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Independent Sector (IS)
1200 18th Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20036
Tel:
202-467-6100; FAX: 202-467-6101
E-mail:
info@independent.org; WWW: http://www.IndependentSector.org, http://www.independentsector.org/members/memberlist.asp?orderVar=company_sort
A
national leadership forum, working to encourage philanthropy, volunteering,
not-for-profit initiative, and citizen action that help us better serve
people and communities. Founded in 1980, it is a nonprofit coalition of
over 850 corporate, foundation, and voluntary organization members with
national interest and impact in philanthropy and voluntary action, focused
on ensuring the growth and development of the nonprofit sector. IS’s mission
is to create a national forum capable of encouraging the giving, volunteering,
and nonprofit initiative that help those in the independent sector better
serve people, communities, and causes. Its mission is dervied from its
members’ shared commitment to fundamental values relating to the creation
and maintenance of a truly free society. Program areas include leadership
(provides information and education on issues related to ethics,
accountability, leadership, organizational effectiveness, and evaluation.
The program serves as a catalyst to bring together and work with leaders
from business, government, and the independent sector on common issues
and challenges. The leadership program promotes the development of organizational
cultures that invest in the people of the sector including the development
of future leaders through such initiatives such as the Emerging Leaders
Program and the Nonprofit Management Leadership Opportunity Program);
public Policy (works with policy makers
in the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government on issues
that have an impact on the nonprofit sector. The public policy staff cultivates
effective working relations with policymakers and mobilizes nonprofit
organizations on critical public policy issues); and Research (promotes the understanding of the charitable
sector by collecting and analyzing data on the size, scope, roles, and
contributions of the nonprofit sector in society, and by conducting surveys
that assess trends in individual giving and volunteering behavior. The
program works with IS members and other coalitions to increase the level
of useful information available by convening researchers and practitioners
around key subject areas).
Special
Projects include Charity Lobbying in the Public
Interest (launched in 1998, it educates nonprofit organizations
about the important and appropriate role lobbying can play in achieving
their missions. The project encourages participation in the public policy
process through educational resources designed for nonprofit managers,
trustees, nonprofit attorneys, accountants, and the academic community);
Give Five (a nationwide program to encourage individuals
to increase their giving and volunteering. The suggested goal is 5 percent
of income and five hours of volunteer time each week. IS has spread the
Give Five message over the years through a series of public service announcements
on television and radio, billboard displays, and magazine and newspaper
ads).
Publications
include Memo to Members,
a monthly communiqué from the president of Independent Sector to all members, providing updates on IS's work and commentary
on key issues facing philanthropy (includes newsworthy attachments, such
as legislative updates, notable speeches or articles, and educational
briefings); Public Policy Update,
a monthly executive briefing on policy issues especially for IS members;
Leadership IS, a newsletter that
provides resources on leadership and nonprofit management with an emphasis
on accountability, ethics, evaluation, and organizational effectiveness.
Research resources include books, reports, scholarly analyses, studies,
reports, and videos. Sponsors the yearly John W. Gardiner Leadership and
Leadership IS Awards as well as the Viriginia A. Hodgkinson Prize.
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