Government regulations harm charities' aid to needy

A ground-breaking new study surveying 441 charities serving low-income communities found a whopping 89% reporting that government regulations impede their ability to serve the poor.

Black America 1997: How Government Harms Charities. . . and How Some Are Succeeding Anyway, a two-year study by Project 21, catalogues the substantial burden borne by charities that find themselves caught between the competing needs of low-income communities and the demands of government bureaucrats. The report also highlights groups that are effective despite regulatory roadblocks.

Whether it is funding applications that take a hundred hours to complete, requirements that consider credentials in drug dependency counseling more important than a counselor's effectiveness, or a mandate for metal over plastic wastebaskets, the absurdity and sheer volume of government regulations is impeding the ability of local charities to help those in need.

Here are just two examples from the report:

* Theo (Doc) Benson of the Education and Employment Ministry of Oklahoma City: "We agreed to take on a transportation project with city, county and federal money . . . but soon gave up the public money because of the requirements to hire homeless drivers. The van was wrecked three times and the paperwork was beyond description.'

Terry Meyers of the Oasis Shelter in Arkansas: "Half my time is spent filling out paperwork for our $12,000 Emergency Shelter Grant."

Black America 1997 includes stories from 131 of 391 groups reporting problems with government rules. It also provides program descriptions of 44 charitable efforts that are worthy of special recognition.

To receive a copy of the Black America 1997 report, call Roderick Conrad at 202-543-1286.

Copyright Human Events Publishing, Inc. Jan 16, 1998
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved