A report highlighting the significant economic impact of Adirondack region nonprofit organizations was unveiled at a first-of-its-kind summit held at The Wild Center in Tupper Lake on Thursday, November 21.
The Nonprofit Summit was hosted by the Adirondack Nonprofit Network (ANN) and the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) and attracted approximately 200 people, including staff, volunteers and board members representing over 100 Adirondack region nonprofits.
The report, Economic Impact: 36 Adirondack Nonprofits, was funded by ANN. The findings were compiled and analyzed by the SUNY Oswego Office of Business and Community Relations, while the study itself was written and produced by Adirondack Foundation (formerly Adirondack Community Trust) and Davidson Design, Inc.
SUNY Oswego used Form 990s and a supplemental questionnaire to analyze and compile the study’s findings, which represent economic activities for the 2011 fiscal year.
Additional research and interviews were conducted by Adirondack Foundation.
The study was presented at the summit by Hillarie Logan-Dechene, Director of Philanthropy at The Wild Center, and Ben Strader, Director of Blue Mountain Center.
The key findings of the study are:
• The total economic impact for the 36 nonprofits studied is $422,240,495.
This figure was calculated using the combined expenditures for the organizations and a regional, weighted output multiplier of 1.97.
• The nonprofits in the study employ nearly 1,600 full- and part-time staff, with salaries totaling more than $84 million and payroll taxes totaling approximately $6.2 million.
• The nonprofit sector is responsible for one in 10 jobs in the Adirondack Park.
• Close to 2,000 volunteers (including board members) accounted for nearly 100,000 hours of volunteer time.
The value of this volunteer time is worth approximately $2.8 million.
• The nonprofits studied serve a population of approximately 1.6 million people, including year-round and seasonal residents as well as visitors to the region.
• Approximately one-third of employees working for the nonprofits in the study are between the ages of 20 and 40, according to a poll of ANN members.
• Nonprofits in the study spent approximately $3.8 million on fundraising in 2011 and raised a total of $32 million—a 742.7 percent return on investment.
“All of us who work in nonprofits have anecdotal stories about the value of what we do, but to add it all up and to actually see the the return on investment and combined economic impact that nonprofits deliver, is truly impressive. The nonprofit sector is becoming a strong player in economic development in the region,” said Kate Fish, executive director of the Adirondack North Country Association.
The Summit also served as the official launch of Adirondack Gives, a crowdfunding website for Adirondack region nonprofits developed by Adirondack Foundation and Counterpoint Media.
Adirondack Gives is an online catalogue of giving opportunities in the Adirondack region.
“This site provides donors with a one-stop shop—it’s an excellent tool for seeing the existing needs of nonprofits, public charities, and civic groups. And it’s a simple, easy way for those organizations to make their needs known to the public,” said Chris Morris, communications manager for Adirondack Gives.
To view the complete nonprofit study visit: generousact.org.
