Policy Initiatives towards the Nonprofit Sector: Insights from the Israeli Case

AbstractThe article aims to describe and analyze the main processes of policy initiatives towards the nonprofit sector in Israel since 2000, and their implications for the nonprofit sector and civil society. The process started with a review of policies regarding the sector, its roles and relationship with the government conducted by an ad hoc Review Committee established in February 2000. This then developed into few policy initiatives: in the Ministry of Social Welfare; by a governmental committee to review allocations to the nonprofit sector, and another project by the Prime Minister’s Office that attempted to change the relations between nonprofit organizations and the government. These initiatives are analyzed, focusing on the actors and the politics of the process, as well as subsequent changes and their impact on the government and civil society in Israel. The analysis reveals that, while the policy initiatives have created new forms and forums for dialogue and joint work between main-stream nonprofit organizations and the government, it has neither developed nor strengthened such organizations and civil society as an alternative public sphere. The insights obtained from the Israeli case of policy development towards the nonprofit sector points to a need for a more nuanced consideration of partnership policies between the government and the nonprofit sector, and their implications for nonprofit organizations and civil society.</jats:p

Civil Society and Nonprofits in the Age of New Public Governance: Current Trends and Their Implications for Theory and Practice

AbstractIntroductory essay to the special issue on: Civil Society and nonprofits in the age of new public governance: Current trends and their implications for theory and practice.</jats:p

Insider Status and Outsider Tactics: Advocacy Tactics of Human Service Nonprofits in the Age of New Public Governance

AbstractPolicy advocacy is an eminent feature of the activities of non-profit human service organizations (NPHSOs), allowing them to represent their constituencies, in addition to their core activity as providers of social services in welfare states. The article presents findings on the advocacy tactics of 47 NPHSOs in Israel, focusing on the ways in which partnership policies in the age of New Public Governance affect their activities. The findings reveal that the shift towards increased governmental funding and contracting-out to nonprofits, as part of the NPG scheme, increases opportunities for the NPHSOs to influence public policy, using a wide variety of both insider cooperative tactics and more confrontational outsider tactics. NPHSOs are firstly concerned with establishing their insider status, using cooperative tactics. After achieving this goal, they feel confident enough to turn to more aggressive outsider tactics, utilizing their relative power as major providers of social services.</jats:p