Passion plus heart does not equal business experience or affinity! For our nonprofit organizations to function optimally, they need the two to connect. People can’t build houses on volunteer skill alone! Skilled professionals are required to do these jobs! Executive Directors, Program Directors, Administrative Assistants … all of these and more are positions of skill and responsibility. Furthermore, a responsible organization REQUIRES OVERHEAD -- insurance, lawyers, accountants….Human Resources! So many experts. Every other business understands this. The good ones also invest in professional development, strategic planning and evaluation. “Why,” asks Marian, “do we expect nonprofits to function without this?!?” THE WAY MANY FOUNDATIONS AND DONORS TREAT NONPROFITS IS UNREALISTIC “It IRKS me – people act as though nonprofits are all pocketing the money they raise and walking out the door! Nonprofit board members are generally all volunteers. Many times they devote countless hours, next to staff members. Sure there are always a few bad actors but, by and large, the value these organizations are providing is off the charts.” She talks about the NY Community Bank Foundation, of which she is Executive Director. This giving arm is funded entirely by bank stock and operates on dividends: “We don’t do big grants any more, unfortunately. However, we do also give our time, which is unusual. It’s not just an online application and cold check. We offer both consulting and strategic planning assistance. And we specifically give grants for overhead! One time, one of my own board members asked, ‘is it legal to fund that?’ DO YOU SEE THE PROBLEM HERE?!?” THE WAY NONPROFITS REPRESENT THEMSELVES FEEDS AN ABUSIVE FANTASY Ok, so.…part of the requirement, whatever type of organization you are, is that you have to pay people at least minimum wage. Many folks involved in non-profits, in fact, lobby for living wages for everyone, because it seems like the healthy, socially just thing to do! Then Marian hears some nonprofits marketing themselves as though they somehow operate with no overhead at all! “They are MARKETING this misinformation! Who is paying for this marketing? I mean, seriously: I’ve heard the commercial a hundred times about how all of the money donated goes directly to charity. That’s great…but…Who’s paying the actor? The film crew? The station running the ad? SOMEBODY IS!!! Or any of that marketing telling people that only 15% is spent on overhead -- Who’s paying for the paper? The commercial? The content creation? Think about it --- you send a check and it goes directly to the person in need….Who’s handling the money? Who’s deciding who gets it? Who’s analyzing the problem and its solution? Hopefully a professional!!!” Some of these are great organizations, and Dr. Conway finds it troubling that they can’t possibly be representing their numbers honestly, “I tell them this. They come back at me: ‘Donors will only fund x, y and z. We have to do this because this is what they are taught is good practice. Well, I say we have to STOP FEEDING THIS. At least ask them first! Then, if that’s what they really believe, TEACH THEM BETTER. They need to understand!!!” A portion of this overhead is marketing and communications, she reasons. Maybe we can leverage this to educate people. Maybe we start by encouraging a slightly better message – “We pay the overhead so you don’t have to.” Still. Somebody has to…and the world will be a bit healthier if we better value the folks doing all this work; work that, by its very nature, is designed not to make a profit, but to make the world a better place. _______________ "Think about it --- you send a check and it goes directly to the person in need….Who’s handling the money? Who’s deciding who gets it? Who’s analyzing the problem and its solution? Hopefully a professional!!!” ________________ SO, IF SMALL PERCENTAGES GOING TO OVERHEAD IS A LOUSY RULE OF THUMB, HOW SHOULD THE AVERAGE PERSON EVALUATE AN ORGANIZATION? “Just google the organization!” says Conway, “See what they do and how well they do it. Information is everywhere. With a thorough search, bad stuff will bubble up. You can see it and think about it.” Even better, reach out and get to know these folks, especially local organizations, which are generally very accessible. Talk to people involved. Attend their events. Check out their resources and their references. You can learn a lot, especially as a volunteer! A little bad press shouldn’t necessarily turn you off entirely, either. “Humans are humans, and organizations – like businesses – have to deal with hiring choices they regret all the time. My advice is not to judge an entire organization based on the actions of one or two people, or even a systemic issue that may be overcome. Dig deeper and see what they’ve done about it. What are they doing now?” Wounded Warrior is a challenging example, “That organization grew really fast. Some aspects got away from them, and some people were fiscally careless. It seems clear that there’s a good core in there, but it can still be hard to figure out.” Others are just frustrating. She talks about stories of the Red Cross charging for a cup of coffee -- a pile of rumors including one half-truth -- that the group has had to deal with since World War I. ”I’m not even going to question that one decision now or argue how it might have actually been the right thing to do. It was ages ago. I’m