Often, and nauseatingly, the nonprofit sector is told to be more like the business sector. From admonishments to be more cost-effective, more innovative, more data driven, it is a common refrain – essentially we are saying “Nonprofit sector, be smart like businesses.”
By Nell Edgington, Social Velocity
I have often argued against this very limited and patronizing view of the nonprofit sector, as have many others including, most recently, Phil Buchanan in his new book Giving Done Right.
Because the truth is that while the business sector has brought us many positive things, it has also given us some pretty challenging social problems (wealth inequality, pollution, the opioid crisis to name a few) – mistakes that the nonprofit sector is often charged with cleaning up.
And the nonprofit sector willingly takes on this cleanup, because what the nonprofit sector has in spades is kindness. The kindness of taking care of your fellow man, the kindness of including those who have been left out, the kindness of lifting up those who have less, the kindness of believing that we can do better.