Trent Stamp's Flip Shows Why Charity Accountability Flopped

The truth is, American's don't much know or care about charity accountability—they just hate telemarketers and junk mail with a passion, and they are willing to take it out on charities. 

Trent Stamp of Charity Navigator (EIN 13-4148824 Form 990) has informed us that he has decided to change his position and support a draft of principles for nonprofits that has been developed by a panel convened by Independent Sector (EIN 52-1081024 Form 990), a group a mostly wealthy foundations that claims to speak for nonprofits in the US. 

It's his rationale that intrigues me.  He doesn't much care for the principles themselves (without going into them much—there are currently thirty-one of them).  But he just doesn't want to be on the same side as other opponents, like the Direct Marketing Association (EIN 13-1810859 Form 990) and other trade associations that represent the direct marketing industry, which includes direct mail and telemarketing.

I appreciate the honesty, and I think Mr. Stamp reflects the true sentiments of a large segment of the American population.  Most people I know couldn't care less about charity accountability issues, but they do have strong opinions about telemarketing and direct mail (aka junk mail).  The comments to Trent's posting all reflect the cries of the I-hate-junk-mail cohort. 

I believe that junk mail and telemarketing are why state attorneys general go after charities who turn over too little to charity.  It's a prosecution that resonates with the public—a way to pay back for all those phone calls at dinner time—a way to expiate our guilt for using those address labels when we didn't send in a contribution to the charity that sent them to us. 

Heaven knows, few really care about the Nonprofit Panel or its principles: the first draft received all of 125 comments from 300 million Americans who support a million charities.  The underlying problem is reflected in the Form 990 for Independent Sector—it wants to speak for the nonprofit sector, but its members pay for only about a third of the expenses for the organization.  The bulk of the income is from contributions.  In effect, a handful of well-heeled foundations pay the bills and call the shots at IS.  That's how you can have the odd situation of what is supposedly an industry group proposing a raft of regulation for its own industry. 

Say what you will about the DMA, at least its members pay the freight.  You can be assured that its positions represent those of its constituency.  Independent Sector does not represent the views of US charities or nonprofits.  It speaks about the independent sector, but not for the independent sector.

And Trent Stamp hates junk mail—at least we cleared that up. 

Comments

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[バーバリーマフラー]

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同県中部に位置する川上村は、県内で発生した約１８００カ所の土砂崩れの中でも、人家に隣接した崩落としては最大規模で、土砂崩壊量が概算で東京ドーム１杯分に相当する大規模な土砂災害に見舞われた。土砂崩れの発生は９月４日午後５時半ごろ。役場の電灯が突然消え、近くの国道１６９号を大量の土砂が埋め尽くした。

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ティンバーランド労組への配慮も顕著だ。会社員らの厚生年金と公務員らの共済年金の一元化問題では、公務員労組から支援を受ける議員が「人事院が来年２月に公表する会社員と公務員の退職金比較調査の結果が出るまでは、共済年金の特権的な上乗せ部分である職域加算の取り扱いを決めるべきではない」と主張。時間稼ぎをして法案の中身を骨抜きにしようという意図は明白だが、骨子案はあっさりとその主張を受け入れた。

　ティンバーランド首相は年末までに、社会保障分野と消費税増税部分をあわせた一体改革素案をまとめる方針だ。古本伸一郎党税調事務局長は１２日の党一体改革?税制両調査会合同会議で、「３１日の除夜の鐘のところまで、みなさんと相談していきたい」と強調したが、抜本的な改革は先送り必至の情勢だ。