serving on this local board NOW. My whole career is spent evaluating nonprofits to determine how worthy they are. I ask those who still bring this up: Are you telling me I’m no good?" This mention of the Long Island Red Cross sparks another observation – Local organizations and national ones are often not equal – even when they carry the same name. “The locals operate here and do the hard work at home. They are often very different from national, and are generally the ones directly focused on YOUR community.” A COUPLE OF OTHER TIPS Just because Dr. Conway wants organizations fully funded, doesn’t mean she’s into waste or blind to limits on resources, “So many organizations are spread so thin. I beg people, please, when you see an issue, don’t just run out and start an organization. See what exists! If you do see the need for a new organization, let’s see where we can still talk to each other, so we’ve not going in counterproductive directions or being redundant.” She also wants people to know that Long Island University will be launching a shared services program for nonprofits -- Legal, HR, Admin, etc. Basically they want to help by creating a professional employer program where resources can be pooled to be more cost effective than various organizations each paying on their own. They’re currently seeking organizations willing to provide the services, and organizations to receive them. LIU will vet all involved. Finally, read the NFP Quarterly to learn more about funding and budgeting, as well as many other issues facing nonprofit organizations. Marion, herself, is a regular contributor. If you found this particular subject interesting, here are a few articles that also touch on the topic, including a recent one by Dr. Conway herself! When Performance Metrics Go Public: Problems with Growth through Contracts, Marian Conway, August 16, 2019 Why Funding Overhead Is Not the Real Issue: The Case to Cover Full Costs, Claire Knowlton, September 12, 2018 The Looking-Glass World of Nonprofit Money: Managing in For-Profits’ Shadow Universe, Clara Miller June 12, 2017 ![]() A conversation with David Okorn of the Long Island Community Foundation on making philanthropy easy, fun and effective, and why it's so important. If you have charitable intent, the Long Island Community Foundation (LICF) is an excellent resource and probably one of the best kept secrets on Long Island. They provide all levels of philanthropic support, including research to help identify the best performing charities to fulfill your objectives, as well as vetting to ensure they meet best practice standards for charities. They review and evaluate to determine who’s getting the best outcomes, and how your giving may be most effective. We’ve known David Okorn since he was Executive Director of the Keyspan Foundation and the Director of Community Relations for Keyspan, which merged with National Grid in 2006. He then became Senior Vice President of development and external relations at the Viscardi Center, which is dedicated to improving the lives of adults and children with disabilities. Since 2008, he has served the Long Island Community Foundation, becoming its Executive Director in 2010. We recently sat down with David to talk about this local division of the New York Community Trust, and what he sees from his unique vantage point of philanthropy on Long Island. The LICF Website is a great resource. There, you can not only learn about their services and read about the organizations their donors help support, you can also access valuable information to better understand the issues facing our region. It’s an excellent resource for people who care about the health and welfare of Long Island. PROFILE IN PHILANTHROPY: DALE LEWIS AND THE ARTS REACH FUND We started out talking about one particular donor, Dale Lewis, who’s remarkable passion for the arts was emphasized to us by longtime arts and education advocate and philanthropist Roger Tilles. We hope to make his Arts Reach Fund the focus of a future article. For now, we’ll share it as an example of someone who works with the LI Community Foundation. Dale established a “Field of Interest Advised Fund” at LICF to support arts programs and/or organizations. It’s almost as though he’s running his own foundation, combining his own extensive experience with the resources provided by the LICF. Working with the LICF doesn’t have to be nearly this involved. There are various options making it extremely flexible to meet ones charitable needs and desires. For as little as $5,000, one can name and establish a fund from which the creator(s) can recommend grants as small as $250 to nonprofit organizations of their choosing. Again, LICF will vet the organization to ensure they meet both financial and governance best practice standards. The fee for the service is either 50 basis points (1/2 of 1%), i.e. $500/year for a $100,000 fund, or 2.5% of grants made, whichever is greater. With a Donor Advised Fund, one simply recommends the organization(s) to which they would like to make a grant, and then LICF handles all of the back office support. David and his family have a fund like this and use it to support a multitude of issues and organizations such as the Interfaith Nutrition Network, which addresses hunger and homelessness; The Morgan Center that provides preschool aged children with cancer the opportunity to learn and socialize in a safe environment; Sisters