We are born in nonprofit hospitals, we leave our children in nonprofit child care, we are educated at nonprofit schools and universities, we discover and preserve nature through nonprofit environmental organizations, we are inspired in nonprofit museums, symphonies and theaters, we worship in nonprofit churches, synagogues and mosques and we rely on nonprofits when tragedy strikes our communities.
The nonprofit sector is like air--it is all around us, but we hardly notice it. But if it went away, what would we do?
A thriving nonprofit sector means a better quality of life throughout the Madison Region and the state.
According to the National Council of Charitable Statistics, Wisconsin's residents are served through the efforts of over 33,000 registered nonprofit organizations as of September 2007. Of these 21,000 plus are charitable nonprofits including private foundations. However, less than 10,000 are required to file with a form 990 because they have budgets of over $25,000 annually. There were 6,708 reporting charitable nonprofits in Wisconsin meaning that they have assets of over $25,000. The 1,974 foundations in Wisconsin held over $6.6 billion in assets and gave $486 million in grants. It should also be noted that this figure doesn't include religious congregations that are not required to report to the IRS.
- 84% of nonprofit organizations in Wisconsin had annual expenditures under $1 million.
- The nonprofit sector is the 5th largest employer in the state.
- The sector provides nearly 250,000 jobs for Wisconsin's residents. This is less than manufacturing, retail trade, services and government, but more than finance, insurance, real estate, wholesale trade, transportation, communication and utilities.
The nonprofit sector makes a major contribution to the quality of life in the Madison Region. It provides support for cultural, environmental, health care and education activities, and it fosters support to those in need through housing, food, health, child care, and family service programs. The region's nonprofits are geographically diverse and can be found in every sub sector of the service economy.
It is increasingly obvious that our nonprofits are not frills, but an integral part of a healthy, creative, vitally economic, and productive state.
It is increasingly obvious that our nonprofits are not frills, but an integral part of a healthy, creative, vitally economic, and productive state.
It's a marvelous thing.
"Good schools, parks, arts, and even communities themselves are often driven by nonprofits providing many of those services. All these things play to that quality of life that is here.
"The involvement in our nonprofit community also helps keeps people involved in community. You end up becoming more involved, more enmeshed, and it's harder to pick up your company and leave; now you know people, you've established wonderful relationships, and how it all weaves together is a marvelous thing."
Salli Martyniak, President