Over the past month, the Selby Foundation visited 29 nonprofit organizations in our region to learn about their essential work. As long as I have worked in this sector, I still find this type of connection profoundly meaningful.

We ask a lot of questions as part of our capital grant process. No matter what we think we know, the insights shared with us deepen our appreciation for the leadership and program teams that power nonprofits—and the difference their work makes.

During our September site visits, we talked with people who provide a safe and supportive environment for boys who have experienced more than 14 foster home placements. We learned about the economic impact of an enduring theatre that creates jobs and sends patrons to local restaurants, shops, and hotels. We visited food distribution centers reaching rural areas where more people than ever come regularly—or depend on friends and neighbors to deliver food from the center for reasons most of us cannot fathom. We learned about essential resources a nonprofit provides to patients facing illnesses that are likely impacting someone you know.

Some nonprofits are also engaging in crucial advocacy, helping representatives understand how legislation and proposals are likely to affect our community. They speak on behalf of the vulnerable people they serve. Sometimes those people are us. 

At the Selby Foundation, what we want people to know about our region’s nonprofits is simple: They are necessary. They are formidable employers. They innovate in ways other sectors emulate. They enrich what is offered in public schools, make opportunities accessible to people who would otherwise not have them, and bring people together to own solutions collectively. 

Philanthropy alone will never be enough to power their work. While the nonprofit sector needs businesses and government to work well, businesses and government also need nonprofits to thrive.

Anyone leading a charitable organization will tell you the work is rewarding but tough. Those outside the sector may not fully appreciate the knowledge, resources, experience, and time required to do it successfully.

I often remind myself that most people do not live in the world of philanthropy or nonprofits. Because of this, they are not immersed in the value of the sector or realize that our communities would not function the same without them. Most of us do not recognize we are being touched by a nonprofit when we sit in the audience of a local performing arts organization, are admitted to a hospital, or see older parents benefit from an enriching program while providing a break for caregivers.

Not everyone has the opportunity or interest to experience the in-depth interactions with nonprofits that the Selby Foundation does. But even small intersections with our nonprofit community can change the way you think about the world. As you find refuge, assistance, inspiration, or joy in an experience, you may realize that a nonprofit organization made it possible.

Human advancement and care happen every day because of good people and those who invest in progress together. Nonprofits are often the nexus. This season is a great time to advocate for them when and where we can, and there are significant opportunities at our fingertips. 

Along the roads in our region, we discover organizations that deserve the Selby Foundation’s capital funding as well as open spaces to share their stories of impact with the broader community. If you look out the window, you will notice just how much of our society’s strength is built by the social sector and its people.

Susie Bowie is the President and CEO of The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation.