This holiday season is like no other our country has faced in decades. Here in Colorado, the usual discussions about visiting relatives, hitting the slopes and the Broncos’ playoff chances are now competing with conversations about the stock market, foreclosures, layoffs and federal bailouts.
In times of crisis, the nonprofit sector has always been there to support our community in need. Nonprofits house families who have lost their homes, feed people who are hungry, care for people who are ailing, and retrain men and women who have lost their jobs. If you’re like many Coloradans, you help nonprofits help others as a donor or volunteer.
In this current economic downturn, however, this important safety net is fraying. Nonprofits are being hit with a double whammy: The need for their services is dramatically increasing while funding and donations are significantly decreasing. The Food Bank of the Rockies, for example, reports that that agency requests for food have increased up to 40 percent, yet overall food donations are flat from last year.
Clinics, homeless shelters and other human services charities are desperately trying to do more with less as they bear the brunt of the recession. Arts and cultural institutions are struggling as well amid drops in attendance and corporate sponsorships.
Even in normal economic times, the importance of the nonprofit sector is undeniable. Colorado is home to 19,000 nonprofits generating a combined $13.1 billion in revenues, holding $23 billion in assets and representing 5.6 percent of the gross state product. A vital economic engine, nonprofits are the third-largest employment segment in the state, above banking, real estate and agriculture.
Even before the current recession, however, Colorado faced a charitable divide. Coloradans have incomes 7 percent higher than the national average, yet our charitable giving is 9 percent below the national average. Now — at a time when nonprofits are helping our communities more than ever — it is time for us to flip this equation. Here are some simple steps we can all take:
• Charity begins at home. If you have an aging relative facing challenges, a friend battling addiction or know a child struggling in school, educate yourself about their situation and learn how you may help. The greatest charity is measured not in dollars but in time, attention and understanding.
• Establish a family tradition of giving back. Instill in your children the idea of investing in the community. Help them select causes and organizations to support as a family, whether through donations, volunteering or both. A child with strong charitable values today will become an adult engaged in the community in the future.
• Business leaders can create an atmosphere of community engagement. It is simple and powerful to offer workplace giving programs and to coordinate office volunteer opportunities. It’s good for morale, good for business and good for the community as a whole.
• Make a donation. The national average is 4 percent of adjusted gross income. Any amount will help, but can you do even more during these troubled times? Will your employer match your gift? Does your will include a provision for your favorite cause? (Visit for ideas on how your gifts can make a difference.)
The current economic outlook may be challenging, but our opportunity to come together and help those in need is greater than ever. By digging a little deeper and getting creative about how we give, we can protect and strengthen the safety net that nonprofits provide to our community. We can demonstrate to the country — and to ourselves — the power of Colorado’s generous spirit.
John Hickenlooper is mayor of Denver. Tom Downey is board chair of the Colorado Nonprofit Association and president of the Children’s Museum of Denver.
