Unit2Disc1 Peer Response NP

Response Guidelines
Read the posts of the other learners and respond to the initial post of one other learner in at least 150 words. Discuss similarities or differences in your perspectives about the challenges you identified compared to those your fellow learner identified. Discuss similarities or differences in your perspectives about the challenges you identified compared to those your fellow learner identified.

Megan Serrano (Peer post)
Unit 2, Discussion 1
A common form of governance for human services organizations is a Board of Directors/Board of Trustees. Their primary function is to protect the organization. According to Hoefer and Watson (2014), there are four ways the board of trustees govern human service organizations: ensuring the organization meets legal requirements, operating in accordance with its mission as well as protecting the organization assets, ensuring the organization is operating efficiently, and ensuring that the perspectives and view-points of the members are represented (p. 120). The board’s responsibilities fall into four major categories: (1) legal and fiduciary, (2) oversight, (3) fund raising, and (4) representation of constituencies and viewpoints (p. 120). Common funding practices for human services programs include fund raising programs, donor pyramids, annual campaigns to raise funds, direct mail/solicitation for money, special events, and government contracts.
According to our Lu (2013), research reveals political and pragmatic forces outweigh economical rationality in human services contracting decisions (p.183). Government contracted human service programs can pose a threat to government employees by causing job loss and wage reductions. Government contracting is heavily influenced by different groups of actors within the government such as public employees, who can influence the government’s contracting decisions (p. 184). Non-profits can serve local communities better than government agencies. Also, at times, the demand for human services outweighs what the government contract provisions for, and the government cannot satisfy or meet the needs of everyone. Lu also revealed that states with stronger non-profit advocacy are more likely to contract out their human service production.
References:
Lu, J. (2013). How political are government contracting decisions? An examination of human service contracting determinants. Public Administration Quarterly, 37(2), 182–207.
Watson, L. D., & Hoefer, R. A. (2014). Developing nonprofit and human service leaders: Essential knowledge and skills. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.