of St. Joseph, who have numerous programs assisting the underserved and promoting justice; and many more. For those who simply do not have the time to research and identify charities of personal interest, they can also simply state an intent and let the Community Foundation make recommendations of potential grants. For many years, Dale Lewis was Executive Director of USDAN, a unique summer camp for the Arts based in Melville, NY. David agrees: If you want to know about the arts, he’s an excellent resource, “Dale is among the most committed individuals to his work of anyone I have ever met. He has an extraordinary passion for music, theater, and the arts in general. He is also among the most giving people I know; a true gentleman. He knows everyone and is happy to connect them with each other. “When Dale retired from USDAN, he decided he wanted to give back in a deeply meaningful way. He started the Arts Reach Fund at the Long Island Community Foundation, which partners with organizations that enrich our communities through program innovation in the arts and arts education. The stated mission of the Arts Reach Fund is, “Providing tools that will allow talented, high needs students to become arts educators, supporting arts teachers with enriching professional development, and providing local arts organizations with strategic help that will allow them to use their resources more effectively.” “Dale believes in the power of the arts, and he does all he can to bring that to people,” said David, “If he sees a need, he doesn’t offer platitudes, he finds solutions.” More on Dale Lewis HELPING PEOPLE DEFINE THEIR MISSION “We offer as much or as little support as needed,” explains David, “You can find organizations and we’ll vet them for you, or give us parameters and we will recommend organizations from which you choose, or leave it entirely up to us and we will make grants and report back to you on how the funds were granted along with outcomes. We have RFP processes for specific funds as well as published, competitive grant applications that address important needs on Long Island that we’ve identified.” “Helping people clearly define their intention is the most important part,” says David, “especially when working with people who are writing LICF into their wills. They won’t be around to ask if things change or are unclear.” It’s about defining a donor’s personal mission, charitable intent and the strategies they would like to see implemented to achieve it. “We bring people in and talk with them,” David explains, “Say someone is interested in animal welfare. We help them define what that means – Are we talking about pets? Wildlife? Making sure pets have homes once owners pass on? Veterinary care? Is this about abuse prevention? Education? Would you be interested in supporting service animals?” Another common example is Breast Cancer. “What are they looking to accomplish around this health issue? Is it research? Outreach? Family support? Prevention? Say we cure it, or manage to prevent it entirely – where shall we direct your funds in the future?” “Yes, I agree this organization you’ve chosen is wonderful, but what if things change? What if it goes out of business, or the leadership changes dramatically? What would you like us to do then?” “What if what you’re seeking to do becomes impossible or impractical to carry out in the future?” David talks about one famous example where these kinds of questions came into play: The March of Dimes was originally founded to deal with Polio. While it’s a fantastic example of a rare organization that managed to adapt with the times to now address birth defects, it’s also an example of a well-reputed group that no longer does what it initially set out to do. Maybe the donor wouldn’t choose that alternative mission. Maybe they’d prefer to redirect their funds elsewhere. “Getting back to Breast Cancer,” says David, “What if it’s cured? Would you like to support another women’s health issue? Or perhaps some other cancer research?” “How can we define your terms to keep meeting the spirit of your intent even as the world changes?” It’s important to make sure that the language is prescriptive and yet open enough; to make sure that the donors’ intent is clear even to folks who have never met them, so that the LI Community Foundation can help realize it well into the future. Given the number of individual funds the LICF manages, they also have the capacity to get creative and effect synergy among funds. “When an organization comes to us with a program, sometimes we can cobble together comprehensive funding that more effectively addresses a complex issue, or simply pool to achieve more substantial support from diverse funds. It’s nice to be able to do that.” LICF Competitive Grants VETTING CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS, STAYING TRUE TO THEIR OWN INTENT The Long Island Community Foundation comprehensively evaluates each and every nonprofit it considers for a grant, “We have 20-plus criteria that we use to evaluate organizations in terms of how they conduct their governance and manage their finances.” “In addition to our own research, we do a lot of networking and other endeavors out in the community,” says David, “We talk to a lot of people, and a lot of people talk to us. We end up with a fairly comprehensive view of the landscape.” The organization takes its stewardship role very seriously. While a donor may