#abolition#BlackMastodon#BlackTwiiter#NonProfits#Capitalism
Yesterday @majorlinux made an observation after years of raising money for charities through gaming: "The fact that charities exist because Capitalists horde all the wealth leaving the working class to pick up the slack by begging one another to donate while simultaneously providing the Capitalists to make themselves look good isn't great." Today I will talk about the nonprofit industrial compelx (NPIC). 1/8
#abolition#BlackMastodon#BlackTwiiter#NonProfits#Capitalism Usually abolition work is focusing on dismantling the prison industrial complex (PIC). But as groups start trying to rethink how to create safety, the question always comes up as to how to fund the work. In the US the thinking is you have to create a 501(c)(3) in order to raise money and then apply for grant funding. But capitalists create foundations (the source of grant funding) to shield their wealth from taxation. 2/ 8
#abolition#BlackMastodon#BlackTwiiter#NonProfits#Capitalism So rather than pay taxes so that communities can be properly supported by their own local governments, foundations put the money into charitable entities, thereby shielding it and then get a tax credit for giving it away! The question becomes if a grassroots group is really trying to radically change how their communities will be treated, will foundations be willing to fund such ideas? 3/8
#abolition#BlackMastodon#BlackTwiiter#NonProfits#Capitalism In a book that’s been out for a while, but I’m just getting to : THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE FUNDED, edited by INCITE! A collection of grassroots organizers wrote about how foundations co-opt and otherwise use their grants as a way to restrict the real work grassroots organizations do. The organizational leaders discussed how they ended up wasting time and resources “professionalizing” their work as demanded by the foundations. 4/8
#abolition#BlackMastodon#BlackTwiiter#NonProfits#Capitalism Examples: asking them to get office space and permanent staff they didn’t need. The “professionalization” push of the corporate foundations has created a category of nonprofit workers who are “professional managers.” Their whole effort revolves around keeping a high paying CEO or ED job in the sector as opposed to actually focusing on delivering services. I’ve seen good programs destroyed by nonprofit professionals EDs. 5/8
Irish writer and poet who wrote under the pseudonym "Æ" George William Russell was born #OTD in 1867.
As a poet, Russell's work often explored themes of spirituality, mysticism, nature, and the Irish landscape. One of Russell's most famous works is "The Candle of Vision" (1918), a mystical autobiography in which he describes his spiritual experiences and encounters with the divine.
Along with libraries, schools and research universities, journalism is an essential part of a democracy’s critical information infrastructure. Democracies in western and northern Europe earmark taxes or dedicated fees not only for legacy TV and radio but also for newspapers and digital media – and they make sure there’s always an arm’s-length relationship between the government and the news outlets so that their journalistic independence is assured. It’s worth noting that U.S. investment in public media is a smaller percentage of GDP than in virtually any other major democracy in the world.
State-level experiments in places such as New Jersey, Washington, D.C., California and Wisconsin suggest that public funding for newspapers and online-only outlets can also work in the U.S. Under these plans, news outlets prioritizing local journalism receive various kinds of public subsidies and grants.
The time has come to dramatically scale up these projects, from millions of dollars to billions, whether through “media vouchers” that allow voters to allocate funds or other ambitious proposals for creating tens of thousands of new journalism jobs across the country.
Is it worth it?
In our view, a crisis that imperils American democracy demands no less than a bold and comprehensive civic response."
#AI#OpenAI#NonProfits#Transparency: "“It is not common for organizations to make their governing documents or internal policies public,” says Rick Cohen, chief operating and communications officer for National Council of Nonprofits, an advocacy group.
Yet for seven consecutive years, from its founding through 2022, OpenAI stated in its annual IRS filings that it made those submissions as well as other files available “upon request.” It’s unclear if anyone ever took OpenAI up on the invitation in the years through 2022—OpenAI won’t say.
Last month, after two days of waiting on OpenAI communications staff to fulfill an emailed request for its governing documents, conflict rules, and financial statements, WIRED rang the doorbell outside OpenAI’s San Francisco headquarters on December 14 asking to see all those documents. A receptionist said over an intercom that wouldn’t be possible, hung up, and didn’t reengage. OpenAI’s IRS filing for 2023 that would reflect it has changed its previous policy isn’t due until later this year."
Staffer: [telling me about the time required to gather electeds' social handles manually]
Me: Manually?? You can run a report in our legislative tracker for all their info, including social. We're paying $8-effing-k for that effing platform.
Staffer: [blank stare]
Me: No worries. Next time. Do it next time.
Dear #Nonprofits,
I want you to embrace your tech stack and enmesh yourself with it like a lover. Become one. Revel in that shit.
In the Before Times, we could get away with manual futziness. Ain't nobody have time for that now. We're all traumatized and don't need the aggravation.
Instead of every donation you make gives you a chance to win a vacation that "offers you the opportunity to escape to a world of wellness and tranquility..."
Highlight one of the biggest lifts your community is making right now. Give the details on your work, not the vacation spot.
Center your community all year, and you won't need to gamify your year end asks for support.
As always, Vu from NonprofitAF, is spot on with their analysis:
"If this is a test, our sector as a whole is failing. We are failing to apply all the DEI lessons we’ve been learning regarding power, privilege, oppression, equity, and justice. We continue to intellectualize, equivocate, and engage in both-siding while a genocide happens on our watch, funded by our tax dollars."
“This is far from over” - OpenAI: The Battle of the Board. Altman may be back, but serious questions remain, chief among them: at what cost? Is Sam the steward we need to usher in AGI? Can we trust him to do the right thing, especially after this chaos? This is a drama that could have serious effects on many levels of society going forward. Worth watching closely by the public and regulators. #OpenAI#SamAltman#AI#CorporateGovernance#nonprofits#BoardBattleshttps://thezvi.substack.com/p/openai-the-battle-of-the-board
A new bill filed by a Florida lawmaker would prohibit any contractor or organization receiving state funds from activity that considers individuals gender identity or sexual orientation.
It's an exciting day for #nonprofits like Unicorn Riot that are registered in Minnesota as each donation made thru GiveMN's portal on #GTMD23 gives us a chance at the Golden Ticket & other giveaways! 🤑