Your Voice Matters Now More Than Ever Before
- Maddy Bynes
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
By Maddy Bynes-DeVaney, MPP
This week I've been reflecting on the past 100 days and what that means for our non-profit communities across the country. Over the past 100 days, we've seen unprecedented attacks on social services, government workers, social care, healthcare, and so much more. It's honestly been scary, and I—just like you—have been worried about what this means for the populations we serve. There has been so much to monitor and follow, and every day feels like a new crisis. With so much happening, I know that it can feel like your voice doesn't matter and that you are better off focusing locally. I'm here to tell you, we need you and your voice now more than ever before!
Over the past 100 days, I've helped clients understand what is happening at the federal and state levels, how it impacts their organization, and develop public policy and advocacy responses to the unprecedented onslaught of government actions against nonprofit organizations and the people we serve. This has meant spending days on Capitol Hill, setting up site visits and helping organizations understand what to highlight to their Members of Congress, gathering data and stories, and sharing that information with our key lawmakers across the country. The one thing I hear from staff on Capitol Hill and from key lawmakers is "we need more!"
They need more stories to share about how your services impact the people that you serve. They need data and questions to ask and share at committee hearings. They need letters to circulate among their colleagues to describe the community impact of cutting programs. They need constituents reaching out to their offices, stopping them in the supermarket, and going to town halls to show that their voice matters just as much as big corporations and large money. They need bold action and leadership from nonprofit organizations that will help them help you.
After spending 15 years in public policy and advocacy work, I know the feeling. Sometimes it feels like you're yelling into a void. You feel like your comments, letters, and voices are going unanswered, and like it doesn't matter if you advocate or not. I'm here to tell you that I see every single day that it does matter.
As nonprofit leaders, we have an obligation to stand up for our mission and work. This doesn't just mean providing quality services that help people in your community, but it also means setting up equitable systems that help to reduce the number of people in poverty, the CO2 in our atmosphere, and increase people's access to quality healthy lives. Systems change work is difficult and it can feel relentless, but together we make a huge difference. Remember back in January when the Administration wanted to freeze all federal funding to grants and contracts? Our collective voices made a difference and they can continue to make a difference moving forward.
Long story short, we need more! We need more nonprofits talking about the populations that they serve on Capitol Hill and at State Legislatures. We need more people telling our lawmakers about the important work that they do. And, importantly, we need to be there for one another during these difficult times.
Struggling to figure out what to do? Here are some options:
Learn from your community about what government supports and services they use to live independently and sustainably.
Contact your Member of Congress' office to do a ride-along, tour, or roundtable.
Write a letter on behalf of your Board of Directors and have every Board Member sign the letter. Send the letter to your Members of Congress.
Write an OpEd about how government funding changes are impacting the people that you serve.
Engage in contingency planning for your organization.
Bynes Consulting is always here to help you through these difficult times. Over the past 100 days, we've helped nonprofits organize, gather data, analyze policy, and so much more. We are happy to help you too. Feel free to reach out today!