The Colorado Springs Business Journal recently reported some difficult news: the budget cuts proposed for 2018 by the Trump administration would hurt the nonprofit organizations in Colorado Springs, even those not receiving federal funding.

The article, written by Bob Stephens, goes on to explain why the impact of these budget cuts would be so severe. Many organizations that do not receive federal funding have partner organizations that do. If budget cuts occur and these organizations lose their federal funding, more donations from the local community would be necessary to keep them running. In an economy that recently experienced the Great Recession, ‘donor fatigue’ has been keeping donations from reaching local nonprofits in recent years. The article also points out that while the El Pomar Foundation is exceptionally generous with nonprofit funding in Colorado Springs, the foundation cannot save all the region’s nonprofit organizations on its own.

As a result of losing funding, nonprofit organizations would have to cut services. SherryLynn Boyles, executive director of TESSA, is quoted as saying, “’Pretty much every single one of our programs would face severe cuts,’ she said. ‘It’s daunting to think about that. And it would put a lot more pressure on our police departments, the courthouse and hospitals. When you cut federal funding, you’re hurting our community.’” In addition, nonprofit directors pointed out that they would have to lay off many of their employees. The impact on the community would be severe, with people losing jobs and community services at the same time.

Colorado College students would not go unaffected. Many of the CCE’s programs, along with partnerships that other CC offices including Athletics and Greek Life have with local nonprofits, would be affected by the budget cuts. A decrease in funding would limit off-campus opportunities for students, such as support for work-study positions and resources available at these organizations. On the bright side, the new tax plan has not yet been passed, so there is still hope that nonprofit funding in Colorado Springs can remain.

For the full article, follow the link:

http://www.csbj.com/2017/09/29/nonprofits-nervous-proposed-budget-cuts/?v=402f03a963ba

By Claire Derry