The Community Foundation of Sarasota County has developed a report detailing the vital contributions of the nonprofit sector and evaluating strengths and opportunities for supporting organizations whose missions enhance livelihoods.
Using data from The Giving Partner, an online database of nearly 750 nonprofit organizations serving Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties, the “State of the Nonprofit Sector Report” analyzes several indicators of nonprofit well-being, capacity, and ability to respond to the changing needs of the community.
“Our community foundation strives to inform our neighbors about opportunities and challenges so we can work together to create the best possible outcomes for everyone,” said Mischa Kirby, vice president of strategy and communications at the Community Foundation. “The nonprofit sector is vital to the overall well-being of our community. We hope that this report underscores the important work of so many who add to our quality of life and inspires curious collaboration and innovation among all of us who strive to create and support a community where everyone has an opportunity to thrive.”
Overall, the report finds that the nonprofit sector is robust and diverse, catering to the needs of individuals and communities. Still, challenges in raising unrestricted funding interfere with service and program delivery.
The report offers a view of the number of nonprofits serving each county in the four-county area and delves into areas that are enhanced through the work of nonprofits, including education, arts and culture, youth services, and health and well-being.
Indicators of nonprofit security and outlook included in the report are:
· Organizations with endowments.
· Organizations conducting capital campaigns.
· The size of nonprofits by annual revenue, annual expenses, and staff-to-volunteer ratio.
“It’s important to have a mix of small, medium and large organizations to serve the varying needs of a community,” said Scott Henderson, director of insights at the Community Foundation. “While larger organizations tend to have greater capacity to serve a wide range of people, smaller organizations have an easier time pivoting when the need arises. Having a range imbues a community with stability and flexibility, both necessary to undergird a strong community.”
Difficulty in recruitment, donations
Nonprofits nationwide face challenges that include inflation, difficulty in recruitment and retention of quality staff, lack of adequate resources, and increasing operating expenses, according to the report, which also notes that 2023 was an unusually flat year for donation revenue – “only the fourth time in four decades that donations did not increase year over year.”
The Community Foundation serves the region through support of nonprofit organizations that enhance quality of life. Along with traditional grantmaking, nonprofit trainings, and hosting a biennial Giving Challenge, the foundation maintains data resources that nonprofits, government entities, and the public can use free of charge.
The resource used to develop this report, The Giving Partner, is a searchable database of nearly 750 nonprofits that includes essential information such as cause area and mission, leadership and financials. In February 2024, the Community Foundation introduced the Community Indicators Dashboard (dashboards.mysidewalk.com/cfsc-indicators/community-indicators), which examines population, demographics and more that predict future bright spots and challenges. Data on the dashboard gauges overall community wellness in the areas of education, economy, health and housing.
For more, visit CFSarasota.org, cfsarasota.org/media-center/publications, and thegivingpartner.org.
Submitted by Rebecca Abrahamson
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