Time To Up The Ante, Says Congresswoman Bass

Byline: Vincent Jones

Karen Bass, now a member of the House of Representatives, formerly Speaker of the California State Assembly, once the Executive Director of the Community Coalition, and always an effective advocate for justice, shared her unique perspective on the important role donors play in stabilizing communities in times of economic crisis at Liberty Hill's Uplifting Change reception last Friday.

Economic downturns take a toll on our communities.  The impact to families is easier to see.  Layoffs increase, forcing families to find creative ways to make ends meet.  Poverty levels spike.  More children experience hunger. 

The story that often goes untold is how community-based organizations are impacted.  When the economy takes a turn for the worse, neighborhood institutions step in to service increased short term needs and to organize to advance longer term change.  Yet the non-profit business model doesn’t generally provide for more financial resources in return for greater output and productivity.  Quite the contrary; organizations often have to find ways to do more with less.

Congresswoman Bass knows this story well, as she led the Community Coalition when the California Legislature began the yearly process of making drastic cuts due to falling tax revenues in a bad economy.  Those cuts threatened the very programs and policies won by the Community Coalition’s organizing efforts.  Those cuts also strained the ability of some donors to continue supporting the organization at the same level and sometimes altogether. But individual donors harnessed their power, realized the strategic importance of the Community Coalition to the health and vitality of South Los Angeles, and upped the ante.

Given the bleak picture painted by Congresswoman Bass of the budget cuts coming from the Federal and State budgets, the message is clear: organizations need strategic donors now more than ever.

Attendees at the reception hosted by Uplifting Change Leadership Circle members Nii-Quartelai Quartey and Darryn Harris of the Sankofa Group for Civic Engagement heeded the call.  One attendee took the first steps to starting a giving circle.  Another expressed a burning desire to put in service as a member of the Board of Directors of an appropriate organization.  And a business leader mulled ways to leverage the power of the Black business community.

Each of us can do something.  Many of us are already doing something.  Liberty Hill wants to hear about it.  Please share your stories about how you will or already are heeding Congresswoman Bass’ call to up the ante with your giving to support community-based organizations that are working hard at the frontlines.

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