Middle Tennessee nonprofits that serve marginalized groups are seeing more revenue. But a recent study finds it hasn’t been enough to keep up with increasing expenses.
The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Center for Nonprofit Management just released an economic analysis of nonprofits in the region.
Charlane Oliver, director of The Equity Alliance, spoke on a panel about the report. She challenged philanthropists and funders to remove obstacles for frontline organizations by committing long term.
“We can’t pay people with $10,000 grants,” she says. “Consider multi-year grants where you are funding an organization year over year. That gives them the breathing room to plan, to strategize.”
She says this will allow nonprofits to focus on doing the work and not constantly applying for grants. Oliver adds that nonprofits step in to fill gaps created by government policies.
More: Read the full study here.
Overall, nonprofits say they saw more demand last year compared to the 2009 economic crisis.
That increase comes from a wide range of local issues like the March tornadoes, COVID-19 pandemic and racial justice demands after George Floyd was murdered.
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