Nonprofits are a critical sector in our society. Through offering our support of the Nonprofit Sector Strength and Partnership Act of 2022, Let It Be Us is working to support equitable outcomes for nonprofits and communities alike.

We join with other child welfare organizations from Illinois and across the country to support this act and to urge Congress to adopt this as legislation. At Let It Be Us we look forward to further opportunities to leverage our mission, knowledge, and impact to help the government and sectors to work together more effectively in pursuit of shared goals. Partnerships can be very strong vehicles for change. 

“At Let It Be Us we always seek to be the best equipped to bring about change; quickly turning ideas into action. Legislation like this will strengthen our opportunities,” said Susan McConnell, Executive Director and Founder of Let It Be Us. “We support working alongside legislators on both sides of the aisle to advise them on our work and on the best practices that we have designed to bring about the change which our child welfare system needs and that nonprofits, like Let It Be Us, can provide.”

Read the entire Letter of Support here:

The nonprofit sector is an economic powerhouse, a trusted community touchstone and service provider, and a critical ally in designing and implementing the work of government. We – the undersigned nonprofit and philanthropic organizations – write to offer our support for the Nonprofit Sector Strength and Partnership Act, which would establish government structures and policies that deepen this relationship and help nonprofits achieve their missions. 

Over the past two years, nonprofits have served on the front lines as America faces generational health, economic, and social crises. Nonprofits have adapted to disrupted operations and lost revenue while facing increased need in the community. While these challenges may be a poignant reminder of our sector’s importance, nonprofits have been delivering concrete outcomes for Americans for centuries. 

Whether they offer housing, nutrition, health, education, disaster relief, artistic inspiration, spiritual well-being, conservation or any number of other essential services, nonprofits are woven into and reflect the communities they serve. They work every day to improve lives and build a brighter future. Although they exist to advance a charitable mission, nonprofits have tremendous economic impact as the nation’s third-largest employer and generate nearly 6% of GDP. 

The Nonprofit Sector Strength and Partnership Act creates mechanisms that leverage the mission, knowledge, and impact of nonprofits to help government and the sector work together more effectively in pursuit of shared goals. The proposed White House Office on Nonprofit Sector Partnership and the Interagency Council will allow policymakers access to data, reporting, and frontline, community-specific expertise from nonprofits so they can better assist constituents. These bodies, along with a federal Advisory Board made up of nonprofit leaders, will also ensure nonprofits nationwide are better equipped to quickly turn ideas into action. 

Additionally, we greatly appreciate other key policy changes contained in the legislation: releasing quarterly economic data on the nonprofit sector in the same way as other industries, reducing paperwork for nonprofits to register and fundraise in multiple states, increasing access to national service, streamlining federal grant processes, and recommending clearer rules on nonprofit civic engagement. Taken together, these policies will make our sector stronger and enable nonprofits to better serve their communities by scaling effective solutions, cutting red tape, and meeting the unique needs of nonprofit workers. 

Nonprofits have the skills, tools, and trusted status needed to make a lasting difference in their communities. As Americans stare down an uncertain future, it has never been more important to develop and strengthen relationships between the government and the nonprofit sector. Your legislation represents a momentous step toward that goal and we look forward to working for its enactment. 

About Let It Be Us

Let It Be Us is a nonprofit organization dedicated to changing the landscape of foster care and adoption in Illinois. Our mission is to inspire foster care and adoption so more children in care grow up in stable, healthy homes. Funds raised will go to programs that build the strong and innovative bridge between our waiting children and foster and adoptive parents. Learn more at letitbeus.org

Susan McConnell

Susan McConnell, DSW(c), MBA is a parent of four free range young adults, three by adoption. She has 30+ years of experience in open adoption.  Susan is the founder and executive director of Let It Be Us, a nonprofit and Illinois licensed child welfare agency focusing on foster care and adoption. (www.letitbeus.org)  She is the chair of the Illinois Statewide Foster Care Advisory Council’s Permanency Committee and a member of the national organization Voice for Adoption.. Her doctoral work at the University of Southern California’s Suzanne Dvorak Peck’s School of Social Work focuses on adoption and permanency within foster care. She may be reached at susanmcconnell@letitbeus.org.