ANGOLA — Demand from nonprofits for funding has increased, but financial resources are drying up.
That was the basic finding of a 181-response nonprofit survey in northeastern Indiana by Charitable Advisors of Indianapolis.
Steuben County organizations that participated in the survey were: Steuben County Community Foundation, Steuben County Council on Aging, Steuben County Literacy Coalition, Steuben County United Way, Angola Area Chamber of Commerce, Steuben TLC, and Women in Transition. Others that provide services to and hire staff from Steuben County include Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Northeastern Indiana, Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana, Children First, Compassion Pregnancy Centers, Freedom Academy, Early Childhood Alliance, Habitat for Humanity of Northeastern Indiana, Junior Achievement of Northeastern Indiana, Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry and Youth for Christ of Northeastern Indiana.
The northeastern part of Indiana includes: Steuben, LaGrange, Noble, DeKalb, Kosciusko, Whitley, Allen, Wabash, Huntington, Wells and Adams counties. It found executive directors made an average of $67,000.
“It’s important to realize 75 percent of the nonprofit organizations that serve northeastern Indiana work with modest annual budgets to fulfill all of their mission-related needs; 31 percent operate with less than $250,000 and 43 percent work with a budget of $250,000-$999,000. The average nonprofit in northeastern Indiana has a budget of $350,000, a staff of three to four full-time employees, and works in human services,” said Jennifer Danic, president and CEO of Steuben County Community Foundation.
Danic said she uses the survey results in making foundation operational decisions and will share it with other nonprofits.
“I will use this survey to ensure we are compensating our employees appropriately and to glean ideas of nonfinancial components of a compensation package. I will also encourage other Steuben County nonprofits to reference it when hiring and recruiting,” she said.
“I hope more Steuben County organizations participate next time, because the survey will only be as good as the information gathered. I’m not surprised human service organizations were most represented. I think that’s an accurate representation of our communities. Around 50 percent of SCCF’s unrestricted grant dollars are granted to human service organizations each year.”
More information may also be found at charitableadviors.com or guidestar.org.
The survey was sponsored by United Way and United Fund Advisors.