Colorado Nonprofits Contribute $2 Billion to the Colorado Economy

DENVER, Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The nonprofit sector of Colorado added
$2.1 billion to the state's economy in 2006, according to a report issued
today by the Colorado Nonprofit Association. The report, entitled Return on
Investment, is the first-ever analysis of the economic activity and impact of
the nonprofit sector in Colorado.
The study notes that between 1995 and 2005, nonprofit employment in
Colorado grew by 39 percent, adding more than 34,600 jobs to the state's
workforce. This was nearly twice the 22 percent employment growth rate
achieved by the for-profit sector during this period.
"Colorado's charitable nonprofits not only serve people in need, they make
a significant contribution to the state's economy," says Charley Shimanski,
president and CEO of the Colorado Nonprofit Association.
With 123,000 full-time employees, Colorado nonprofits represent 5.6
percent of the Colorado workforce and an annual payroll of $4.2 billion. The
combination of the paid and full-time volunteer workforce makes Colorado's
nonprofit sector the third largest industry in Colorado in terms of
employment.
Shimanski notes that the Association developed the report to help
communicate the value of the nonprofit sector in an effort to increase public
and private investment in nonprofits statewide.
Other key findings from the report include:
-- Through the $4.2 billion in wages and compensation that Colorado
nonprofits paid in 2005, they generated at least $240 million of sales
and income tax revenues for Colorado governments.
-- Nonprofits represent 5 percent of the state's gross state product
(GSP), the overall measure of the state's economic activity. This
exceeded the contribution to GSP by Colorado's mining, transportation,
utilities and agriculture industries combined.
-- Colorado nonprofits attract out-of-state dollars that total more than
$900 million per year, even after accounting for their own
expenditures outside the state. As that money circulates through the
economy, the total net impact is greater than $2.1 billion.
-- Nearly half of that $2.1 billion in economic benefit is produced by
mid-sized nonprofit organizations, those with annual expenses between
$1 million and $9.99 million.

Part one of the study was conducted by The Johns Hopkins Center for Civil
Society Studies, and its director, Lester M. Salamon, a pioneer in the
empirical study of the nonprofit sector. Part two was conducted by Denver's
Corona Research, Inc., and its principal Kevin Raines, a policy research
leader with 17 years of analytical experience. The study was sponsored by
Qwest, Community First Foundation and the Colorado Housing and Finance
Authority.
The full report can be downloaded from the Colorado Nonprofit Association
web site, http://www.ColoradoNonprofits.org
ABOUT THE COLORADO NONPROFIT ASSOCIATION
The Colorado Nonprofit Association is a statewide nonprofit membership
coalition connecting nonprofits of all sizes, missions and geographic
locations. The organization serves its 1,200 members by providing tools for
communication, networking and administration. It also strengthens the
nonprofit community through trainings, forums for discussion of current
issues, and public advocacy on behalf of the nonprofit sector. To learn more
about the Colorado Nonprofit Association, go to
http://www.ColoradoNonprofits.org
Contact: Charley Shimanski
Colorado Nonprofit Association
303-832-5710 ext. 201

SOURCE Colorado Nonprofit Association

Charley Shimanski of Colorado Nonprofit Association, +1-303-832-5710, ext.
201