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When Alexis De Tocqueville made his historical tour of America in the early 19th century, he noticed a marked difference between his own country, France, and the spirit he witnessed first-hand in our still-young democracy. He noted a struggle for and belief in equality, and a spirit of volunteerism and charity much different than he saw in his own homeland. The spirit he saw seemed unique to America compared to other developed nations of the time.
That spirit endures today as well in the important work of nonprofits in the Ozarks. The work of our charitable organizations provides much of the quality of life that we so covet in our communities. Our area organizations are as varied as our weather. Nonprofits provide arts and culture that challenge and entertain us, provide research for cures and assistance to those dealing with debilitating illness, and provide food, clothing, and shelter to our neighbors who have been so impacted by the recent economic downturn. Nonprofits provide critical services to children not yet born, and to our most aged. They provide for the comfort of animals, help preserve and protect our beloved environment, and provide education and training to help lift up our communities.
The benefits don’t stop at the tangible services. The numbers show how the nonprofit sector props up the Ozarks, our state and the United States as a whole with jobs and billions in economic impact.
Nationally, the nonprofit sector makes up 10 percent of the national workforce, more than finance/insurance, transportation and real estate combined, and almost twice that of wholesale trade or construction. The nonprofit sector also held up relatively well during the 2007-2009 economic downturn, growing 1.9 percent during this period, as opposed to the for-profit sector, which shrunk at a rate of 3.7 percent, according to The Johns Hopkins Nonprofit Economic Data Project.
In Missouri, according to The Foundation Center, as of 2010, nearly 23,000 public charities employed 230,900 people in Missouri, generating $40 billion in annual revenues. In total those charities held assets of $84.6 billion.
Locally, the impact comes into even greater focus. Dan Prater, director of Drury University’s Center for Nonprofit Communication, says Greene County’s 2,188 nonprofit organizations generated more than $2.4 billion in revenues in 2011. And when accounting for health care, public sector and education nonprofits, and faith-based organizations — which Prater says many people forget when considering the nonprofits as a whole — the industry is far and away Greene County’s largest employer. Nationally, he says, nonprofits account for about 10 percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product.
“It’s big time,” Prater says.
And it’s continually getting bigger. For years, if not decades, southwest Missouri has been the fastest-growing region in the state, and one of the fastest in the country. As more people have come and boosted the economy, the need for nonprofit services has increased apace. The government looks to nonprofits to meet these needs, Prater says, because agencies can do it faster and more efficiently and more cost-effectively — which in turn is good for the economy.
This specialization also results in greater donor trust. In an era when citizens are increasingly distrustful of government as stewards of money, nonprofits with local mission and a system of accountability have a “competitive edge.”
In short, yesterday’s nonprofit donor is today’s nonprofit investor, Prater adds.
“People want to solve local problems with local money, especially right now because of the economy … Donors want nonprofits to show them how they’re making their community a better place.”
The work of our nonprofits would not be possible without the generosity of individuals and corporations who make up the bulk of their financial support.
“In this time of political uncertainty and public budget challenges, the work of nonprofits has never been more critical to our area, and our way of life,” says Brian Fogle, president of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. “As a nation, we are having a very important and public debate about the proper role of government. What seems to be a universal sentiment, however, is the recognition of the importance that nonprofits have in providing for the quality of life for all our citizens.”
Area nonprofits reflect our own values of caring, efficiency, and effectiveness, Fogle adds. “They know how to stretch a dollar, and they know how to be both passionate and compassionate. They are a reflection of a tradition of our region for well over a century: Neighbors help neighbors.”
The spirit of volunteerism and charity de Tocqueville first wrote about nearly 200 years ago is very much alive and well in the Ozarks. The nonprofits represented in this Giving Guide reflect that notion each and every day. They have benefited from your generosity in the past, but need your assistance more than ever for the future.
Click here for the full 2012 Giving Guide.
