A new report from the Interdisciplinary Alliance for Nonprofit Organizations at the University of Georgia finds that Athens-Clarke county nonprofits supported 4,742 jobs and generated $569.5 million in economic output across Clarke and contiguous counties in 2024. The analysis shows that nonprofits are not only important providers of services and community resources, but they are also significant employers, purchasers and contributors to the local economy.
The findings are based on 2024 financial data from 166 nonprofit organizations that met the study criteria. The analysis excludes Clarke County’s two major nonprofit hospitals, whose size would disproportionately influence estimates of the broader nonprofit sector; hospital-specific results are reported separately.
“While many community residents know that nonprofits deliver important community services, they are often unaware that nonprofits are also a key part of the economic infrastructure of Athens-Clarke County,” said Dr. Rebecca Nesbit, professor of nonprofit management at UGA and a leader of the research team. “They employ thousands of people, purchase goods and services, attract resources from outside the community, and mobilize voluntary donations of time and money. Nonprofits provide both social and economic impact.”
— Dr. Rebecca Nesbit, University of Georgia
The report estimates 3,407 direct nonprofit jobs in Athens-Clarke County, representing about 3.3% of county employment, or roughly one in every 31 jobs. Nonprofit spending also supported 655 additional indirect jobs through business-to-business purchases and 680 induced jobs through household spending by workers.
The economic effects extended beyond Clarke County. For every $1 spent by an Athens nonprofit, the spending supported an additional $0.41 in economic output in Clarke County and $0.59 in additional output across the broader region. Nonprofit spending supported an estimated 394 jobs in surrounding counties.
A sector that reflects Athens’ diverse needs
The study organized nonprofits into five broad mission areas. Human services organizations (including food, housing, family, youth, disability and emergency-assistance organizations) accounted for 1,923 supported jobs and $144.6 million in economic output. Health nonprofits accounted for 2,034 supported jobs and $356.3 million in output, excluding the two major hospitals. Arts, education and other civic, environmental and professional organizations also contributed to the local and regional economy.
A companion analysis identified 311 active nonprofits in Clarke County that fit the study criteria. Nearly half were small organizations with annual income below $50,000, which were not included in the IMPLAN economic-impact model because they do not file the IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ used for the analysis. As a result, the report’s estimates are conservative and do not capture all nonprofit economic activity.
