Testimonial from Rev. Margaret Jamal, Ph.D., CPhD

Last year over 1,500 renewed citizens were enrolled in the Access to Recovery program through the R.A.T.E.S. ATR site.  These were individuals who had problems with substance abuse and incarceration.  They were people who had made a decision to turn their lives around if given a chance.  R.A.T.E.S is a National Heritage Foundation (NHF) project.  

As a Regent, I have been able to support other organizations that I helped to obtain non-profit tax exempt status through NHF.  I enjoy personal support and position as a board member with the ability to develop my own autonomy. 

For example, last year, organizations that I support such: as Brady Has a Bunch Ministries, Illinois Clergy Association, Apostle Cristder D. Bush Foundation, Promise Kingdom, Retrieving Our Youth, Youth Advancement, Breakthrough Academy, Women with Vision obtained government funding to establish and expand their community outreach programs.   At a time when those who are called to serve the poor could not expect to be supported  from the poor, there was little to no help from other donors.  Through NHF, I was able to show my organizations how to tap into some of the $460 billion plus dollars set aside by the government to improve our communities.  They learned that this money can and should be accessed by them to support their good works.  I have also helped others to obtain sizable private and corporate donations as well. 

As a federal grant reviewer for the last 3 years, I also learned that start up organizations that have never handled significant sums or have no “proven” track record will not get funded either.  In short those who want to do good are penalized by bureaucracy and obscurity. 

Many unsuspecting and well meaning people are obtaining a 501 C3 status for the $750 IRS fee thinking that it will automatically make them qualify for the type of funds that they project will be needed to sustain their projects.  However, they will still need a year or two or even three before most of the major donors will even consider them. 

This is not the case with those who are established through the Congressional District Programs and the National Heritage Foundation.  The PDOs and NHF accounts that I set up did not have that issue because we teach them how to plug into the track record and soundness of the NHF family as a PDO or NHF project.  I am not speaking against obtaining this status, but I am thoroughly convinced that everyone should test the waters with a Congressional District Program first to avoid the overwhelming responsibility of  yearend 990 forms tax reporting, daily account tracking, etc. Thank God for the National Heritage Family of services that provides sound fiscal integrity while jump starting grass roots organizations.

As an Associate Pastor, I have to keep our church books separate from our social service projects.  The NHF/CDP accounting is perfect for that.  I was delighted when learned that the IRS did not even need to talk to me about what was being done with the grant dollars.  In fact in my grant writing, I am able to explain the fiscal controls employed by NHF to assure donors that their contributions are managed well. 

I also learned that it is wise to have several foundation and CDP accounts.  R.A.T.E.S. was not even my first NHF project.  R.A.T.E.S which stands for (Response-ability, Account-ability, Technical-ability, Evaluation-ability and Sustain-ability) was established as a teaching entity to empower the start-up organizations with philanthropic development skills that would complement the integrity of NHF.  The “A: in R.A.T.E.S. is for account-ability which is well covered by NHF.  We teach participants how to structure their organizations with a soundness that will position them to be successful with achieving their mission for doing good.  They learn to collaborate and embrace learning to be better while making things better for others.  As a Certified Philanthropic Development Officer (PDO) of NHF, I take responsibility with informing my organization leaders about ways to obtain the resources that they need.  I also teach them how to work with the fiscal controls so that they will pass audits.  Because NHF has a 4 star rating with a charity watchdog, every donor can be assured that their contributions are handled well.

The Congressional District Programs (CDP) 501 c3 status provides opportunities for those who do not have the start-up capital of larger non-profits to compete for the same funds as them.  With a CDP, if you do the work you can get the money.

As a Contract Development Director for NHF/CDP, one of my primary goals is to see the National Heritage Foundation and Congressional District Programs start getting those funds that once went to the United Way.  R.A.T.E.S. Certification assures their programmatic soundness while NHF/ CDP accounts for their fiscal integrity. 

The NHF accounting system allows online tracking for each one of their projects.  There are no hidden costs.  Donors can give to a specific cause and organization directly and NHF only asks for 2.5 percent of the incoming transaction.  Actually, the NHF/CDP projects are for smart donors who want to do more with their financial contributions. 

Rev. Margaret Jamal, Ph.D., CPhD