This week Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) introduced “The Nonprofit Sector and Community Solutions Act” (H.R. 5533). The purpose of this bill is to improve coordination between the nonprofit sector and the federal government by establishing a bipartisan, 16-member U.S. Council on Nonprofit Organizations and Community Solutions, as well as the Interagency Working Group on Nonprofit Organizations and the Federal Government. It would also compile data on the health of the nonprofit sector.

Currently no federal agency or congressional committee has responsibility for evaluating, building, or maintaining the capacity of the nonprofit sector.

According to Diana Aviv, CEO and President of Independent Sector, the federal legislation would: “produce annual reports and recommendations and convene summits; create interagency coordination by being located in the White House (e.g. similar to the Social Innovation Fund); and require the Department of Commerce to collect the kind of data it compiles about the for-profit sector and make it available to the nonprofit sector.” Data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics would include nonprofits as a distinct category of employer.

We have just posted a summary document, "Government and Social Innovation: Existing Models", that provides information on all the local, state, and federal initiatives we know about that are supporting social innovation and strengthening partnerships between government and the nonprofit sector.  The list includes both executive branch efforts and offices, as well as legislation that has been introduced and sometimes passed.

Check it out and let us know if there's anything you know about that we're missing.  Also, please share your thoughts on the models we've listed.  Anything stand out as especially compelling or useful to your state or city?