Introduction
If several people want to do socially valuable work, they can unite and create a non-profit organization (NPO). From the point of view of the law, an NPO is a legal entity that must have its charter and accounts. The main difference between such an organization and a commercial firm is that NPOs are created not to make money but to do good deeds: help the homeless, care for the environment, protect human rights, and others. It is impossible to make a complete list of all the work areas of non-profit organizations: people’s social life and needs can be very different.
For a more detailed examination of NPO activities, it will be convenient to use case studies. The Fight for $15 movement and the Transgender Law Center will be used as comparisons. This choice is based on the escalating situation of services and gender protection of people in the United States. Many people are facing social injustices that the state is driving the global marketplace. Transnational corporations cannot provide proper solutions to these problems, so non-profit organizations, for whom results are more important than profits, come to the rescue. This paper aims to compare the selected companies’ mission, organizational structure, and financial management plans. I think it is important to draw parallels between different organizations, which use different ways and methods to achieve success in their activities.
The Mission
The Fight for $15 movement was created in 2012 to raise the minimum wage from $7 to $15 in the United States. The organization supported many employees of large companies, from medicine to fast food. Mass strike was chosen as a method of struggle as a powerful lever of pressure on companies and trade unions. One of the largest protests occurred in 2012 when more than 100 fast-food industry employees left their jobs and organized a united movement for higher wages (Minchin, 2022). This event was the starting point for local worker gains. For example, success at the state level occurred in California, Maryland, Florida, Illinois, and several other states. The accomplishments led to the issue of raising the minimum wage being on the Democratic Party’s state plan. In 2019, the House of Representatives drafted and passed an Act to raise the wage to $15 per hour of work, but it was not approved in the Senate (Minchin, 2022). This legislation is still popular with the Democratic Party and is being actively lobbied for by incumbent President Joe Biden.
The fact discussed above shows that the movement is booming and is on a mission to improve the welfare of workers in the United States. In addition, the movement has motivated workers throughout the country to fight for their rights and better working conditions. Thus, the organization is active in more than 300 cities on six continents (Minchin, 2022). More than 26 million people have achieved minimum wage increases at various businesses (Minchin, 2022). Activity does not stop for a second and continues to grow in various corners of the world. The unique mission is in line with the principles of social justice and is being realized daily, improving thousands of employees’ lives every year.
I want to compare the movement to the Transgender Law Center, one of the largest civil rights organizations in the United States since 2002. TLC’s mission is to connect transgender people and their families with quality legal services, to increase acceptance and respect, and to enforce the law and rights in the United States (Redcay et al., 2019). The Center is actively engaged in redesigning a legal system that does not adequately address the needs and experiences of transgender people. Through the presentation of direct legal services education for the safety of transgender communities, the organization strives to ensure the most significant degree of success in its mission.
The main differences lie in the different focus of the organizations and the methods of struggle. Whereas the $15 movement uses protest as a method, the Transgender Law Center uses exclusively legal and educational methods, which ensure that rights are legislated more quickly for a particular community. The difference is in the mass nature of the organizations since TLC is focused exclusively on transgender people, who represent a small social group and only in the United States. The $15 movement, in turn, is more international since it is active on every continent and significantly influences power structures.
Organizational Structure and Finance
Comparing the organizational structure and finances, it is clear that the Fight for $15 movement has a more chaotic structure and voluntary donations from the participants themselves. Despite its scope, the organization has various participants and does not always choose a legal way of fighting. Many non-profit foundations exist through individual donations, but most are inexperienced in organizing and managing the funds received. This fact is the main disadvantage, which is covered by the outstanding achievements of the movement. There is no denying that Fight for $15 is one of the most significant non-profit movements in the world, and therefore it is essential to support its work (Minchin, 2022). The organization’s participants managed to give their mission wide publicity in the state structures, which are trying to make a profit and get the necessary votes in the elections. Laws to raise wages to get passed, but no one monitors their implementation, so employers use various tricks and stratagems to cut the minimum wage per hour of work (Minchin, 2022). The movement lacks the proper legal and expert support to promote its demands better.
The minimum wage is rising slowly, unlike the prices of essential items and groceries. On the other hand, the Center for Transgender Law has a more cohesive organizational structure and the legal backbone to protect a particular community of people in the United States. Such organizations are not limited to donations because they have regular sponsors vested in TLC’s success (Redcay et al., 2019). In this case, the donations are not one-time but regular and at a higher amount, which allows them to provide highly qualified legal support for transgender people. This fact underscores the stronger position of narrowly focused non-profit organizations, as it allows complete control over all the processes that take place and succeeds in most cases under consideration.
Companies registered as NPOs enjoy the benefits established by the state. For example, the company’s activities must correspond to the goals spelled out in its internal documents. This fact highlights the disadvantage of NPOs, as it will be difficult to include other areas and communities of people in the spectrum of activities (Becker et al., 2020). It is essential for each of the organizations discussed to conduct their activities within the legal framework and thus avoid unwanted and inefficient cooperation (Becker et al., 2020). In today’s world, the power structures approach NCOs with exceptional control and try to interrupt their activities. The method of recognizing such organizations and foundations as foreign agents due to funding from other countries is prevalent, leading to further funding difficulties.
Conclusion
When forming a non-profit organization, one must be careful in developing internal documents. The constituent documents must describe the procedure for forming property through contributions, donations, and the intended use of these funds. There is a clear distinction between an NPO’s entrepreneurial and statutory activities. If these points are developed incorrectly or missed, state benefits and advantages of NPOs over commercial structures can become significant disadvantages. In addition, it will lead to public disappointment and less support for other NCOs.
As a consultant for both organizations and would undertake a complete restructuring of both organizations to create a solid organizational structure and broad funding. NPOs must make their activities as transparent as possible to attract sponsors and supporters, creating solid support and a legal basis for the organizations. Understanding the degree of responsibility to the public and specific stakeholders is essential. They must know that their activities are bound to bear fruit, and the funds received from sponsors will give a chance for quality legal support, allowing them to cooperate with the authorities.
Any activity of NCOs is a great responsibility, especially in unstable economic and social situations in many large countries. Using the precise organization of activities and openness to supporters, NCOs have a high chance of achieving success in their activities. In addition, I would advise NCOs to remember that the principal value is people, and their well-being and prosperity is the primary mission, which is realistic to fulfill, using only legal ways to fight corruption.
References
Becker, A., Boenigk, S., & Willems, J. (2020). In non-profits we trust? A large-scale study on the public’s trust in non-profit organizations. Journal of Non-profit & Public Sector Marketing, 32(2), 189-216, Web.
Minchin, T. J. (2022). A defining battle: the fight for $15 campaign and labor advocacy in the US. Labor History, 63(2), 1-18, Web.
Redcay, A., Luquet, W., & Huggin, M. E. (2019). Immigration and asylum for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. Journal of Human Rights and Social Work, 4 (4), 248-256, Web.