Moving Beyond Bake Sales

No one holds a bake sale for the Government of New Brunswick. But bake sales, along with fundraising activities such as dinners, yard sales and raffles, are a major source of funding for New Brunswick’s Not-For-Profit Sector.

Of course, the Government has the ability to levy taxes and raise revenues from many other sources, from licence fees to resource royalties. Although projections haven fallen far short of the mark in recent years (and deficits are always a concern), the Government has a dependable source of revenue to ensure the continuity of services, keep the lights on and meet payroll every two weeks.

Many organizations in the Not-For-Profit Sector do not have this guarantee. To make ends meet, they rely on a variety fundraising activities, including bake sales, to raise the additional funds needed deliver their services. As anyone who volunteers with recreational programs in their communities can attest, there are many out-of-pocket expenses that must be covered if these programs are to continue.

Assuring stable funding was one of the key recommendations of Claudette Bradshaw’s ground-breaking report on the state of Community Non-Profit Organizations in New Brunswick. While no one would turn down increased funding, giving the Not-For-Profit sector predictability in terms of provincial financing was deemed to be critical in supporting the work done by this sector.

The need for stable funding is even more critical for those Community Not-for-Profit Organizations who provide services on behalf of the Provincial Government. While some organizations receive funding because they have worthy objectives, there are many organizations that provide needed public services that the Provincial Government cannot deliver.

In the latter instance, the Province buys these services from these organizations. It does not provide grants for altruistic or charitable reasons; it purchases services because the not-for-profit organization can do a better job, often at a better price, than the public service.

Two examples immediately spring to mind that illustrate the need for this partnership between the Provincial Government and Non-Profits.

Working with youth-at-risk, those who have unstable living arrangements, who may have mental health or substance abuse issues, or who are fleeing abusive or violent situations, can not be done from government offices during regular business hours. With high levels of distrust and alienation, these youth are suspicious of authority and bureaucracy.

To help these youth, for which it has clear jurisdictional responsibility, the Province needs to rely on those that have legitimacy and understanding with the youth they are trying to reach. Those who undertake this challenge are not found in institutional settings or work regular hours. Often, these groups are led by former youth who have survived the experience and feel a personal mission to provide street-level help to their peers.

The other example is nursing homes. These community-based facilities serve the most vulnerable and highest-need residents in the Province. These homes are governed by volunteer boards and benefit from hundreds of volunteer hours and significant community support. Not only do nursing home residents receive better and more appropriate care than seniors who occupy hospital beds, this care is provided at significantly lesser cost.

In both cases, working with youth-at-risk or the care provided by nursing homes, the Provincial Government benefits from having partners who can deliver better services to target groups at a lower cost. On a value-for-money basis alone, maintaining a stable and respectful partnership with these not-for-profit organizations is a wise use of tax dollars.

There will continue to be bake sales and community fundraisers to support the activities of groups like these. It would be a significant step forward, for both the Government and Community Non-Profit Organizations, if both government policy and funding would function in a more sustained and predictable way.

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This article was originally published in the June 9, 2014 edition of the Telegraph-Journal.