Craig Daily Press

Officials with Yampa Valley Partners contend that nonprofit organizations are an emerging sector of the communities in Moffat and Routt counties, and they have a significant effect on the local economies.

Information from the group's latest study, an analysis of facts, figures and other observations about nonprofit organizations in the Yampa Valley, supports their assertions.

Findings from the study point to just how big a business nonprofit work has become.

According to the report, released Monday, there are 258 nonprofit groups in the two-county area, ranging in focus from arts, culture and humanities to health and human services and community improvement.

All told, the groups have $100 million in revenue, employ more than 650 residents and own more than $120 million in assets.

"We wanted to emphasize the type of nonprofits we have and what they do because they each perform a service that they see as a need in the community," said Audrey Danner, executive director of Yampa Valley Partners.

"We knew this was important data for the community to be aware of."

Yampa Valley Partners, a nonprofit group, is an organization aimed at supporting the development of "healthy communities" in Moffat, Routt and Rio Blanco counties.

The group will take the information from the nonprofit study and integrate it into the next Community Indicators Project -- a comprehensive study of social, economic, environmental and civic trends used to measure the quality of life throughout the Yampa Valley -- due for a January 2009 release.

Other findings in the report reveal:

Nonprofit groups have grown in Moffat County by 40 percent in the past 10 years, a figure slightly below the 44 percent state figure. In 1995, there were 60 nonprofit groups in Moffat County, but by 2005 that number had grown to 84.

In Routt County, nonprofit groups have increased by 65 percent, growing from 105 to 174 in the 10-year span.

Many of the organizations have operating budgets of less than $25,000.

The report also contends that the largest increases among nonprofit groups in Routt County were concentrated on recreation, sports, leisure, arts, culture and humanities organizations.

In Moffat County, new organizations were tailored to human services, religious and spiritual development groups.

And, it doesn't appear the surge in new groups will subside anytime soon. Ninety-two percent of the 56 groups that responded to a survey indicated that their organizations were growing or maintaining steady levels against just 8 percent that reported their groups are struggling.

The survey also relayed the importance of volunteers, the lifeblood of nonprofit groups.

Responding organizations reported that residents of Moffat and Routt counties contributed about 130,000 volunteer hours, valued by Yampa Valley Partners to be worth more than $1 million in services.

"We are a generous community offering our time and dollars to a variety of nonprofit agencies serving a host of community needs," Yampa Valley Partners chairman Mike Larson said. "The most common value of nonprofits is the strong desire to enhance the quality of life. This report intends to highlight the nonprofit sector and its value to our community."

The complete text of the nonprofit study is available on Yampa Valley Partners' Web site, www.yampavalleypartners.com, or by calling Danner at 871-7681 or e-mailing her at info@yampavalleypartners.com.