The Center for Political Accountability and the Zickilin Center for Business Ethics Research of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School created an index to rate companies in the S&P 100 for the quality of political disclosure and accountability policies and practices. According to the index, fifty-seven of the S&P 100 have adopted board oversight on speding and politicies/practices related to political spending (or they bar spending corporate cash on politics altogether).
You are likely seeing some if not lots of messages about how nonprofits should engage their constituents in thinking about the candidates and how the nonprofits themselves might ensure that the candidates are thinking about their issues. This is good I believe because nonprofits, continuing to fill the void between the interests of the for-profit sector and the mandates of the government, frequently serve constituents not otherwise represented or communicated with about the political issues the candidates are addressing.
This reality combined with the CPA-Zicklin index story move me to ask: isn't it time for your board to review what is permissible as a nonprofit (and a lot is) around political engagement and, how the board will both strategize and monitor such engagement? Once again, much is riding on the results of this next presidential election.
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