Independent Sector Unveils New Drive

A national coalition of charities and foundations has announced a new public-education campaign that it hopes will increase Americans’ confidence in non-profit organizations.

At its annual meeting last week, Independent Sector unveiled “Giving Voice to Your Heart,” an effort to persuade non-profit leaders to become more involved in educating the public about their work. The campaign comes at a time when non-profit groups face increasing public skepticism and challenges to such privileges as the right to lobby Congress and to receive tax-deductible contributions.

The campaign, which uses the logo shown above, urges charity officials to emphasize several key points when talking to donors, reporters, and public officials, including the benefits and effectiveness of non-profit organizations, and the mechanisms in place for insuring accountability among non-profit groups.