Lodestar Center releases 2010 Arizona Nonprofits report

The ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation has released the 2010 Arizona Nonprofits Scope of the Sector today. The report contains data on the 21,000 public charities and private foundations in the state of Arizona.

The Lodestar Center researches and reports on the revenues and assets of nonprofit organizations across Arizona’s counties and by issue area subsector, such as education, environment, health and several others.  The numbers reflect a resilient sector that has weathered a difficult economic climate and remained focused on charitable missions to improve the community.

“The nonprofit sector is a vital part of our state’s economy and its social fabric” said Dr. Robert F. Ashcraft, executive director of the ASU Lodestar Center and professor of nonprofit studies in ASU's School of Community Resources and Development. “Our research reveals the depth and breadth of the nonprofit sector in our state and we hope results of our study create a community conversation about the role of philanthropy in community life,” he added.

The report is an accumulation of data from tax forms of nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) federal charitable exemption status and from datafiles available from the National Center for Charitable Statistics. The study analyzes the more than 21,000 nonprofit organizations which had nearly $19 billion in total revenues according to the latest numbers available at the time of data collection.

More than three out of four of Arizona’s registered charities are in Maricopa (Phoenix) and Pima (Tucson) Counties. Maricopa County is home to 58 percent of public charities, but lay claim to 63 percent ($2.2 billion) of donations and grants. Pima County is home to 19 percent of the state’s nonprofits, but it represents 23 percent of charitable grants and contributions. Together, these two counties represent 86 percent of grants and contributions to Arizona-based nonprofits.

This is the third publication in the scope of the nonprofit sector research series conducted by the ASU Lodestar Center; the study was last published in 2006. The publication is free of charge and may be obtained by downloading in .pdf form at http://lodestar.asu.edu/pdf/2010-scope-of-the-sector or by calling the Center at 602-496-0500.

The ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation (formerly the ASU Center for Nonprofit Leadership and Management), is recognized as a national leader in undergraduate and graduate nonprofit education, research and technical assistance. The ASU Lodestar Center exists to enhance the quality of life in communities through the advancement of nonprofit leadership practices and provides knowledge and tools to build the capacity of nonprofit organizations, professionals, board members, donors and volunteers by offering a selection of capacity building workshops, conferences, classes, and programs. For more information, visit: http://lodestar.asu.edu.

SOURCES:
Robert F. Ashcraft, ashcraft@asu.edu
602-496-0500

Carlton F. Yoshioka, carlton.yoshioka@asu.edu
602-496-0153

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jill Watts, jill.watts@asu.edu
602-496-0189

Dana Berchman, dana.berchman@asu.edu
College of Public Programs
602-496-0406
Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation