Marnie Taylor, President and CEO for the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits says, “People think of us as oh those charities, and oh those little things but we are huge employers, so when you lose 8% of a sector that was 10% of the workforce it has a large effect on the workforce.”

Taylor says the arts industry has taken a major hit.

“The largest group is in the arts. Around 37, 38% almost 40% of nonprofit arts people lost their jobs,” she says.

These jobs require advanced degrees and advanced training and certifications to do the work necessary to meet community needs. 

The good news is these nonprofits had access to PPP loans in two rounds. The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits estimates nonprofits in the state received more than $150 million in PPP last year and expect a similar amount in 2021.