National Nonprofit Day: The Nonprofit Myth We Need to Leave Behind

two women in the stands at a Glenkirk sports outing

At Keystone Alliance, our CEO often says something simple:

We truly believe nonprofits will save the world.

While that may sound ambitious, we believe there is real truth behind it.

Every day, nonprofit organizations step into challenges that communities cannot solve alone. They provide healthcare, housing, education, food security, workforce development, disaster relief, and support for people facing some of life's most complex circumstances.

National Nonprofit Day, observed each year on August 17, is an opportunity to recognize those contributions and reflect on the role nonprofits play in building stronger, healthier communities.

It is also an opportunity to challenge a persistent misconception.

Too often, nonprofits are viewed primarily as recipients of funding and charitable support. The reality is far more complex and far more important.

Nonprofits are not simply consumers of resources. They are employers, investors, service providers, and community builders. In many cases, they are significant economic engines that create stability and opportunity far beyond the services they deliver.

The Economic Reality of the Nonprofit Sector

The nonprofit sector represents a major force in the Illinois economy.

Organizations across the state employ hundreds of thousands of people, purchase goods and services from local businesses, maintain facilities, contract with vendors, and generate economic activity that supports communities large and small. The human services sector alone generates an estimated $4.5 billion in annual economic impact throughout Illinois.

Every dollar invested in nonprofit services moves through local economies multiple times.

It supports jobs. It creates purchasing power. It strengthens neighborhoods. It helps communities remain vibrant and resilient.

That reality is particularly visible within the intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) sector.

The Role of Community-Based I/DD Providers

For organizations serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, community impact extends far beyond the individuals receiving services.

Providers create opportunities for people with I/DD to live, learn, work, and participate fully in their communities. At the same time, they employ thousands of professionals whose work supports local economies every day.

The modern community-based I/DD system became possible through the creation of the Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Waiver program in 1981. That shift allowed people to receive services in their communities rather than being forced into large institutional settings. Organizations like Glenkirk and Search360 were among those that helped turn that vision into reality.

Today, the impact of those organizations extends well beyond direct support.

A Local Example of Community Impact

Through Glenkirk and Search360 , nearly 600 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities receive support across 17 communities through a network of 61 program sites. Together, the organizations support 421 jobs that pay above minimum wage while generating significant spending throughout the local economy.

In the past year alone, they invested more than $5 million back into the communities they serve through transportation, local goods and services, building maintenance, food, household purchases, and other operational spending.

These are not dollars sitting on the sidelines.

They support local vendors, contractors, tradespeople, retailers, mechanics, property maintenance professionals, and many other businesses that help communities thrive.

The Impact People Don't Always See

There is another contribution that often goes unnoticed.

When families have access to high-quality community-based supports, parents, siblings, and caregivers are better able to remain active in the workforce.

Without those supports, many families face difficult decisions about reducing work hours or leaving employment entirely to provide care themselves. Community-based services help prevent that outcome and create stability not only for people with disabilities but for entire families.

The result is a broader ripple effect that strengthens households, employers, and communities alike.

What Collaboration Makes Possible

This belief in community strength is also what led Glenkirk and Search360 to create Keystone Alliance in 2009.

Rather than operating independently, the organizations chose to collaborate by sharing critical back-office functions, leadership resources, and operational infrastructure. The goal was simple: create more capacity for mission-driven work while strengthening long-term sustainability.

That decision reflects something we believe strongly at Keystone Alliance.

The future of the nonprofit sector will not be built solely through individual organizations working harder. It will be built through collaboration, shared learning, and creative approaches that help organizations do more together than they could accomplish alone.

A Different Way to Think About National Nonprofit Day

National Nonprofit Day is certainly a time to celebrate the people who dedicate their lives to mission-driven work.

But it is also a reminder.

Nonprofits are not a side feature of healthy communities. They are part of the infrastructure that makes healthy communities possible.

They create jobs. They strengthen local economies. They support families. They build opportunity. And every day, they help people live fuller, more connected lives.

That is something worth celebrating.

Join the Conversation

This National Nonprofit Day, consider taking a moment to recognize a nonprofit organization that has made a difference in your community.

Whether through direct services, advocacy, education, healthcare, or countless other forms of support, nonprofit organizations help shape the places we call home.

What nonprofit has had the greatest impact on your life or community?

Keystone Alliance is an ecosystem of nonprofit organizations, services, and initiatives, working together and with the field as a collaborative force to help nonprofits strengthen and sustain their missions.

We support our family of organizations and the larger nonprofit community through Keystone Shared Services, our shared back office platform, and Mission + Strategy, our strategic consulting division.

Let’s talk to see how we can help create capacity, sustainability, and collaboration for your organization.