How Funding Mix Changes Impacted the National Mental Health Inclusion Network

Abstract

Changes in funding over the past 20 years have had a major impact on nonprofit consumer disability organizations. We focus on one organization, the National Mental Health Inclusion Network (NMHIN), to understand the impact of changing funding structures and to analyze how individuals and the organization respond to these changes. Neoliberal assumptions in funding arrangements resulted in a net decrease to NMHIN funds, including recent years of zero government funding, while engendering competition with larger, more established nonprofit organizations in the race for grants. Concurrently, it has also been increasingly difficult for consumer organizations to engage in meaningful policy development with government officials. Our argument is that funding changes are truly changes in the relations of ruling, aimed to position small disability organizations as a recipient rather than as initiator of policy ideas. We discuss the implications of these funding changes and the underlying relations of ruling.