The �New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits� has released a first-of-its kind study on the health of non-profit organizations in the Granite State. The report finds that the number of nonprofits has gone up in the past ten years.
Spending by nonprofits has nearly doubled and their assets are up even more. In fact, as New Hampshire Public Radio�s Doug MacPherson reports, the nonprofit sector has become major economic force.
THE PHRASE �NON-PROFIT� OFTEN EVOKES IMAGES OF GARDEN CLUBS AND SOUP KITCHENS � BUT THAT�S ONLY PART OF THE REALITY. NON-PROFIT ACTIVITY IN THE STATE FOR THE YEAR 2001 ADDED UP TO FOUR-POINT-THREE BILLION DOLLARS. THAT�S 9-PERCENT OF THE STATE�S TOTAL ECONOMY.
LARGE INSTITUTIONS, TYPICALLY HOSPITALS AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS, ACCOUNT FOR MOST OF THOSE DOLLARS.
SPEAKING ABOUT THE MORE HUMBLE ORGANIZATIONS, LARRY KELLY, PRESIDENT OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE CENTER FOR NONPROFITS AND HEAD OF �TRI-COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAMS� IN BERLIN, SAYS THEIR VALUE TO COMMUNITIES CAN�T BE MEASURED IN DOLLARS.
TAPE LARRY KELLY Without the kind of magnet which non profit organizations bring, in taking like-minded individuals and putting them together, and dedicating them to a single purpose, you wouldn�t have communities. :14
THE STUDY COMES FROM NUMBERS COMPILED BY THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR CHARITABLE STATISTICS, AND THOSE NUMBERS PAINT A PICTURE OF A NON PROFIT SECTOR THAT HAS TWO DISTINCT COMPONENTS.
ON THE ONE HAND ARE ABOUT 120-ORGANIZATIONS WITH BUDGETS IN EXCESS OF ONE MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. THEIR IMPACT ON THE OVERALL NUMBERS IS PROFOUND.
FOR EXAMPLE, NON PROFIT PER-CAPITA SPENDING ON EDUCATION APPEARS TO BE ENORMOUS FOR GRAFTON COUNTY �UNTIL YOU ALLOW FOR DARTMOUTH COLLEGE, BY FAR THE BIGGEST NON PROFIT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, ACCOUNTING FOR HALF A BILLION DOLLARS
IN SPENDING.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE EQUATION ARE 25-HUNDRED NON PROFITS THAT ARE SO SMALL THEY�RE NOT REQUIRED TO SUBMIT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO THE I-R-S. THESE INCLUDE LITTLE LEAGUES, P-T-A�S, AND CEMETERY ASSOCIATIONS.
MIKE OSTROWSKI IS TREASURER FOR THE CENTER FOR NON PROFITS, AND HEAD OF THE CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES IN MANCHESTER.
TAPE MIKE OSTROWSKI as you try to get an image of what the average new Hampshire non profit is in your mind, it�s important to think small. To think very local, to think very community oriented. :12
MANY OF THESE SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS HAVE A HARD TIME RAISING MONEY. MOST OF THEM PROVIDE SOCIAL SERVICES OF ONE SORT OR ANOTHER. THEY HAVE MANY CONTRIBUTORS, BUT MOST OF THE DONATIONS ARE SMALL.
TERRY KNOWLES WORKS FOR THE CHARITABLE TRUST UNIT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE. SHE�S ALSO TREASURER OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF NONPROFIT ASSOCIATIONS. SHE SAYS HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS DON�T GET BIG DOLLARS � IN PART BECAUSE, THEY DON�T ASK FOR THEM.
TAPE TERRY KNOWLES we don�t know how to ask for money. We�re uncomfortable about that in new Hampshire. Part of the problem is our discomfort in discussing money at all.
KNOWLES SAYS MANY NON PROFITS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE ARE GOVERNED BY BOARDS OF DIRECTORS WHO DON�T RECEIVE ADEQUATE TRAINING IN FUNDRAISING.
TAPE TERRY KNOWLES. Our boards and members don�t really have the tools they need to understand how to ask for the money. And that�s part of telling your story. Going out there and saying to someone, we�re important, because. If we weren�t here, this is what would happen.
NEW HAMPSHIRE, AS IS OFTEN REPORTED, RANKS LAST-IN THE NATION IN PERCENT OF INCOME CONTRIBUTED TO NON-PROFITS. DEBORAH SCHACHTER IS HEAD OF �GIVING, NEW HAMPSHIRE,� A PROJECT OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. SHE SAYS NEW HAMPSHIRE RESIDENTS MIGHT CONTRIBUTE MORE, IF THEY UNDERSTOOD THE AFFECT THEIR DONATIONS HAVE.
TAPE DEB SCHACHTER it�s profoundly different to talk about how many thousands of women and children are served by the domestic violence network of shelters and supports in the state. That�s important, we need to know that. But it�s different to understand that there�s a young mother of three kids under the age of four who fleed domestic violence�
THE REPORT COMES AT A TIME WHEN MANY OF THE SMALLER NON-PROFITS FEEL CHALLENGED TO PICK UP WHERE GOVERNMENT SERVICES LEAVE OFF. DOCTOR JIM SQUIRES, PRESIDENT OF �THE ENDOWMENT FOR HEALTH FOUNDATION,� IS SKEPTICAL THAT NON-PROFITS ARE UP TO THE TASK.
TAPE SQUIRES the resources of the non profit sector cannot possibly fufill all of the responsibilities that one might ascribe to government.
N-H-P-R�S ANALYSIS OF THE REPORT SUGGESTS ANOTHER REASON TO BE SKEPTICAL. AT THE MACRO LEVEL, THE COUNTIES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE WHERE THE NON PROFIT SECTOR IS STRONGEST ARE THE MORE AFFLUENT COUNTIES.
AND THE REVERSE IS ALSO TRUE. GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE COUNTIES SUCH AS SULLIVAN AND COOS WITH THE LOWEST PER-CAPITA NON PROFIT SPENDING HAVE THE LOWEST PER-CAPITA INCOME.
FOR NHPR NEWS, I�M DOUG MACPHERSON.
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