Author: Yarmolinsky, Adam

Publication Year: 1972

Media Type: Report

Summary:

This paper is intended to launch an inquiry by a private national citizens' commission into the situation of the non-profit sector of American society today, and the prospects for making that sector a more effective contributor to the educational, scientific and social needs of American society, both internally and in its interactions with other societies.

Abstract:

This paper is intended to launch an inquiry by a private national citizens' commission into the situation of the non-profit sector of American society today, and the prospects for making that sector a more effective contributor to the educational, scientific and social needs of American society, both internally and in its interactions with other societies.

More specifically, it is addressed to the institutions of higher education, with special reference to private higher education (and including the voluntary teaching hospitals); to the private research institutions; to the cultural institutions, libraries, museums, and the performing arts; to the (non-profit) institutions that transmit ideas and information through the printed word and the electronic media; and to private non-profit institutions organized or designated by government to assist it in performing educational, cultural, social and scientific functions.|Its purpose is to suggest promising lines of inquiry into the problems and opportunities for the kinds of non-profit institutions within its scope of concern; to mark out significant gaps in information and understanding, and to identify possible tools of public policy that might be employed to strengthen these institutions; to remove impediments to their effective functioning; to build stronger and more effective links between and among institutions; and to minimize unnecessary duplication and wasted effort.

The paper is divided into eight sections. The first section describes the concerns that gave rise to the proposal to create the commission. The second section is in effect a brief taxonomy of non-profit institutions (including those outside the scope of this inquiry) and a rough accounting of the resources, private and public, currently available to support them.|The next three sections cover the economic problems of the non-profit sector. The third section deals with ways to increase, or at least maintain, the present levels of private support for these institutions from individuals, foundations and corporations, primarily through the tax mechanism. The fourth section deals with ways to increase the flow of public funds to these institutions, while attempting to preserve the maximum degree of independence and the pluralism of means that distinguishes quasi-private from wholly public entities. The fifth section deals with ways to increase the revenues of these institutions from services rendered to the public - without unduly constricting access to these services.

The last three sections treat the issues of management and substantive purpose within these institutions. The sixth section is concerned with questions of priorities and measures of institutional output, in order to allocate tasks and resources among the three sectors, profit, non-profit and government; among classes of non-profit institutions; and within particular classes. The seventh section is concerned with ways of increasing efficiency through better internal management, including management of interinstitutional relationships. The eighth and last section is concerned with issues of responsibility and responsiveness, balancing institutional integrity against the changing needs of society, and with special reference to the role of trustees.

CONTENTS
Introduction.

1. The roots of the problem.
2. Taxonomy of nonprofit institutions.
3. Increasing - or maintaining - levels of private giving.
4. Increasing levels of public contribution - with appropriate safeguards.
5. Increasing revenues for services rendered.
6. Increasing effectiveness.
7. Increasing efficiency.
8. Increasing responsiveness and responsibility.

Appendix.

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Private Sector