Post # 4

Before reading this chapter I was fairly unaware of what an “advocacy nonprofit” organization meant. Well obviously I learned that it is an organization that advocates a certain cause. Advocacy organizations have a tremendous impact on society simply because there are so many things to advocate. Everyone has a certain set of norms and values that correlate to specific interests that they would like to see activated or preserved. For example, if you live in a rural area and value having the ability to hunt for food you would be inclined to support an advocacy group that pushes for the continued use of firearms, such as the NRA. The problem is that in almost all cases there are people on the opposite end of the spectrum with entirely different interests that often conflict with the things that you want to have happen. In the hunting example, you could have a metropolitan mother who wants guns off the streets so that her children can be exposed to a safer environment. In this case is either person necessarily wrong? No, they are merely trying to protect their own interests. This, in my opinion makes advocacy the most controversial realm of the nonprofit sector that I have read about thus far.

I also might say it is among the most influential aspects of the nonprofit sector simply because the primary purpose of advocacy groups is to influence. Every advocacy organization has a specific agenda that they are trying to put forth. Whether it be the government, corporations, or just the general public these groups have a point that they are trying to make. Despite the fact that they often cause divisions in the population, I still think that advocacy organizations are good for society overall. As the book mentions, many of the basic civil rights and liberties that we now enjoy would probably not be a reality without the efforts of these organizations. If I were to ever work for a nonprofit agency I would probably choose an advocacy group because I would be able to work towards a purpose that I felt strongly about. I also was not surprised to learn that almost all of advocacy organization’s revenue comes from private donations because it makes sense for wealthy donors to allocate funds towards things they believe in.

I wasn’t surprised to learn that the Arts and Culture realm of the nonprofit sector is the smallest. Art and Culture definitely is a major part of our society, however I just don’t think of it as being as influential as other nonprofit activities. The major Art and Culture nonprofit organizations are Museums and theaters, which mainly provide a forum for public entertainment and knowledge. In my opinion, Art and Culture org’s come closest to being for profit in that most of their money is earned through private sources such as fees and commissions. In a way they are just providing a service just like a movie theater does. Obviously there are distinctions as these organizations don’t actually turn profits and are actually relatively poorly funded in comparison with other npo’s. Although these type of organizations may have a little less impact as far as policy, they still play a significant in role in the nonprofit sector and will continue to do so as long people continue to cherish the Arts.