Executive Directors' Political Activities

Abstract

Executive directors per form key roles in devel ping and maintaining external relations for human service organizations. Directors inform the public about needs and problems of clients, interpret agency goals and programs, seek funds for pro grams, and build political support for agencies and their clientele (Bevilacqua, 1984; Kahn, 1984; Lohmann, 1984). Directors must inform and influence contributors, board members, funders, special interest groups, clients, and public officials. However, directors face conflicting expectations and demands from dif ferent constituencies about involvement in political activities (Perlmutter, 1980; Richan, 1980, 1984). For example, clients may want the agency to become involved in advocacy and partisan politics, whereas board members may support advocacy but not partisan political involvement. In addition, there are legal and organizational constraints on some political activities. The Inter nal Revenue Code, section 501 (c)(3) (Accounting Aid Society of Metro politan Detroit, 1986); the Hatch Act (Morella, 1987-1988; Rosen, 1987 1988); or agency policies may prohibit or restrict the participation of nonprofit agencies or government employees in certain political activities. Yet elected and appointed officials expect to be in formed and influenced on social con ditions and problems (Mahaffey, 1982; Mathews, 1982; Staff, 1989). Further more, there are professional norms for political participation as well as varia tions among directors in temperament for, and skill in, political activity (Gum mer, 1984; Reeser & Epstein, 1987). Thus, directors must engage in a com plex decision-making process to deter mine whether or how they will par ticipate in political activities. Because little is known about executive decision making about political involvement (Wolk,1981), the author interviewed 57 directors about their perspectives on political activities. Edward J. Pawlak John P. Flynn