Nonprofit leaders: Nevada sector under-resourced as federal funding shifts

Two statewide nonprofit leaders warned the Legislature that Nevada’s nonprofit sector is undercapitalized and vulnerable to changes in federal funding policy.

Jeff Bryant, CEO of the Center for Nonprofit Business, said his organization’s research shows Nevada lists more than 16,000 registered nonprofits on paper, but two-thirds of them report operating income under $100,000 a year and many lack liquidity. "A majority of nonprofits reported negative impacts" from erratic federal funding, Bryant told the committee, and the state lacks a statewide resource hub in the north to support capacity building and compliance.

Miles Dixon of Nevada Grant Lab described a mixed picture: the Lab runs capacity-building programs and technical assistance and has helped partners secure more than $300,000,000 in new discretionary grant funding to Nevada since 2020. Still, Dixon said, payment delays, low liquidity, and complex compliance requirements make it hard for smaller nonprofits to participate in federal grant opportunities; he recommended improving prompt-payment and advance-payment policies and investing in statewide technology and staff to support grant administration.

Both presenters emphasized workforce and training gaps: demand for nonprofit professionals exceeds supply, and many organizations lack the staff to write and manage federal grants or to sustain required compliance functions. Committee members discussed options including professional certification, higher-education credentialing and partnerships with the Office of Federal Assistance to create pre-award and post-award technical assistance. Presenters urged more attention to payment reform (faster reimbursements and allowable administrative costs) and to sustaining training and master-lease arrangements that expand housing and service capacity.