Year 2020 challenged non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with a pandemic, an economic slowdown and uncertainty about the responses of newly-elected government leaders, including the legislators now gathered in Austin for the 87th Regular Session. Nonprofit organizations, foundations and associations of all types are searching for new programs to serve the public and their stakeholders. Leaders from across the nation gathered January 21-22 for the 38th Annual University of Texas School of Law Nonprofit Organizations Institute. I delivered my observations along with co-presenter, Ross Ramsey, executive editor of the Texas Tribune. (Read and print the entire paper here.)
Although it’s hard to predict the direction the legislature will take, there are numerous opportunities to engage issues that should not be ignored: formalized and centralized disaster relief response by nonprofits and volunteer groups; surviving and operating under changing federal and state disaster declarations, emergency orders and federal and state regulatory edicts; access to federal relief funds passed down to local agencies; using the 2020 census and redistricted political boundaries to grow into new relationships; and societal change underlying civil rights, criminal law enforcement and social justice issues.
My observations and other earlier legislative summaries are available here and will be updated during the 2021 Texas Legislative Session.