Re: “How the charities on your Colorado tax form used political clout, little state oversight to earn a coveted spot,” Feb. 28 news story.
Your story ultimately cast an unfair, negative light on the entire Colorado charitable community. Instead of a balanced account of a bipartisan program, The Denver Post presented a one-sided opinion of a program that directly benefits local charities and communities.
The article also unfairly referenced a nonprofit organization’s legitimate role in shaping public policy and engaging with legislators. It is, in fact, entirely appropriate and ethical for legislators to work with nonprofits to generate more resources to meet the needs of their communities. Like many legislators who work with nonprofits to direct state funding to support specific community needs, Rep. Leslie Herod worked with Urban Peak on a bipartisan bill that will increase private donations to their cause, and ultimately serve youth experiencing homelessness in several areas of the state.
The article’s assumption that nonprofits lack oversight devalues current state regulations of the sector and the quality leadership of nonprofits. Colorado’s nonprofits are trustworthy, ethical and work hard to follow the many laws governing them.
The overarching connotations of this article are harmful to the nonprofit community as a whole — a sector so crucial to maintaining the high quality of life in our state. We strongly believe the message of “donor be aware” rather than “donor beware” must be defined and at the forefront of media coverage. By visiting the secretary of state’s website, donors can easily search for charities online and learn about an organization’s main sources of revenue, how donations are used, and whether funds are spent for lobbying.
Despite what the article may imply, the approach Colorado takes is very typical among states with a similar program. That said, Colorado Nonprofit Association does believe the program could be improved and expanded further to benefit more organizations across the state — and will continue to be a part of collaborative conversations to evaluate the program.
Renny Fagan is president and CEO of Colorado Nonprofit Association.
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