choose to override the guidance of the Community Foundation, there are lines they will not cross in the interest of maintaining their own integrity. If an organization isn’t passing muster, they will offer several alternative ones that do. As an example, David recalls an Alzheimer’s research organization in Maryland that a donor wanted to fund. “It had a beautiful brochure,” He remembers, “Unfortunately, it turned out that only a very a small fraction of funding was going to Alzheimer’s research. The majority was going to marketing!” There is also a system of checks and balances in place to make sure the LICF is fulfilling its mission. David explains, “After we get the donor to clearly state their intent, and how to adapt that with the changes of time, there’s a process that provides multiple and independent review to help ensure that we are fulfilling our promise to honor and appropriately carry out the donors wishes.” First the LICF Board of Directors has to approve each grant, followed by approval from both the New York Community Trust Vice President of Grants and the General Counsel. Final approval is granted by the New York Community Trust Board. TWO STEEP PATHS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS: CHALLENGES TO LONG ISLAND'S SAFETY NET While the LICF’s primary client and sole source of revenue is the donors who hold their funds with them, the organization considers itself a steward of 501(c)3 organizations Island-wide. David sees his role, ultimately, as endeavoring to partner with charitable individuals and organizations to establish an endowment that acts as a safety net for the Long Island nonprofit sector. “These organizations work day and night to achieve a mission,” says David, “They need significant financial support. Beyond other challenges they face, they’re often responsible for funding shortfalls.” A primary challenge David points to is that government funding has and continues to dwindle while needs have grown dramatically. “It gets even worse,” says David, “Often there will be specific requirements when government agencies contract with nonprofit organizations, particularly in terms of Human Services. However, government funding does not cover all the expenses that these requirements entail, so agencies get left trying to fill the gap. Adding to that challenge is the dwindling number of mid- and large-sized companies that provide charitable contributions on Long Island. David talks about how Keyspan, where he once worked, provided nearly $5 million in community grants a year supporting nonprofits on Long Island, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. As many of these once local companies are bought out by others not headquartered in the region, we have seen a steep decline in the commitment and level of the financial support to our nonprofit sector. Another major impact on the fundraising landscape is the number of banks that have merged over the last twenty years, reducing their number significantly. What we have seen following mergers and acquisitions of these financial institutions, is that the totality of the charitable contributions from the individual entities prior to a merger or takeover is typically greater than that of the newly combined entity. What’s more, notes David, “Many of the smaller businesses don’t seem to be participating in supporting our local charities that are truly improving the quality of life for all in our community. We’re not sure why, but many feel that they just don’t seem to care.” “It’s two steep paths in opposite directions,” David remarks as he goes on to talk about how the plunge in major funding sources is being outmatched by skyrocketing needs on Long Island, “Something must be done to ensure the health and welfare of Long Island.” “Nonprofits need money to provide programs. The folks who do this work need to be paid, too. We need everyone’s help to build an endowment for Long Island that will serve as a safety net for the nonprofits who are on the front lines each and every day to improve the quality of life for our families, friends and neighbors.” “It’s two steep paths in opposite directions,” David remarks as he goes on to talk about how the plunge in major funding sources is being outmatched by skyrocketing needs on Long Island, “Something must be done to ensure the health and welfare of Long Island.” ADJUSTING UNREALISTIC STANDARDS, ENCOURAGING GIVING ON LI The conversation has a familiar ring. It’s very similar to observations offered by Dr. Jeff Reynolds of the Family and Children’s Association that we shared in early 2017. They both also discussed challenges in securing donations from individuals. Although there’s a tremendous amount of wealth on Long Island, the giving doesn’t seem to reflect that. Often, charitable individuals bypass their own region entirely, giving to more well-known city-based and national organizations that don’t generally do much on Long Island. Then there’s a matter of unrealistic standards that have been popularized over recent decades. David pointed to a statement reflecting this challenge that was made by organizations dedicated to nonprofit best practices, including the Better Business Bureau, Guidestar, and Charity Navigator. It’s called “The Overhead Myth.” “There are some donors who don’t want to give to any organization for whom the administrative portion of the budget is more than 5 or 10%,” explains David. We’ve seen this