Non Profit Enterprise Center

“What I think is so amazing is when a big company comes to El Paso, they make front page news,” he said.  “But if they’re headquartered somewhere else, that company makes money and exports the dollars.  When a nonprofit gets a grant for $300,000, or even $100,000, that money comes to El Paso and stays in El Paso.”

An analysis by the NpEC of 112 organizations found more than $130 million had been received in grants, money Lopez said adds directly to the local economy.  Overall, the center estimates there are 800 active nonprofit organizations in El Paso.  As of May 2006, almost 500 of them had filed IRS forms showing $678 million in gross receipts and $817 million in total assets.

Lopez said one of the goals of the NpEC is to inform the public about the role nonprofits play in our community.

“I’ve worked with nonprofits for years, but I never studied the economic impact until I got involved with the center,” he said.  “They represent every cross section of quality of life that you can imagine.  For example, if you go check out a theatre or concert, chances are a nonprofit is connected somehow.

“Kids-N-Co. puts on theatre skits for kids, they get kids involved,” he explained.  “Big Brothers Big Sisters provide great mentoring for young kids.  Health services are provided by a number of health clinics.  All of these are also operated by nonprofits.”

As a result, he said, life without nonprofits in El Paso would affect the community tremendously.

“If we closed the nonprofit sector, we would hurt the quality of life and shock the local economy in a way that we haven’t seen in years.” Lopez said.  “It would be that big.”

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