Nuestros tesoros and their unmet capital needs: A survey of the capital needs generated by the economic downturn on hispanic community‐based organizations

Since the economic downturn in 2009-2010, more than 1 million Hispanics lost their jobs and half million Hispanic families faced home foreclosure. Hispanic community-based organizations (CBOs) have responded to a dramatic increase in need for a full range of health, education, and human services. But the need has strained their capacity. To understand the demand, capacity, and future capital needs of CBOs in response to community service needs, the Alliance, the Nonprofit Finance Fund, and Institute for the Americas at USC, with support from the Kresge Foundation, will conduct a national survey and in-depth interviews with 50 Hispanic CBO directors. This presentation will unveil the key findings. Results: The survey results will help us to understand the nation's network of Hispanic CBOs greatest unmet capital needs to respond to expanding demands for services at a time of economic stress. The survey will also help us understand the degree to which front-line, nonprofit social service providers are experiencing cash flow difficulties as a result of time lags in receivables collections, primarily from government funders. With this survey, we hope to determine if there is a need for financial products (e.g. working capital loans, lines of credit) to address cash flow problems. The interview instruments will include a quantitative core of questions so that the entire sample can be analyzed to some extent within demographic segment and nationally, broadening and enriching the overall analysis. The research design will allow us to report reliable quantitative findings with adequate sample sizes and statistical integrity