Campaign 2010: John W. Hickenlooper, Democrat, Colorado

Campaign Web site

The Chronicle recently asked the major-party candidates for governor in 37 states to answer a series of questions about how they would influence the work of nonprofit groups in their states if they are elected. Below are excerpts of a letter written in response by John W. Hickenlooper, the Democratic mayor of Denver, who is running for governor of Colorado.

On his nonprofit background:

Before being elected mayor, I served on over 40 boards of directors and committees for nonprofit organizations. I have started nonprofit organizations, worked for them, and supported them financially. I know the vital role that nonprofits play in our society.

On Denver’s work with nonprofits:

As mayor of Denver, I started the Denver Office of Strategic Partnerships, which engages in and supports collaborative efforts between city agencies and nonprofits and has achieved national recognition for creating public-private partnerships. I believe that the public and nonprofit sectors can each become more effective and efficient when they work together. Nonprofits often provide key services beyond the scope that public agencies can provide, one of many reasons they are important to Colorado.

On collaboration between the state and nonprofits:

An equivalent state office or position [to Denver’s Office of Strategic Partnerships] may be a valuable asset for the state, though that possibility will be limited in part by whether the state budget can support it effectively. If it cannot, I will look for cabinet members who have experience with and appreciation for issues affecting nonprofits. Nonprofit leaders are also experts in their policy fields, and their input will be an invaluable resource as we move forward.

We also currently have the Governor’s Commission on Community Service and Volunteerism, which promotes volunteerism and oversees the AmeriCorps program in the state, and I will build upon the good work of this office. However we structure the relationship, collaboration between state agencies and nonprofits will be a priority.

On the impact of the bad economy on nonprofits:

Supporting nonprofits will be an important part of my administration. I support continuing tax exemptions for nonprofits and reviewing tax incentives for volunteerism and corporate philanthropy. Nonprofits, like our government and businesses, are suffering the strain of these difficult economic times. The best way to help all of us is to stimulate the state economy, increasing both employment, capacity for charitable donations, and state revenues.

I will do this by advertising the attractive business environment Colorado already offers and by ensuring that we make the long-term investments in education and infrastructure necessary to attract and retain employers. I will also review the way that our state government operates and look for ways to make its work more efficient, in turn alleviating some of our budget pressure.

On his agenda for nonprofits:

As governor, I can also play a role in helping nonprofits meet their funding needs. I will work to ensure prompt payment to nonprofit and faith-based organizations that receive contracts with the state government, reducing burdens on organizations and delays in the services they provide.

My administration will seek partners in philanthropy to address issues of critical importance to the most vulnerable sectors of our society. We will also work with these foundations to promote program-related investments (PRI’s) as a way of getting more dollars into the community. On the federal level, I support advocating for simplification of the excise tax, and I would work with our Congressional delegation to advance that goal.

On regulation of nonprofits:

Most Colorado nonprofits perform excellent work, and it is critical that nonprofits retain the freedom to pursue their missions. Nonprofit leaders themselves have been a valuable resource for identifying the types of regulations that best protect Colorado from the few unscrupulous or ineffective groups while leaving the majority to continue their important work.

Collaboration between the nonprofit community and the offices of the attorney general and the secretary of state have generated improved regulation and transparency of nonprofits and charities. These advances include helping to make the secretary of state’s Web site more informative both for nonprofits and for prospective donors, having the Colorado Nonprofit Association’s Principles and Practices for Nonprofit Excellence endorsed by both the secretary of state and the attorney general, and setting up the Check the Charity Web site to inform and protect donors.

Finally, Colorado recently adopted HB 08-1109, which gave the secretary of state authority to request records from organizations that should register for charitable solicitation and imposed fees and fines on charities that fail to register. Nonprofit service providers and funders were both active in developing this legislation. As governor, I would continue to develop and encourage this partnership with nonprofits to ensure fair and effective regulation.

——————–

See responses from other candidates on our Campaign 2010 Web page.

If you have information about how the governor’s race could affect nonprofits in your state, or would like to encourage your state’s candidates to complete our survey, please contact Suzanne Perry at suzanne.perry@philanthropy.com or (202) 466-1228.