More on all the sectors\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\nThe full report will be released in January, but early glimpses point to several trends in San Diego\u2019s nonprofit sector, including how deeply San Diegans value nonprofits.<\/p>\n
For instance, the institute\u2019s 2025 public opinion poll shows San Diegans overwhelmingly believe that nonprofits are essential to their communities. Nearly two-thirds of residents reported that nonprofits are very important to their community and 78% reported having benefited from a nonprofit in the past 12 months.<\/p>\n
Residents not only recognized the importance of nonprofits but reported trusting them more than any other sector to act on the public\u2019s behalf and deliver quality services. This confidence reflects the deep relationships nonprofits have built over decades of service, often extending into neighborhoods and populations that other institutions cannot easily reach.<\/p>\n
Yet behind this strong foundation lies growing concern. Eighty-four percent of San Diegans expressed concern about losing access to critical nonprofit-provided services such as healthcare, after-school programs, childcare and food assistance \u2014 especially as many of the organizations providing these essential supports face financial uncertainty.<\/p>\n
\u201cNonprofits continue to do what they\u2019ve always done \u2014 care for our communities,\u201d said Laura Deitrick, executive director of The Nonprofit Institute. \u201cBut we are entering a period where the need has not diminished, while the funding that sustains this work is under increasing pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n
A growing sector in a time of strain<\/p>\n
The institute\u2019s review of the most recent IRS data (2023) shows that the local nonprofit sector continues to expand in number, assets and employment, signaling strong public demand and organizational resilience. Philanthropic assets have also grown, reflecting continued generosity across the region.<\/p>\n
However, this growth masks an emerging crisis. Nonprofits that rely heavily on government funding are experiencing significant cuts and funding uncertainty at the federal, state and local levels. Moreover, these shifts in government funding priorities have led to funding uncertainties across other nonprofit revenue sources as well, including foundation grants, individual donations and corporate sponsorships.<\/p>\n
In an institute survey of nonprofit leaders administered in May, the majority of respondents reported anticipating funding cuts across all revenue streams.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile community needs remain the same or, in many cases have intensified, funding streams are becoming less predictable. That makes it harder for nonprofits to plan ahead and sustain the level of service our region depends on,\u201d said Tessa Tinkler, director of research at The Nonprofit Institute.<\/p>\n
Community trust, shared responsibility<\/p>\n
The institute\u2019s research has long documented the nonprofit sector\u2019s critical role as both an economic driver and a social safety net. Nonprofits employ tens of thousands of San Diegans and generate billions in local economic activity, while also filling essential service gaps.<\/p>\n
As government resources tighten, community giving becomes more vital than ever. The data show that residents already view nonprofits as trusted, community-based problem solvers.<\/p>\n
Now, that trust must translate into tangible support \u2014 through donations, volunteerism and advocacy \u2014 to ensure these organizations can continue meeting community needs, institute officials said.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery San Diegan has a connection to a nonprofit, whether they realize it or not,\u201d said Deitrick. \u201cThe arts we enjoy, the parks we visit, the healthcare we receive, the shelters and food programs that sustain families \u2014 all of these rely on the nonprofit infrastructure that holds our region together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Overall, the annual State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy Report paints a picture of a sector that is both resilient and at a crossroads \u2014 growing in scope and significance but facing a narrowing financial path.<\/p>\n
\u201cNonprofits have always been there for San Diego,\u201d said Tinkler. \u201cNow, San Diego needs to be there for them.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A new analysis from the Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego demonstrates both the enduring strength…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":431209,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5134],"tags":[5229,1582,276,728,200315,3549,3550,7264,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":{"0":"post-431208","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-diego","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-ca","10":"tag-california","11":"tag-local-news","12":"tag-nonprofit-guide","13":"tag-san-diego","14":"tag-san-diego-county","15":"tag-sandiego","16":"tag-united-states","17":"tag-united-states-of-america","18":"tag-unitedstates","19":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","20":"tag-us","21":"tag-usa"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115678953128229175","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/431208","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=431208"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/431208\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/431209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=431208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=431208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=431208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}