Governmental/Non-Profit Community-Based Partnerships: The Wave of the Future

I read an article in the Chronicle of Philanthropy about how non-profits should partner more effectively with government entities, in this case, mayors, to meet their community’s needs. Interestingly, this was one of my 2021 predictions from my podcast in January—that this kind of conversation will become more frequent.

The idea of the private-public partnership is not new. It’s happened for many decades. Living in Omaha, I’ve seen it be used frequently to great success. Maybe the best example is the private dollars, for the first time in our country‘s history, used in partnership with the Veterans Association to build a new veterans hospital right here in Nebraska. This collaboration saved money, finished the project ahead of schedule, and allowed the community to be vested in the important work of healthcare for veterans. A win-win-win for everyone.

The Chronicle article correctly, in my opinion, speaks about the platform that mayors have to see the widest picture of their community and/or needs that exist. Those city leaders who are willing to embrace philanthropists, and their particular views, allow for immediate investment in the community where people need assistance. This kind of relationship is faster than governmental support in putting a program together, cheaper because non-profit work is more nimble with less bureaucracy, and can be laser-focused on a specific need rather than the greater community-wide issues a mayor worries about.

The more we embrace the effectiveness, cost savviness, and laser-focus of non-profits with the responsibility and the hope the government leaders have, the better their community, the more likely we are to solve unique challenges of the “not heard, “not represented,” and the “unseen” much more quickly.  This partnership is good for everyone, especially those in need.