Nonprofits in New Jersey report increasing donations

Many nonprofit groups in New Jersey are saying their financial outlook is brightening, even though challenges remain in the picture.

For the second consecutive year, more than half of New Jersey’s 30,000 nonprofit charities, religious and service organizations, arts and cultural groups say their funding has increased.

That’s an indication that the economic recovery is starting to reach the nonprofit community, said Linda Czipo, executive director of the Center for Non-Profits.

“We’re seeing the individual gifts reflect that. We’re seeing some of the foundation giving reflect that,” she said. “Other categories of funding that might have seen decreases during the recession have at least stabilized.”

But Czipo said revenue has not kept pace with the demand for services from those groups.

To address that disparity, she said, some groups are merging while others are working together to provide programs and trim costs.

Fewer of the nonprofits are planning staff cuts this year, and some say they’re interested in restoring positions that had been cut during the Great Recession, Czipo said.