The Social and Economic Impacts of Nonprofits Are Undeniable in the Upper Valley — But Is That a Good Thing?
Both New Hampshire and Vermont have larger-than-average nonprofit sectors. In Vermont, 17.9 percent of the workforce is employed by a nonprofit in 2017, according to Morgan Webster, the director of Common Good Vermont, an organization that serves nonprofits. About 20 percent of the state’s gross product comes from the nonprofit sector, Webster said.
“Vermont’s nonprofit sector is essential to the well-being of our state with over 4,500 nonprofits helping build and sustain healthy communities throughout Vermont and support a thriving economy by generating nearly $6.5 billion in revenue,” she said.
In New Hampshire, 16.7 percent of workers are employed in the nonprofit sector, which contributes $11.8 billion to the state’s gross product, according to a 2016 report by the Independent Sector, a coalition of nonprofits, foundations and corporate giving programs.
“Nonprofits across the state are central to economic development,” said Kathleen Reardon, CEO of the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits.