“In the past couple of days, the number of cancellations have skyrocketed,” said Jim Klocke, the head of the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN). Some of the desks in their Boston office are empty because staffers are working from home due to the coronavirus. The MNN represents about 7000 nonprofit, some of which are worried about being able to maintain their helping missions.

“Most nonprofits operate on thin margins. So you try to make every dollar count. When something like this comes along, you worry that you can’t do everything you need to for everybody,” Klocke said. The nonprofit sector also employs hundreds of thousands of people in Massachusetts. “One of the biggest economic sectors in the state. If there were a slowdown, it would present challenges for people who work for nonprofits,” said Klocke.