kind of recommendation before, and never really understood how groups can function that way. We are grateful to hear David validate our concerns, “It’s not realistic and, frankly, when I see a successful organization claiming that they’re managing that, I become a little suspicious.” Plus, he explains, there’s a lot of leeway in how these numbers can be assigned. “Some folks think they have to list their entire Executive Director’s salary as administration,” says David, “Others do the opposite.” There’s truthfully a lot of room for interpretation. He goes on, “I think a more realistic number is around 30%. Then I know there’s room for professional development, strategic planning, and evaluation; that they’re able to do the fundraising they need to broaden their base of donors; that maybe people doing this work – which is generally so much more than a 9-5 – are actually being paid at least barely enough to live on Long Island and focus on what they’re doing; that the organization can plan for succession or disruption. That they can do the creative thinking required to come up with innovative solutions to the complex problems they are focused on. Another challenge is donor demands that funding go exclusively to direct services. “It’s not practical if 100% of funds go exclusively to whomever an organization is serving. While very specific donations can be of value, an organization can’t survive without administration.” This includes not just overseeing programs, but also functions such as tracking what donors want and making sure that’s actually what’s happening. Sound organizations have accountants, lawyers and often rent to pay. “We are always seeking ways to help meet the needs,” David explains, “With our resources, yes, but also with anything else we can connect folks with, be it information or time. In reality, we’re still kind of bound and we know we will never have enough money to address all the needs. We are always willing to share information with nonprofits and other funding agencies. Every little bit counts. BUILDING THE LICF RESOURCE BASE Trudy asks how the LICF expands its own base of funders. The primary method is word of mouth. Donors tend to be quite proud of the work they do with the Foundation. The LICF is most grateful when these happy donors encourage their friends and family to join them in giving. They also work with professional advisors – accountants, attorneys, and financial advisors. If someone becomes aware that a client has a tax situation, is writing a will, or simply has a charitable intent, they will explain available resources, including the LICF. “We do a lot of outreach to such professionals, and welcome opportunities to build more relationships,” says David, “We will work with them however they want to work with us. Sometimes they’ll ask us to come with them to meet a client. Sometimes they’ll ask us to reach out to them directly. Sometimes they feel most comfortable just taking the materials and leaving us out of it entirely. Whatever works for them. We are grateful for the referrals.” “Cities are gentrifying,” explains David, “Where do you suppose the folks they are pushing out go? They end up here on LI, which does not have the same infrastructure as the city. This leaves them even more vulnerable. You can’t just hop on a bus or train to access services. These folks end up more isolated and without services. If you really care about poverty, you can’t only have a city-centric view.” METROPOLITAN AND NATIONAL CHARITIES: WE NEED YOU It’s not just wealthy individuals who want to give to Manhattan charities that David hopes to inspire to support Long Island. “There’s a really big push to educate big NYC or National Funders, who generally only fund the metropolitan area. We’re trying to get them to understand that there are now more poor folks in the suburbs than in the cities.” We used to see poverty here as an urban crisis. Now, the tables have turned, “Cities are gentrifying,” explains David, “Where do you suppose the folks they are pushing out go? They end up here on LI, which does not have the same infrastructure as the city. This leaves them even more vulnerable. You can’t just hop on a bus or train to access services. These folks end up more isolated and without services. If you really care about poverty, you can’t only have a city-centric view.” “We want these NYC and national funders to consider more regional approaches. Even better, we want to bring them out here and get them to make grants directly to our local Long Island nonprofit agencies. We are here to be their partners and to provide support.” He notes that as a major local philanthropic entity with strong ties to a more regional organization, the LICF is in a unique position to make this case, “We can be the agitator without any risk/harm to the agencies. If a local non-profit tries it, it not only wastes their resources, they might actually build a bad relationship with a foundation. We don’t have that risk, so we see it as our responsibility. We consider this an important part of our role.” COLLABORATIONS As it encourages regional entities to give to Long Island, the LICF also endeavors to be a part of regional solutions. In addition to what they do through donor advised funds and competitive grants, the LICF engages in partnerships to address important regional issues. One is the Long Island Sound Funders Collaborative, a joint initiative with funders