RICHMOND (AP) | The health of a nonprofit group in Virginia can depend on location, and those in the northern part of the state far outspend the others, according to a new study.
In 2005, the average nonprofit per capita spending in Northern Virginia was $4,656. The rest of Virginia came in at $2,274 that year, the latest year for which figures are available.
The study was designed to show the economic impact of nonprofits such as church groups, little leagues and even musical theaters.
“There are really two stories about the Virginia nonprofit sector,” said Lester Salamon, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies.
Mr. Salamon detailed the findings in “Virginia’s Nonprofit Sector: An Economic Force.”
The disparity between regions shows that nonprofits in Northern Virginia have larger support networks and more access to funding, said Deborah Barfield Williamson, executive director of the Virginia Network of Nonprofit Organizations.
Overall, Virginia nonprofits pay slightly less per capita than the rest of the country. The average is $3,804 per capita across the country, and $3,616 in Virginia.
The $50,000 study was commissioned by the Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia. Full results will be released later.
“The nonprofit sector in Virginia is alive and well,” said Walter S. Robertson III, Community Foundation board chairman.
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