WASHINGTON, DC, - June 2, 2008 - A new report highlighting promising policy innovations for the nation’s social sector was released today by the Aspen Institute's
Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy Program.

The report, Mobilizing Change: 10 Nonprofit Policy Proposals To Strengthen U.S. Communities, puts together in one place the proposals of leading thinkers in the field who are working to address social problems and improve the lives of those in need through improved nonprofit-government policies. The report calls for a bipartisan commission that would study the relationship between nonprofits and government and make recommendations for increasing social sector capacity.
Examples of the proposals discussed in the report include:

• A new tax designation for social benefit enterprises, groups that mix business practices with social missions;


• A new nonprofit-government coordinating body that would improve FEMA's communication and coordination with nonprofits during times of crisis; and,


• Creation of a Social Investment Fund Network, which would generate growth capital for nonprofits with pioneering approaches to solving difficult social problems.
  

Mobilizing Change: 10 Nonprofit Policy Proposals To Strengthen U.S. Communities can be downloaded at www.aspeninstitute.org/nspp.

The Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy Program seeks to improve the operation of the nonprofit sector and philanthropy through research and dialogue focused on public policy, management, strategy and other issues.
The Aspen Institute, founded in 1950, is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering enlightened leadership and open-minded dialogue. Through seminars, policy programs, conferences and leadership development initiatives, the Institute and its international partners seek to promote nonpartisan inquiry and an appreciation for timeless values. The Institute is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has campuses in Aspen, Colorado, and on the Wye River near the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Its international network includes partner Aspen Institutes in Berlin, Rome, Lyon, Tokyo, New Delhi, and Bucharest, and leadership initiatives in Africa, Central America, and India.

Aspen Institute

Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute has campuses in Aspen, Colorado, and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It also maintains offices in New York City and has an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org or follow on Twitter @AspenInstitute.

More from Aspen Institute