Nebraska’s nonprofit sector rivals major private industries in economic scale as it employs roughly one in 10 workers statewide and circulates billions of dollars throughout local economies. That’s according to the 2025 Economic Impact of Nonprofits in Nebraska report released by the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands.
The report was prepared by the University of Nebraska at Omaha Center for Public Affairs Research and sponsored by Nonprofit Association of the Midlands and FNIC.
“The report concludes that Nebraska’s nonprofit sector is a powerful and stabilizing force in the state’s economy and community life,” said NAM CEO Anne Hindery. “Nonprofits direct billions of dollars, thousands of jobs and immeasurable contributions toward public benefit to advance missions that neither governments nor markets can fulfill on their own.”
Nebraska nonprofits generated $23.1 billion in revenue during 2023 and spent $20 billion, with salaries and wages accounting for 31 percent of total nonprofit expenses. This level of economic activity is comparable to the state’s manufacturing industry and exceeds that of agriculture.
The research captured 5,483 501(c) organizations that filed IRS Form 990 in Nebraska during 2023. Of those, 81 percent are 501(c)(3) public charities that include 55 percent filing as small public charities on Form 990-EZ, while 19 percent are private foundations.
A significant $6.1 billion share of that revenue comes from contributions, gifts and grants. The report notes this is evidence of broad public trust in Nebraska’s nonprofit community and the widespread impact it provides through diverse services to improve quality of life.
Nonprofits account for approximately 10 percent of Nebraska’s total workforce. Nebraska nonprofits have maintained pace with national averages. Median earnings for nonprofit workers statewide stand at $46,357.
In the past 12 months, 57 percent of Nebraskans donated, which surpassed the national average.
Across nonprofit areas, most organizations generate the largest share of their revenue from contributions, gifts and grants, a funding structure that underscores how deeply residents are invested in the sector’s success.
“This report affirms what nonprofit leaders see every day: our sector is not just doing good. It is doing important things for Nebraska’s economy and its people,” Hindery said. “The data make clear that Nebraska’s nonprofit sector is strong, resilient and indispensable to the state’s economic and civic fabric.”
The 2025 Economic Impact of Nonprofits in Nebraska report is available at www.nonprofitam.org/community-reports.
