Election 2008: Should Nonprofits Participate in Political Campaigns?

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — A lively discussion unfolded recently on the pages of The Chronicle of Philanthropy between D.C. Central Kitchen president and author ROBERT EGGER and Georgetown University scholar PABLO EISENBERG. Egger argued in a May 31 opinion piece that nonprofit organizations face a double standard when it comes to political activity. Business corporations participate in a way that nonprofits by law cannot. Egger concludes that the laws that prohibit charities from direct campaign activities “not only are outdated, but also will be counterproductive.”

Eisenberg, a regular contributor to the Chronicle, responded in his June 28 column. “Existing regulations are not the culprit for the nonprofit world’s failure to be more activist and politically involved,” he wrote. Historically, charities have served as a mediating force between business and government, and in this role have had “enormous leeway in supporting and promoting activism and influencing the political system.” Today, most simply fail to exercise their current rights to organize communities, communicate with elected officials and their staffs, and educate and register voters.

On August 9, Hudson Institute’s Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal will host these two nonprofit leaders for a discussion. Chronicle of Philanthropy editor STACY PALMER will serve as moderator. Complimentary lunch.

   What: “Should Nonprofit Organizations Play an Active Role in Election           Campaigns?”          A debate hosted by Hudson Institute’s Bradley Center for           Philanthropy and Civic Renewal    Who:   Pablo Eisenberg, senior fellow at the Georgetown Public Policy           Institute and author of Challenges for Nonprofits and           Philanthropy: The Courage to Change          Robert Egger, founder and president of the D.C. Central Kitchen and           author of Begging for Change: The Dollars and Sense of Making           Nonprofits Responsive, Efficient and Rewarding For All          Stacy Palmer (moderator), editor of the Chronicle of Philanthropy    When:  Thursday, August 9, 2007          12:00 – 2:00 pm    Where: Renaissance Mayflower Hotel          Colonial Room          1127 Connecticut Avenue, NW          Washington, D.C. 20036    RSVP:  krista@hudson.org or call 202-974-2424  

Hudson Institute

CONTACT: Krista Shaffer, +1-202-974-2424, krista@hudson.org, or RachelDiCarlo, +1-202-974-6456, rdicarlo@hudson.org, both of the Hudson Institute

Web site: http://www.hudson.org/