Over the summer, Gov. JB Pritzker signed SB 2930 into law, requiring nonprofits granting over $1 million to another nonprofit organization to annually disclose the demographic make-up of their board of directors.
While lawmakers may have had good intentions, they have at best created a reporting burden for nonprofits, and at worst, put organizations in a position to compromise their principles. It is not the government’s place to tell nonprofits how to operate their organization.
This new law is a bold move as it marks the first time a state has successfully mandated nonprofit organizations to report their board demographics.
It’s somewhat baffling Illinois would move forward with a law that infringes upon not just public but private nonprofits’ operations. But it is even more concerning when you consider that multiple states have introduced and enacted legislation that rolls back diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) policies. For example, in Alabama, state agencies and public colleges are prohibited from requiring employees to agree with "divisive concepts."
Furthermore, the University of North Carolina system voted earlier this year to disband their DEI programs and funding.
SEND LETTERS TO: letters@suntimes.com. To be considered for publication, letters must include your full name, your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes. Letters should be a maximum of approximately 375 words.
While nonprofits nationwide have been spared from being swept up in government-forced diversity mandates, Illinois nonprofits will now be forced to comply with this new law.
The author of SB 2930 (state Sen. Adriane Johnson) has been vocal about her desire to force bigger nonprofits to diversify. However, this is not the way to do it. Many nonprofits already encourage an inclusive environment without having a government mandate. Nonprofits should be allowed to choose the most qualified person to join their boards and shouldn’t be forced to select a person because they check a box. As Patrice Onwuka has said, "Advocates of greater board diversity commonly argue it improves a firm’s financial performance. The data are less certain."
One of the best qualities Illinoisans have is the ability to not qualify someone based on their race, sexual ideology or gender, but appreciate their peers for all they can bring to the table. We should elevate merit-based systems that assess individuals based on who they are and what they have done to help advance an organization’s cause or mission.
The Illinois Legislature should have left well enough alone. Nonprofits have better things to focus on, like helping their communities, than complying with some arbitrary mandate.
Megan Schmidt, senior director of government affairs, Philanthropy Roundtable
I'm very disappointed at the reduction of your weather page. My adult son, who has autism, and I bonded over the years by discussing your weather page, planning weather-appropriate attire, reviewing the days of the week and pouring over the map and cities in the U.S. It is the only thing he reads in the newspaper. It is one of the main reasons I subscribe to the print version.
I miss the map of the U.S. showing the high/low for the country, weather patterns including hurricanes, and sunrise/sunset for the cities where I have family and friends.
Please revive the old, expanded weather page so this important part of our day is not reduced to a tiny corner of our world.
Mary Sleger, Niles
