UA Little Rock Scholars Study Nonprofits to Facilitate Collaboration
There are more than 14,000 nonprofit organizations in the State of Arkansas. And, as in many states, tighter budgets, fewer donors, and more competition has made serving those in need more difficult in recent years. But Arkansas has an asset that few other states have: a very religious population. According to data from the Pew Research Center, in Arkansas, 86% of people say religion is very or somewhat important in their lives, compared to only 53% nationally. Church attendance is also significantly higher, with 41% of Arkansans attending religious services weekly, and another 32% going at least a few times a year. But how might this religiosity be an asset to nonprofits?
As scholars with the Little Rock Congregations Study at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, we are studying when and how nonprofits and congregations might partner to provide service to the community. Most religious traditions have an ethos of service and encourage their members to give back through volunteering. Most nonprofits have limited budgets and are in desperate need of volunteers. It would seem that partnerships between nonprofits and congregations would be a natural fit. Yet, when we surveyed 112 congregation leaders in the fall of 2018, we found that, although 70% of congregations plan to have partnerships in the coming year, only 25% of congregations partnered with nonprofits on their most important service project.
Using the data we collected from clergy in 2018, we have designed a survey of nonprofits, which is currently in the field and available for nonprofit directors to complete here: Nonprofit Survey Link. We are interested in learning more about the partnerships they make, with a particular focus on getting their perspective on when and how partnerships with religious congregations do or do not happen.
With these data, we can identify best practices for facilitating collaboration between congregations and nonprofits—and matching those religiously-minded volunteers up with the nonprofit organizations that need them. Arkansas is a state with a big heart. The sheer number of nonprofits—about one for every 212 people in the state—is one indication of how much we care. For many people, their faith is a motivation to give and to serve. Connecting that motivation with the right local nonprofit could make all the difference for people in need, right in our own backyard.