As a major aspect of our work is advocating for a nonprofit organization to manage the Parkway, this brief is a good look at the nonprofit sector, its strength, growth and importance in our economy.
The Nonprofit Sector in Brief
Facts and Figures from the Nonprofit Almanac 2007
This brief highlights key findings from the Nonprofit Almanac 2007, prepared by the National Center for Charitable Statistics at the Urban Institute (Urban Institute Press, forthcoming). The Almanac is the latest in the Urban Institute's series of statistical profiles of the nonprofit sector, most recently produced in conjunction with Independent Sector in 2002.
Current Highlights
Approximately 1.4 million nonprofit organizations are registered with the IRS. The figure includes a diverse group of organizations, both in size and mission, which range from hospitals and human service organizations to advocacy groups and chambers of commerce. When compared to other sectors of the economy, the nonprofit sector accounts for 5.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and 8.3 percent of wages and salaries paid in the United States.
While these figures shed light on the size and scope of the sector, a complete picture cannot be obtained without considering two critical components of the sector, voluntarism and charitable giving. In 2005, individuals, corporations, and foundations gave $26o billion in charitable contributions to nonprofits and 29 percent of Americans volunteered through a formal organization.