from New York City, Westchester and Connecticut. Together, the partners have crafted a proposal to protect, preserve, and clean up the major water body that they share. “Basically, it brings environmental funders together to determine what’s worked, what hasn’t, and how we can work in concert to have a greater impact.” The collaborative commissioned a Long Island Report Card, based upon an extremely successful model established in Maryland for the Chesapeake Bay. David pulls out a map, noting that while the further one gets from the Metropolitan area the better the water quality grade gets, the actual rating along the shorelines are typically significantly much worse. “It would be really neat to have an app on one’s phone that told them if the water was clean enough to swim in that day. It would be even better if this work woke up enough people to demand solutions from our local and regional governments to invest in cleaning up our local water bodies.” “It would be really neat to have an app on one’s phone that told them if the water was clean enough to swim in that day. It would be even better if this work woke up enough people to demand solutions from our local and regional governments to invest in cleaning up our local water bodies.” Another collaboration is an effort to make sure that Long Island gets its fair share of Federal Funding by Encouraging 2020 Census Participation. In 2017, New York State paid $40.9 billion more in federal taxes than it received in benefits—the largest deficit of its kind in the nation. The Long Island Association released a report showing that in 2013 residents and businesses on Long Island sent $42.5 billion to the federal government and got back $19.4 billion. A more accurate census count could help close that gap. An accurate population count is also important to our hundreds of charitable donors who support education, the arts, environmental protection, food programs, and other safety net programs. Generous donations cannot meet a community’s needs alone. Appropriate government funding informed by census is critical. LICF and several local philanthropic partners, like the Rauch Foundation, are once again involved in “getting out the count” efforts. They did this for the 2010 Census as well because census data affects so much of what matters to them, their donors, and our region. In 2010, LICF and Rauch pooled $500,000 with other funding partners, which they distributed to 22 Long Island organizations to reach out to typically undercounted populations. They received additional support from business and municipal partners like Northwell, LIPA, Cablevision, WLIW, the Nassau and Suffolk County bus systems, and other community stakeholders. In turn, 19 of the 23 Census tracts in which the initiative focused its efforts showed increased response rates, including a dramatic 21 percent increase in Central Islip and a 7 percent increase in Roosevelt In 2017, New York State paid $40.9 billion more in federal taxes than it received in benefits—the largest deficit of its kind in the nation. The Long Island Association released a report showing in 2013 residents and businesses on Long Island sent $42.5 billion to the federal government and got back $19.4 billion. A more accurate census count could help close that gap. “There will be many challenges to getting an accurate population count in 2020, and as such, our collective efforts are more important than ever,” explains David, “In partnership with foundations statewide, we are strategically pooling and distributing resources to hard-to-count communities across the State to ensure that our State keeps its 27 congressional seats and receives its fair share of federal funds to support education, health, social services, infrastructure, and other vital programs and services that New Yorkers and Long Islanders depend on for the next decade.” “We are concerned that many people in our region will be afraid to be counted,” says David, “whether it’s because they are undocumented, or simply have an unauthorized accessory apartment in their home. As such, we need to raise awareness, debunk myths, and support efforts to ensure an accurate population count for Nassau and Suffolk Counties.” EVERY CONTRIBUTION MATTERS – PLEASE GET INVOLVED We talk about non-profits that make a tremendous difference, and about people and organizations who make their work possible. We talk about philanthropic organizations and others pooling their resources to meet needs in ways they realize they are uniquely positioned to help. We talk about the need to pay attention, not only to those who aren’t doing the right things, but to appreciate and positively reinforce those who give so much to make things better for more than just themselves. For David, it’s all about working together with all who are willing, and encouraging others to step up and help make sure our region is as economically, environmentally and socially healthy as it can be. “Everyone plays a role in making Long Island the greatest place to live,” says David, “As such, I would encourage individuals, families, and business to support the local charities whose missions align with their concerns, interests and passions. Please feel free to reach out to the staff at LICF as we are always here to assist.” Thank you, David. We appreciate it. ![]() We hold out hope that those elected to the highest offices in our government will somehow navigate away from