Building Bridges - The TANGO Blog
TANGO’s mission is to build bridges between the nonprofit sector and the business sector. The mission is based on the belief that the interests of the sectors are capable of being aligned, and that communities do better when their interests are aligned.
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An alignment of interests is not the same as a merger of interests. Each sector is responsible for different tasks within a community, both sets of tasks are necessary conditions for community stability, and each sector should be allowed to perform the tasks for which it is best suited without undue interference from the other. However, recognizing the equally important role each sector plays in the community, the sectors should support each other, and doing this will require a bridge over which information, ideas, problems, solutions, and goals are exchanged freely in both directions. |
The principles upon which the bridge will be built are the TANGO Founding Principles appearing at the beginning of our textbook, The TANGO Nonprofit Method. This Blog is one component part of the bridge we will be building, and it will be both a platform and a portal to identify relevant information, ideas, problems and solutions and to discuss them openly and critically. Finally, our roots are in the business sector, and we will bring “business-like” rigor to our commentary. We will be frank and clear so as not to be misunderstood, while always being respectful. We also invite counter-opinion from those who disagree. Having said this, our critique of nonprofit sector organizations will be based on the following rigorous standards and principles: |
ONE: Tax-exempt status is a privilege conferred by federal and state legislative acts. Tax exemptions and tax deductions reduce public tax revenue, and, as such, indirectly subsidize nonprofit sector operations.
TWO: The governing boards and management teams of these organizations must adhere strictly to high fiduciary standards when expending and managing the funds and assets of the organizations they serve. Moreover, as fiduciaries of financial and other assets dedicated to a public/charitable purpose, nonprofit governing boards have a higher level of responsibility than do our elected officials who are not held to fiduciary standards when they exercise their voting authority over public assets.
THREE: Nonprofit governing boards have a duty to develop a set of measures and metrics to gauge both internal operating functions and the social impact of their organizations. The applicable measures and metrics should be prepared in conformance with the fiduciary standards mentioned above consistent with applicable benchmarks, data, and known industry standards.
FOUR: Organizations should report prominently and candidly the results of operations relative to the measures and metrics. The fiduciaries governing boards of these organizations must have the courage to report poor measures and metrics, not unlike the manner in which publicly traded business organizations are required to do so – even if over the objections of management.
FIVE: Nonprofit Organizations should not misuse the emotional appeal of their mission. The emotional appeal of a mission statement should be subordinate to the measurement and metric outcomes.
Risks of Copyright Infringement
Learn more about copyright infringement and what to do if your organization receives a notice. Learn how to determine whether the notice is legitimate and when to seek legal advice and, more generally, understanding the risks of copyright infringement claims and taking steps to mitigate those risks where possible.
June 2023 – Founders Forum by Rollin Schuster
It’s that time of year again where we are looking for those Rising Stars in your Organization to win our annual TANGO Foundation Rising Star Scholarship Awards.
Bad Data Is More Costly Than Organizations Realize
Many nonprofits struggle to keep their most important databases free of “bad data.” Bad data includes inaccuracies, outdated information, duplicates, inconsistent formatting, typos, and other errors.
Demonstrating relevance: a top priority for Nonprofits in 2023
Not-for-profit organizations (NFPs) are vital to improving the most imminent environmental and societal issues we face today. In an increasingly crowded and competitive fundraising environment, demonstrating relevance has become a high priority for many NFPs.
What changes to the unemployment system we may see from our Federal and State governments in their response to a recession
we thought we would focus on what changes to the unemployment system we may see from our Federal and State governments in their response to a recession.
Partners Perspective – The Connection 2023
The understanding of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within the workplace has evolved significantly over the past sixty years or so. As a nation, we have seen continuous efforts to challenge and transform our systems, policies, and practices that perpetuate inequities based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and other dimensions and intersections of diversity.
Partners Perspective – Franklin Pierce University 2023
If business owners learned anything from the last two years, it would be importance of investing and supporting employees. While some could argue that employers should have already been attuned to this, COVID-19 forced a reckoning with the employer-employee relationship.
Partners Perspective – February 2023 – Financial One
Nonprofit organizations exist in numerous communities throughout our country. Even though they provide many valuable services and programs to needy individuals, operating a nonprofit organization certainly has its challenges.
Partners Perspective – January 2023 – Cause Inspired
As the global economy continues to struggle to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty of a looming recession, nonprofits are feeling the pressure to adapt in order to stay afloat.
DOL Year End Compliance Holiday Recap!
End of Year Compliance Event hosted by TANGO, NFP and the Connecticut Department of Labor.
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