Nonprofit organizations play an essential, wide-ranging role in building quality of life, creating economic opportunities and strengthening communities throughout Nevada. Moreover, their more than 46,000 mission-driven employees and countless donors and volunteers — who come from all different backgrounds, beliefs and corners of our state — serve as a daily representation of our shared values and commitment to helping one another.

So it’s fitting that today, on National Nonprofit Day, Nevadans celebrate the generosity and hard work of the more than 650 operating nonprofits that help ensure home means Nevada for us and our neighbors. But let’s not stop at saying “thank you and job well done,” and instead strive to better understand and support these vital community pillars going forward. 

The past several years have been difficult for the nonprofit sector. As Nevadans struggled through the COVID-19 public health and economic crises, nonprofits were on the front lines. They rapidly developed new programs and ways to serve, built partnerships, embraced technology, became masters of the “pivot” and, in some cases, had the best reason to let go of “this is the way we’ve always done it” thinking.

On the other hand, they faced significant challenges from increased demand for services, unpredictable revenues, job losses, declines in volunteer staffing and rapidly changing operational needs.

To give a voice to the dramatic changes and challenges underway, earlier this year Nevada GrantLab completed a statewide Nonprofit Community Survey. The response was remarkable and revealing, as 225 professionals shared insights about navigating the pandemic, their outlook on the future, experience with government grants and the types of support they deem most valuable. Findings include:

• More than two-thirds (69.2 percent) experienced increased demand for services, with 55.7 percent reporting significant increases of over 10 percent. 
• A vast majority (81.2 percent) expect service demand to continue to rise in the years to come, including more than half (53.1 percent) that expect double-digit demand growth. Meanwhile, relatively few (20.3 percent) anticipate double-digit revenue growth to cover those costs. 
• Nearly 60 percent of respondents noted an increase in revenue between 2019 and 2022, driven by increased government support (63.5 percent), new donors making contributions (45.3 percent) and existing donors increasing giving (28.7 percent). 
• Respondents identified common challenges ahead, with “managing or pursuing growth” (81.8 percent), “achieving long-term financial stability” (60.9 percent) and “rising cost of living, goods, services, etc.” (59.4 percent) topping their concerns. 

The sector’s growth and impact over the past few years are significant achievements. However, a significant portion of this progress was funded by an unprecedented influx of emergency relief funds from the federal government and private donors. Now, we face an existential challenge: how to sustain recent gains as emergency funds run out.

The Legislature and Gov. Joe Lombardo’s historic investment of $110 million in 70 nonprofits, along with their guarantee that any unused federal relief funds will be distributed to nonprofits, are steps in the right direction.

Next, we need to shift the paradigm from only spending one-time money (when we have it) strictly on programs to funding sustainable programs and regularly investing in building strong, resilient nonprofits. Some critical steps include: 

• Organizations and funders being more candid and transparent about how much it costs to run and grow a good nonprofit.
• Organizations and government leaders facilitating and encouraging new partnerships among nonprofits and between nonprofits and governments.
• Public and private funders making more grant funds available to address organizations’ general operating and capacity building needs, such as professional development and IT. 
• Government leaders fixing Nevada’s long-broken federal grants infrastructure so that nonprofits can tap into the more than $500 million per year in federal funds we are shortchanged. 

All of us count on nonprofits to answer the call for relief. We can and should return the favor by expressing our gratitude and ensuring they have what they need to do their best work for Nevadans.  

Martin Suman is an analyst at Nevada GrantLab. He has more than seven years of experience in research and analysis related to the economic, demographic and social conditions in Nevada. 

Seth Wongsavit is a consultant at Nevada GrantLab. He has more than 10 years of experience supporting local nonprofits and foundations.