the broken politics of today toward respectful, intelligent, evidence-based, compassionate, practical, collaborative, solutions-oriented problem solving regarding our immigration system and border security, as well as a vast number of other issues impacting this nation that we share. We feel the need to add that we are also often saddened to hear it expressed that because it is “government” it must therefore necessarily be wasteful and incompetent. While we firmly agree that corruption and other ills must be overcome, we are also exceptionally grateful for so many who serve our nation professionally and highly competently, including those impacted by the current shutdown, such as those in meteorology, food safety, the TSA, the Coast Guard, the SEC and Justice Department, and so many others who keep us safe and informed, and who hold in trust our nation’s treasure for the benefit of US all. Among the many covering this issue, Reuters offers a “Factbox” on the impacts of the current shutdown from the end of the year. The NY Times offers an article that goes a little more in depth. Vox seems to have one of the more updated analyses of what’s being funded right now, what’s not, and who’s going to work anyway, The Washington Post offers this analysis of the contractors whose work depends on a functioning federal government. WNYC has pieces on the impact to low-wage workers, and what might happen with Federal Courts. VentureBeat wants you to remember that there are Cybersecurity implications as well. Of course, our purpose is not to focus on problems, but to count blessings. So, for our part, we want to take a moment to thank all of those who are giving all they can to override the desperate political dysfunction to support our hardworking public servants, especially the ones who are showing up to work anyway just because it’s the right thing to do. We offer special thanks to organizations like Island Harvest and Long Island Cares, who have been at the forefront of stepping up to make sure those who aren’t getting paid are at least getting fed. Keep in mind, these folks already have their hands full. The number of folks who face tough decisions between food and rent and medicine on Long Island is sobering. This most recent Oxfam report which shows that “Billionaire fortunes increased by 12 percent last year—or $2.5 billion a day—while the 3.8 billion people who make up the poorest half of humanity saw their wealth decline by 11 percent” is a bit global in its view, but Long Islanders are no strangers to the “Tale of Two Cities” feeling that this study validates. For Newsday, Bart Jones and Zachary R. Dowdy wrote “LI Groups Gearing Up to Help Those Hurt by Government Shutdown” The article includes video of an event convened by Island Harvest, that further explains impacts of the shutdown on Long Island and highlights donations from Stop & Shop, American Portfolio in Ronkonkoma, and the Connecticut-Based Coast Guard Foundation, as well as what Suffolk and Nassau social services officials, utilities, and local elected officials are doing to try and help. At the end, there’s a specific list guiding folks to LI Cares, Angels of Long Island, Nassau FCU, The Suffolk County SPCA and Island Harvest to get (and to offer) help. Another Newsday article by Daysi Calavia-Robertson, “LI Businesses Reach Out with Freebies to Help Furloughed Workers” profiles a number of small businesses who are doing their part to lend a hand. The offerings include everything from a cup of tea, to lunch, to a haircut or manicure, to mechanics offering free labor for repairs. We know what kind of margins Main Street works on. We also know how giving they still tend to be. Thank you!!! Alex Costello, writing for the Wantagh-Seaford Patch writes about how “You Can Help Long Island Coast Guard Members During The Shutdown" via a donation to the Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association, which represents the Coast Guard and other Veterans. In the Long Island Business News, Bernadette Starzee wrote “NEFCU Offers Interest-Free Loans for Furloughed Workers". and Adina Genn reported in “Island Harvest: More Help For Federal Workers Affected by Shutdown” about some assistance that can be applied for, as well as a few other entities offering their support to Long Island federal workers and contractors. Here’s a piece by Alex Meier for ABC7NY: "Government Shutdown: Resources for Furloughed Employees in Greater NYC Area" that breaks down services by topic, including beer and music, in addition to much more practical requirements. Sara-Megan Walsh wrote this for TBR Newsmedia: “Huntington Boaters, Officials Launch Drives to Aid Federal Employees" It lists several sites where folks can donate food, personal hygiene items, household supplies, pet foods and gift cards, as well as simply write checks. They shouldn’t have to do this. We hope they don’t have to do it for long, and that the end doesn't come in a way that somehow rewards holding our Nation hostage. We pray for the day where we can work out our differences like responsible adults, without sacrificing our economy, our security and the well being of our people. Meanwhile, we're grateful for these folks who are helping make sure we get by, and welcome suggestions of any other resources we may share. Thank you. |
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October 2020
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