September Monthly Connect: NC Nonprofit Organizations and the Impact of COVID-19

North Carolina philanthropies began responding to COVID-19 almost as soon as the pandemic began. State and local governments were also “on the scene” immediately, assessing needs and working to identify the most appropriate responses. Unlike many disasters, however, “the scene” had no boundaries; COVID-19 presented—and continues to present—seemingly endless challenges and needs, many without clear precedent. There was an immediate need for information about how the nonprofit community was experiencing the pandemic, which could in turn inform short- and long-term decisions related to COVID-19 by government, philanthropy, and nonprofit organizations themselves. 

On May 20, 2020, a statewide survey of North Carolina nonprofits was launched by North Carolina’s Office of Strategic Partnerships and the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits. Thanks to over 2,000 people who took time to respond to the survey, we now have a nuanced picture of North Carolina’s nonprofit sector during COVID-19—what it has experienced, what it needs, where there are gaps, and where there are opportunities. 

Panelists:

• Steve Hayes, Executive Director, Guilford Nonprofit Consortium
• Nancy Taylor, Executive Director, Community Foundation of Burke County
• David Yokum, Director, The Policy Lab & Brown; Senior Advisor, Strategic Partnerships

The discussion will focus on:  

• The purpose of the survey and the partners who made it possible 
• Key learnings from the survey including the impacts of COVID-19 on nonprofits and the types of resources that would be most helpful 
• How philanthropy, government, researchers and others can access the publicly available dataset 
• Considerations for future, related efforts