Institute for Community Solutions

Why aren't we the Institute for Nonprofits?

When we were searching for a word that would communicate what makes organizations that are supported voluntarily, are making an impact, and are helping people who can't afford to help themselves different, "nonprofit" didn't fit.

Names for other organizations clearly describe what they do - a business engages in business, a government engages in governing. A nonprofit is just a legal status, and worse, it more describes what the sector doesn't do than what it does. It results in an excruciating focus on overhead costs, how many dollars go to charity, etc, rather than the specific impact this organization makes.

Worse, because nonprofit is a legal status, anyone can be a nonprofit. Until recently, the National Football League was a nonprofit. Nonprofits can be explicitly political, even electing candidates for public office. None of those have to have any direct effect on what most people think nonprofits should do, which is help others.

Instead, the sector needs a name that better reflects the unique value and impact of this sector. A name that can go toe to toe with "the government" and "the market," and is based around what we do, rather than whether or not the people that donate to us pay taxes.