Many Valley nonprofits vying for same donation dollars

Mar. 3—Nonprofit organization participation in the annual Raise the Region fundraiser has more than doubled since its launch in 2013 by First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania.

The 30-hour online fundraiser has become a major fundraiser for more than 300 Valley 501(c)(3) charitable organizations in Northumberland, Snyder, Union, Montour, Columbia and Lycoming counties, said FCFP President and CEO Jennifer Wilson.

"Over the course of the past 11 years, Raise the Region has facilitated more than $16.79 million in charitable donations to hundreds of nonprofits. It's a true celebration of local philanthropy," said Wilson of the initiative held in partnership with Blaise Alexander Family Dealerships.

In its first year, 161 nonprofits participated and $878,526 was raised. Last year, 333 organizations participated — aided by the addition of Tioga County to the fundraiser — and $2.3 million was raised.

This year's event will be held March 13 and 14 and is expected to attract more than 345 nonprofits seeking donations and a chance to compete for about $125,000 in prize money.

The fundraiser makes it easier for donors to give, but nonprofit officials are having to hustle more for donations.

Charitable contributions fell in the U.S. by 3.4 percent, from about $517 billion in 2021 to just under $500 billion in 2022, with the downward trend continuing into 2023.

"There's been an upsurge in nonprofits over the past couple of decades and there are a lot of choices for people. We're all applying for the same dollars," said Adrienne Mael, executive director of the Susquehanna Valley United Way which supports 57 funded nonprofits and many community partners in Northumberland, Union, Snyder, Montour and Columbia counties.

There are 1.9 million active nonprofits in the U.S. which report a total revenue of $3.6 trillion dollars. California leads the nation in the number of nonprofit organizations with 192,749, followed by Texas, New York and Florida.

Pennsylvania ranks fifth nationwide, with 78,968 active tax-exempt organizations that reported $211 billion in revenue in 2022, according to the IRS. Of those tax-exempt organizations in the state, 60,708 are 501(c)(3) nonprofits eligible for tax-deductible donations.

Several hundred of the organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible donations operate in the Valley and will be appealing for money during this month's Raise the Region fundraiser.

Betty Gilmore has been involved with First Community Foundation Partnership (FCFP) for 16 years and has seen the rise in number of organizations in need of public support.

"I've seen an uptick in nonprofit sports programs, animal welfare — a lot of people want to save cats and dogs — and health needs for specific illnesses," said Gilmore, director of grant writing.

FCFP has recommended merging efforts in some cases when they've identified a duplication of services, she said, but still the number of participants in the annual fundraiser is expected to keep increasing.

"It's wonderful that every year it grows, but it makes it more competitive," said Bonnie McDowell, CEO of the Greater Susquehanna Valley YMCA which recently announced the addition of a third branch — the Middlecreek Area Community Center in Beaver Springs — will be official April 1.

The MACC has taken part in Raise the Region since 2014 and raised nearly $300,000 in the past five years through the day-long fundraiser.

Melissa Rowse, director of the Degenstein Community Library in Sunbury, said fundraising has been particularly rough the past few years but brightened in late 2023 when the library's annual fund drive unexpectedly exceeded its $9,000 goal by $3,000.

"We were very, very pleased, but now we're in a new year and Raise the Region is right around the corner," she said.

Rowse is working on a written appeal for $5,000 to support the summer reading program but knows there's only so much money for a growing number of nonprofits participating in the fundraiser.

"Raise the Region makes it easy to (solicit) donations, but we're competing with 300 other organizations," she said.