[NLA] Discussion: CAAL Report: National Coalition for Literacy: Options for the Future

[David J. Rosen]

Gail Spangenberg, Robbin Sorensen, and other NLA Colleagues,

Thanks to Gail, and Forrest Chisman, for this important study.  It
identifies critical issues for the National Coalition for Literacy (NCL).

I support the recommendation that the NCL re-form as a not-for-profit
organization with paid staff, membership dues, fundraising capacity, and 
paid staffing.  I agree with many of the reasons that Forrest has laid 
out for doing so.  However, they are not all equal in my mind.  The most 
compelling reason for a strengthened NCL is our need for a national 
organization, one which represents all major adult and family literacy 
organizations, and which has the strength of the field working in 
concert with its leadership, to lead an ongoing national adult literacy 
advocacy campaign.  This purpose is essential to the success of our 
field, and to the students which our field serves, and might serve.  No 
organization now has this as its primary purpose.

The NCL is already representative. It should now focus on national adult 
literacy advocacy as its primary purpose, and raise funds and hire staff 
to carry out this purpose.  A not-for-profit organizational structure 
may, as Forrest suggests, be needed for private-sector fund-raising. But 
equally important, the NCL must have significant financial support 
provided by its member organizations.

I urge you, NLA colleagues, to recommend to the leadership of the
national adult literacy organizations of which you are a member or staff
person, that they support a strengthened NCL, support its establishment
as a not-for-profit organization, and fund this re-formed organization
as soon as possible with a substantial contribution. A $5,000 annual 
contribution from each of 20 national member organizations, for example, 
  would reach the initial $100,000 figure Forrest recommends.

	"The primary goal of the initial round would be to obtain
	sufficient funding to commence operations. Initial funding
	should be sufficient to cover the salary of at least one staff
	member plus administrative costs for about one year. This would
	probably be in the range of $100,000. For reasons discussed
	above, the organization should charge dues. Initial fundraising
	would, therefore, consist of collecting dues and seeking modest
	amounts of grant funding." (Chisman, page 25)

$5,000 contributions from each member might also give this new 
organization the needed credibility to raise the additional money needed 
to reach a minimum annual budget of $300,000 which Forrest recommends, 
but most important, these organizational contributions are a public 
statement of the priority given to national advocacy for adult literacy 
education.

NLA Colleagues: there is no time to waste.  As Forrest points out, 
critical legislative reauthorizations,  funding authorizations, and 
other public policy decisions that could deal a blow to our already 
marginalized work will happen in the next year.

National organization colleagues: pledge your organization's financial
support for the NCL at the level I have suggested, or higher. Do this at 
the November NCL meeting.

National Coalition for Literacy members: incorporate the NCL now and 
file for not-for-profit status within three months.  Meanwhile, find an 
existing not-for-profit organization to act as your fiscal agency for 
one year.  Request a minimum of $5,000 from each member organization 
now.  Hire a staff to organize a national campaign to build and 
strengthen (what Tom Sticht calls) the Adult Education and Literacy 
System in the United States, to provide high quality education services, 
and to end the growing waiting lists.

David J. Rosen
DJRosen at theworld.com


Gail Spangenberg wrote:
 > Colleagues,
 >
 > CAAL recently completed an independent study of the history and
 > leadership potential of the National Coalition for Literacy.  The report
 > by CAAL's Vice President Forrest Chisman, is titled The National
 > Coalition for Literacy: Options for the Future.  It is available in pdf
 > format for download from the website of the NCL
 > (http://novel.nifl.gov/coalition/index.html) and also from CAAL at
 > (http://www.caalusa.org).  The report is part of the Year 2 activities
 > of the Summit Initiative Task Force of the NCL and was funded by NIFL
 > and the U.S. Department of Education.
 >
 > CAAL examines three options for the future of NCL: (a) to close down
 > altogether, (b) to continue on as an informal network with minimal
 > leadership capacity, and (c) to reform as a 501(c)(3) organization, with
 > paid staff, appeal to fundraisers, direct control of its own finances,
 > restructuring of the membership, and a greatly strengthened capacity for
 > national leadership.  CAAL strongly recommends option 3 and provides a
 > blueprint for achieving it.
 >
 > The NCL will consider the report's recommendations at its upcoming
 > quarterly meeting on November 14th.   In the meantime, this posting by
 > CAAL is being made as part of a cooperative effort to make the report
 > widely available to the adult education and literacy field. Comments are
 > welcome and should be addressed to Robbin Sorensen on behalf of the
 > Summit Task Force and the Coalition.  Her e-mail address is
 > rsorensen at erols.com. Listserv discussion of the report is also 
encouraged.
 >



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