The modern world requires new solutions, and collaboration between government and nonprofit organizations is one such initiative that has increased activity. In relation to public policy, many companies are aware of severe concerns and problems and how to address them. However, they lack resources, which is why governmental support is needed. The reading in question provides valuable information about government relations, and the three key ideas are the role of the parties, the types of programs, and their components.
The interaction between nonprofit organizations and the government can be defined as a collaboration. Tabor (2007) indicates that the former educates legislators about challenges and issues faced by the professions and businesses of the members, and the latter makes informed decisions and uses their resources to enhance public policy. Further, the first type of government relations program is informational, which focuses on gathering and providing data. The second is reactive, meaning associations respond to a policy or initiative that has already been introduced (Tabor, 2007). Proactive programs involve initiating new policies, and a mix is when all these steps are needed to address an issue. Then, the author lists several components of the programs, for example, the initial phase – the identification and analysis of the issues, during which a potentially interesting challenge is spotted and its possible effects are determined (Tabor, 2007). The association may not know its position on the concern at this stage.
To conclude, I might say that this reading is quite informative and engaging. Government relations is an essential process that involves serious steps and should be based on closed collaboration between nonprofit organizations and the government. As evident from the programs’ types and components, research plays a vital role in the identified process. While all program types matter, I find informational one to be especially critical because proper decisions cannot be made if there is a lack of evidence or statistics. Overall, it is efficient that such a process exists because it enhances public policy and addresses numerous needs spotted in businesses and professions.
Reference
Tabor, J. L. (2007). Government relations. In J. B. Cox (Ed.), Professional practices in association management: The essential resource for effective management of nonprofit organizations (pp. 249-261). American Society of Association Executives.