Nonprofit Executive Alliance of Broward Releases COVID-19 Impact Report
Six months after the COVID pandemic upended our community, the Nonprofit Executive Alliance of Broward (NEAB) has published its first report detailing the impact COVID 19 is having upon Broward County’s nonprofit community. The report, which covers all business aspects of nonprofits affected by COVID including budgets, operations, HR, programming, fundraising and others, is also a testament to the resiliency and innovation that the nonprofit sector has exhibited during these historic times.
Comprised of executive leadership from the most well-known and respected nonprofits in Broward County, the mission of NEAB is to support health and human service organizations through its network of nonprofit CEOs that work together to promote advocacy, collaboration and education. “The nonprofit sector is seeing skyrocketing requests for assistance for basic needs such as food, housing and mental health while their budgets are impacted by COVID related constraints on fundraising and revenue generating programming. The intent of this report is to quantify the impact that COVID has had on our sector while also showing our ability to rise to the occasion and adapt. Our goal is to show the community that nonprofits are so much more than charities looking for money; they are an essential part of our community infrastructure. When we talk about essential employees that includes many of our nonprofits and their staff.” says Sandra Veszi Einhorn, Executive Director.
The report looks at how nonprofits have been affected by the pandemic and how they are managing the uncertainty while maintaining quality services, keeping staff employed and being fiscally sustainable. The more than 90 nonprofits that represent the Alliance provide programs and services across the health and human service continuum and are uniquely positioned to analyze and address some of the most critical challenges we face with COVID - education, healthcare, childcare, housing and workforce. The report also highlights key themes and offers solutions that may become permanent changes to the way nonprofits deliver programs.
Key Findings of the Nonprofit Executive Alliance of Broward COVID-19 Impact Report
Many are transforming their delivery models in an effort to keep people healthy, connected, and ensuring that basic needs are being met. The most positive discovery has been the resiliency of Broward nonprofit organizations. While it was not without its share of struggles and challenges, most have been able to pivot, adapt and innovate.
Top requests for assistance are for rent/mortgage, food and mental/behavioral health.
When asked how COVID has impacted their organization 86% indicated changes in employee work habits and revenue streams, 89% reported changes in their service delivery model, 73% saw changes in volunteer participation.
More than half of nonprofits surveyed have provided additional services to support their clients. While most of these services were related to financial or food assistance, some organizations have grown their footprint by expanding their qualifications for services.
Forty eight percent are concerned with their ability to provide continuity of quality programming during the length of the pandemic. Additional concerns include another wave of stay at home orders, ensuring that client’s needs are being met, keeping employees safe and healthy, and ongoing external threats to efficient execution of their mission.
80% of organizations self-reported that their organizations adapted well- all staff had capability to work remotely and programs/services were also maintained, 14% indicated that they struggled to move programs/services online and less than 1% did not adapt well with staff issues and/or an inability to execute their mission virtually.
52% struggled communicating with clients, 30% were challenged by connecting with donors, funders and volunteers and not being able to be face to face with them. Less than 20% suggested that they had challenges communicating with staff.
Organizations that rely on volunteers have also had their operations affected by the inability to recruit on site volunteers on an ongoing basis for activities such as food delivery and distribution. Client communication concerns include the inability to perform outreach, engage groups and individuals in a virtual setting and the digital divide, and the inability to effectively access technology.
Budget implication- 44% cited the inability to raise funds, 34% are troubled by the ability to draw down grant funds or bill for programs/services and funders’ shifting funding priorities. Most organizations that have a fee for service model saw significant decrease in revenue and almost all had at least one event that has been cancelled. Just less than a third of organizations have had to tap into operational reserves. Less than 10% were lucky enough to have not had any fiscal impact on their budget thus far.
64% indicated that programmatic changes such as continuing with online service delivery would stay, 45% will continue to encourage staff to work remotely, 22% were planning on a reduced workforce or permanent cuts in other budget areas.
Nonprofits leveraged this COVID opportunity to deepen their impact with the families they serve and support additional unmet needs. Being creative with engagement of stakeholders has been key.
New COVID partnerships- 50% partnered with another nonprofit, 30% with a for profit business, 27% with a faith-based group and 22% with local government.
For more information about the Nonprofit Executive Alliance of Broward and to read the COVID Impact Report please visit www.NPOBroward.org
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