Ohio Charities Struggle To Survive During Coronavirus Pandemic

COLUMBUS, OH — Charities around Ohio are struggling to stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study from the Ohio State University.

The majority of charities surveyed in the study said they are now offering reduced services, or no services at a all. Nearly 15 percent of nonprofits said they have been forced to cut or furlough staff since the pandemic began, the study found.

Ohio State researchers Erynn Beaton, Liz Colchin and Yinglin Ma said a depleted charitable sector could leave many Ohioans either unemployed or lacking vital resources.

“This latest survey shows that we need to rally around our nonprofit organizations and do what we can to support them,” Beaton said. “I hope that Ohioans will take advantage of the new CARES Act legislation that allows us to take an above the line deduction for charitable contributions in 2020.”

Ultimately, the majority of nonprofits said they have seen a decrease in revenue. Many firms are dependent on individual donations to provide services, but 50 percent of Ohio nonprofits have seen individual donations plummet. Nearly 9 percent of firms said some donors had retraced previously pledged gifts due to concerns over the pandemic.

While nonprofits are seeking new revenue sources, very few have been successful, the report found.

In addition, while some companies in Ohio were able to receive funding boosts from the state and federal governments, nearly half of all nonprofits (48 percent) said they were ineligible for assistance. Another 29 percent of nonprofits said they did not apply for aid. Four percent of companies that applied for a PPP loan did not receive it.

The full report on the state of Ohio nonprofits has been shared online.