WHY NONPROFITS?

Did you know that in the United States nonprofit organizations represent:

• Half of our hospitals

• Half of our colleges and universities

• 60% of our social service agencies

• Almost all of our symphony orchestras

• Most civic organizations

• If the nonprofit sector of the US were a national economy, it would be the 7th largest economy in the world!

Nonprofits take on tough jobs in our communities, and fill a niche that government and business are less able or inclined to fill. Things that may be bumped down the priority list for government services, or which for-profit enterprise finds harder to justify when considering the “bottom line,” but which society places great value in. This includes fields ranging from the arts, culture education, the environment, and health and human services to social justice and policy change.
 
Nonprofits can also be a significant economic force in many communities, and besides directly providing employment bring in dollars from outside the community that further stimulate local economies.
 
Contrary to what is perceived by some, nonprofits do have a bottom line. And while this does include financial well being (nonprofits need to be financially healthy) it also includes, and heavily emphasizes, social impact.
 
One of the key challenges facing nonprofits today relates to Capacity Building—creating and maintaining the skills, strategies and resources needed to successfully carry out the work of a nonprofit organization. Some of these skills and strategies are quite unique to the nonprofit sector. An important role of The Wellspring Center is assist nonprofits with these unique challenges as they strive to achieve their missions successfully.