Nonprofits across the Mohawk Valley were invited to participate in an online survey to help better understand their most pressing needs, challenges, capacity, and priorities. A total of 575 nonprofit representatives from the region completed the survey. This report analyzes some of the key findings from the survey.
1,130
Active nonprofits within Herkimer and Oneida counties
NONPROFIT LANDSCAPE
Percentage of residents who work at a nonprofit organization
Source: Candid Guidestar as of April 2026
Source: 2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics
Candid Guidestar
STATE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS
When respondents were asked to describe the state of their organization, the majority stated that they were stable and in a good position to meet current demands, while 1 in 5 expressed they were facing challenges and worried about the future.
COMMUNITY NEED
We asked respondents to describe the recent community demand for their services.
STAFFING HIGHLIGHT
OF RESPONDENTS FROM ORGANIZATIONS
WITH AT LEAST ONE STAFF MEMBER
PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITIES TO STAFF AND LEADERSHIP.
CONSTITUENT CHALLENGES
Respondents ranked the following as the top 3 challenges individuals they serve are currently faced with.
6 out of 10 respondents said their organizations have enough staff and/or volunteers needed to carry out their work.
FUNDING SOURCES
Respondents were asked to rank how reliant their organizations were on various types of funding, with rankings displayed from least reliant to most reliant.
FINANCIAL CHALLENGES
Respondents were asked to indicate the financial challenges affecting their organizations. Challenges varied based on the size of nonprofits, with larger nonprofits more impacted by federal funding changes and smaller nonprofits more impacted by fundraising fluctuations from individuals and organizations.
Nonprofits expressed challenges with adapting to change and keeping up with increasingly growing workloads.
OTHER CHALLENGES
Beyond funding, four key themes were identified as major organizational challenges.
Nonprofits identified difficulties with recruiting and/or retaining qualified staff as well as an aging volunteer base.
Nonprofits report that client needs are increasingly complex, often requiring coordinated care among multiple agencies in order to best support the individual.
Nonprofits described the complexities of rural service delivery, specifically related to access and transportation, as they seek to find solutions through innovation and partnership.
