Nonprofits depend upon quality research to, among other things, increase their understanding, improve their operations and programs, and advance their public policy and public awareness initiatives.
Nonprofit Impact Matters: How America’s Charitable Nonprofits Strengthen Communities and Improve Lives
In addition to telling the story of the nonprofit sector from the nonprofit perspective, the Nonprofit Impact Matters site houses extensive data, up-to-date research, and key facts on the sector, including state-by-state nonprofit data and reports. View additional nonprofit sector research and data
Recent Reports from the National Council of Nonprofits
- The Nonprofit Workforce Shortage Crisis (August 2023, December 2021)
- Strengthening State and Local Economies in Partnership with Nonprofits: Principles, Recommendations, and Models for Investing Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (October 2021, updated April 2022)
- See the data pages on our Nonprofit Impact Matters site for state-level data and reports.
State Nonprofit Reports
Alabama
- State of the Sector (2024)
Alaska
- Previous Reports
Arizona
- Beyond the Bottom Line: The Economic and Social Impact of Arizona Nonprofits (2018)
- Arizona Nonprofits: Economic Power, Positive Impact (2016)
California
Colorado
- Previous Reports
Connecticut
District of Columbia
- Nonprofits Count (2016)
Florida
- Previous Reports
Hawai`i
Idaho
- State of the Sector Report (2022)
Illinois
- Giving in Illinois (2019)
Indiana
- Nonprofit Salary Survey (2023)
Kentucky
- More Than Charity: Kentucky's Nonprofit Sector (2024)
- More Than Charity: Kentucky's Nonprofit Sector (2020)
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
- Previous Reports
Massachusetts
- Previous Reports
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
- Kansas City Nonprofit Impact Report (2020)
- 2015 Landscape Report: Quantifying Missouri's Nonprofit Sector
Montana
Nebraska
- Nebraska's Nonprofit Sector (2019)
New Hampshire
New Jersey
- Previous Reports
New York
- Previous Reports
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- In Every County, Across All Budget Sizes: White Overrepresentation in the New York City Area’s Nonprofit Leadership (2023)
- State of the Nonprofit Sector in New York State (2023)
- The Economic Power of the Hudson Valley's Charitable Nonprofit Sector (2022)
- The Economic Impact of NYC Nonprofit Organizations (2020)
North Carolina
- Nonprofits' Impact on North Carolina (2016)
- Essential: Our State's Nonprofit Sector is a Vital Economic Engine (2015)
North Dakota
Oregon
- Nonprofit Capacity in Oregon (2024)
- Previous Reports
South Carolina
Tennessee
- Previous Reports
Texas
- Previous Reports
Utah
- Utah Nonprofit Sector Report (2024)
Vermont
Virginia
- Virginia Nonprofit Sector Report (2023)
- State of the Nonprofit Sector on the Virginia Peninsula (2019)
Washington
Wisconsin
- Nonprofit Wisconsin in Brief (2019)
Wyoming
More Reports from the National Council of Nonprofits
- The Nonprofit Overtime Implementation Conundrum (July 2016)
- Toward Common Sense Contracting: What Taxpayers Deserve (May 2014)
- A Dozen Common Sense Solutions to Government-Nonprofit Contracting Problems (December 2013)
- Investing for Impact: Indirect Costs Are Essential for Success (September 2013)
- Partnering for Impact: Government-Nonprofit Contracting Reform Task Forces Produce Results for Taxpayers (April 2013)
- Three Simple Things Statewide and Local Elected Officials Can Do to Strengthen Communities, Improve Government, and Save Taxpayers Money (October 2012)
- Three Simple Things State Legislators Can Do to Strengthen Communities, Improve Government, and Save Taxpayers Money (October 2012)
- Costs, Complexification, and Crisis: Government’s Human Services Contracting “System” Hurts Everyone (October 2010)
- State Budget Crises: Ripping the Safety Net Held by Nonprofits (March 2010)
Notable Regularly Updated Reports on Philanthropy and the Nonprofit Sector
- Building Movement Project
- Fundraising Effectiveness Project
- Giving USA
- Leading with Intent
- State of the Sector Survey
Sources of Research on the Nonprofit Sector
- Association for Research on Nonprofits and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA)
- Candid's U.S. Social Sector Dashboard
- Congressional Research Service
- Council on Foundations
- Foundation Center
- George Mason University Center on Nonprofits, Philanthropy, and Social Enterprise
- Government Accountability Office
- Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University
- International Society for Third-Sector Research
- Johns Hopkins University, Nonprofit Economic Data Project
- The Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University
- National Center for Charitable Statistics
- National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy
- Nonprofit Quarterly
- Stanford Social Innovation Review
- Urban Institute