By many measures, Columbus is thriving. By many measures, the income disparity is, too.
Earlier this year, The Columbus Dispatch reported that while Ohio’s median household income increased slightly, it is still 10% lower than the national median.
The increase was felt primarily by white households. For African American households, the median household income dipped from $38,587 to $37,464 — about 53% less than white household incomes.
The Columbus Dispatch also reported on research conducted by The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio, which took a gender lens to income disparity data. They found that Hispanic and black women had the lowest median earnings at $31,631 and $34,531, respectively. White women earned $43,276 and the median for all men was $50,690.
All of this while Columbus “has added nearly 200,000 jobs since 2010 — the best job-growth rate among 10 large Midwestern cities.”
What does this mean for nonprofits? Increased demand for programs and services without a guarantee of increased resources to meet the needs.
We see the pressure points in the sector:
- Reductions in the numbers of donors or in total amount raised.
- Reductions in traditional government grants and contracts.
- Increased competition for philanthropic dollars including agencies that traditionally haven’t had to rely on private support, and new nonprofits entering the market.
Despite the challenges, nonprofits are ready to rise to the occasion, to grow the breadth and depth of their programs to serve as many people as possible. But it comes down to resources.
As you consider donations this holiday season, know that your gift will make an impact because the Columbus nonprofit community is strong. Our area nonprofit leaders see the face of income disparity firsthand. There are stories behind the numbers. Too many here to recount, but we have seen it, too.
Together, we can change the income disparity data because when nonprofits thrive, so do families and communities.
Article by: Kerri Laubenthal Mollard, Founder & CEO
