Charities and Politics: The Debate Rages On

 Recent readers of The Chronicle of Philanthropy witnessed a lively discussion unfold on its pages between D.C. Central Kitchen president and author ROBERT EGGER and Georgetown University scholar PABLO EISENBERG. With a view to the next election cycle, Egger argued in a May 31 opinion piece that nonprofit organizations deserve the kind of political stature corporations enjoy because like corporations, they employ millions of Americans, command billions of dollars in resources, and thus play a vital economic as well as civic role in their communities. Yet nonprofits face a double standard when it comes to political activity, and they “accept their muzzled role.” Egger concludes that the laws that prohibit charities from direct campaign activities “not only are outdated, but also will be counterproductive” as nonprofits continue to grow in size, wealth, and stature.

Eisenberg, a regular contributor to the Chronicle, responded to Egger in his June 28 column. “Existing regulations are not the culprit for the nonprofit world’s failure to be more activist and politically involved,” he wrote. Historically, charities and foundations have held themselves apart from business and government, serving as a mediating force between the two. Yet as a result, nonprofit groups have “enormous leeway in supporting and promoting activism and influencing the political system.” The problem is not that these organizations are hampered by their nonprofit status and all that it entails, Eisenberg argues, but that most simply fail to exercise their current rights to organize communities, communicate with elected officials and their staffs, and educate and register voters.

On August 9, Hudson Institute’s Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal hosted a discussion between these two storied nonprofit sector leaders. Chronicle of Philanthropy senior writer IAN WILHELM served as the discussion’s moderator.

Listen to an Audio version of the debate...

Read a transcript of the debate...