Orange County’s nonprofits were feeling the love in the past year.
The 53 largest nonprofits operating here saw revenue for the 12 months ended June 30 rise 9% from a year earlier to $301.2 million, according to this week’s Business Journal list.
More giving amid the stronger economy drove the gain. Some nonprofits chalked up their higher revenue to different ways of raising money.
The nonprofits also added more workers. Paid staff was up 8% to 3,842 local workers at the groups.
But some already are worrying about what impact the recent hurricanes will have on local giving this year.
Others expect cuts in federal programs for nonprofits.
“I’m very concerned about Katrina,” said Pamela Pimentel, executive director of No. 28 Maternal Outreach Management System in Santa Ana.
Pimentel’s group helps new moms and expectant mothers during pregnancy. The group saw revenue rise 9% to $2.1 million for the 12 months ended June 30.
Maternal Outreach serves 5,000 women, up from 4,500 a year ago.
Others also are worried about donor fatigue.
“Most people only have so much money that they have to give a year,” said Alan Witchey, executive director of No. 14 AIDS Services Foundation Orange County, based in Irvine.
This year’s list was expanded to 53 groups from 34 nonprofits last year. Most serve people in need, as opposed to arts and cultural groups.
All but nine of the groups on the list posted higher revenue. Among the decliners were No. 6 Olive Crest Homes & Services for Children of Santa Ana, No. 8 Girl Scout Council of Orange County in Costa Mesa and No. 17 Family Solutions Inc. of Santa Ana.
One of the biggest gainers: No. 13 Jamboree Housing Corp. of Irvine. It saw a 19% jump to $5.7 million in revenue. The group develops affordable housing in places such as Irvine and San Clemente.
Carolyn Hudson, community relations specialist for Jamboree Housing, said higher awareness of the need for affordable housing drove the increase.
The strong real estate market also is a factor: Part of Jamboree’s financing comes from developer fees and rents.
Federal and state programs make up the rest, according to Hudson.
A two-bedroom affordable apartment from Jamboree rents for $461 to $1,114, according to Hudson. The county’s average monthly apartment rent is $1,400.
Big Demand
But there is a long waiting list for a Jamboree apartment. More than 1,000 people are waiting to live in San Clemente, she said. Most are service workers, including firefighters, restaurant servers, teachers and grocery clerks, Hudson said.
Eligibility is based on a number of things, including median area income, she said.
AIDS Services, which works to prevent the spread of HIV and with people who have the disease, saw its revenue fall 13% to $5.5 million.
The group’s Witchey said federal cuts were part of the decline. Drugs that keep AIDS at bay and create a perception that less giving is needed also were a factor, according to Witchey.
“The cost for care of the clients continued to increase,” he said.
Many of those who seek services from the group are poor and sick with full-blown AIDS as opposed to just being diagnosed with HIV, Witchey said.
AIDS Services works with about 700 people in its food pantry program, down from 950 a year ago. Changes to federal programs cut eligibility, according to Witchey.
More cuts could be in the offing, he said.
“We’ll have to depend on private dollars more than before,” Witchey said.
No. 1: Goodwill
Santa Ana-based Goodwill Industries of Orange County again tops the list with $52 million in revenue for the 12 months through Dec. 31. Goodwill’s revenue, which is 73% more than No. 2 Orange County United Way, rose 12% from a year earlier.
United Way saw a 15% rise in revenue to $30 million after tailoring its money raising to specific programs, said Maria Chavez Wilcox, chief executive of the local arm in Irvine.
For example, the group worked with a major donor,someone who gives $100,000 or more,on a program that teaches poor kids about college.
“Getting kids to college was his passion,” Wilcox said of the donor.
Rounding out the top five: No. 3 Orange County Community Foundation in Irvine with $30 million in revenue; No. 4 YMCA of Orange County in Tustin with $26 million in revenue; and No. 5 Salvation Army in Tustin with $20 million in revenue.
Another local arm of a national group, No. 9 American Red Cross Orange County Chapter, saw a 30% rise in revenue.
The figure is likely to grow again next year with donations for hurricane survivors.
With the higher revenue comes an emphasis on keeping costs down at nonprofits, according to Maternal Outreach’s Pimentel.
“No margins, no missions,” she said.
No. 18 Think Together of Santa Ana, an after-school program operator, doubled the number of kids it serves to 4,000 from a year ago.
The group’s revenue also doubled, to $4.2 million.
Think Together is expanding fee-based programs in Tustin to get more matching state money, said Randy Barth, the group’s executive director.
Think Together competes with several after-school programs such as those from the YMCA and the Boys and Girls Clubs, which offer programs on a sliding scale.
