More generally, the National Council of Nonprofit Associations, which represents statewide associations of nonprofits across the country, urged Congress in the same hearings to provide greater support for the work of the Exempt Organizations Division of the Internal Revenue Service in order to improve accountability and strengthen public support for nonprofits. The NCNA position paper on the subject states "Both the general public and the nonprofit sector benefit from maintaining a skilled and respected oversight agency with the power and resources to provide needed guidance and correct abuses." As a member of NCNA and an observer of the nonprofit scene, I personally support this statement strongly. --Put Barber

The Nathan Cummings Foundation has published Holding the Center: America's Nonprofit Sector at a Crossroads by Johns Hopkins political scientist Lester Salamon. The foundation has made the complete text available on its website, and we have added a link through the "Special Files" index on "The Nonprofit Files (FAQ)" page of this website (click the button at left). Dr. Salamon's report is an important sketch of the scope of nonprofits and their work at this time when the stresses and challenges facing sector are being felt with a particular urgency.

The references in the lists of local organizations state by state and in national support and advocacy organizations here at Information for Nonprofits have recently been checked and updated. They should be even more useful as a reference now. Please let us know if you find something that still needs to be revised and let us know of new resources that should be included. Thank you!