Ventura Nonprofit Report Finds Resource Gap

California Lutheran University CLU.

California Lutheran University’s Center for Nonprofit Leadership has released its 2026 Ventura County Nonprofit Sector Report, presenting the first comprehensive system-level assessment of the county’s nonprofit financial health. The report finds that Ventura County nonprofits generated more than $3.6 billion in economic activity in 2024, equivalent to approximately 5% of the county’s gross domestic product. It identifies a strong and increasingly mature nonprofit foundation, alongside financial resources that remain below the level needed to fully meet community needs. Estimated nonprofit revenue was $4,388 per resident in 2024, while assets stood at $5,836 per resident.

Financial Capacity Under Pressure

Using the Ventura County Nonprofit Financial Health Index, the report examines financial and workforce trends between 2019 and 2024 across eight dimensions of nonprofit health. Nearly one in four operating nonprofits now has annual revenue of $500,000 or more, with the county showing a healthy mix of small, mid-sized and larger organisations.

However, the report estimates that 46% of Ventura County operating nonprofits experienced an operating deficit in 2024, the highest proportion recorded during the period studied. Nonprofit revenue per resident was approximately 37% of California’s level, while assets per resident were about 29% of the statewide figure.

Dena Jenson, Executive Director at California Lutheran University Center for Nonprofit Leadership, said:

“The findings tell an encouraging—but cautionary—story. Ventura County's nonprofit sector has demonstrated significant resilience, but persistent under-capitalization, operating deficits and limited philanthropic investment continue to constrain its ability to build reserves, invest in people and infrastructure, and prepare for future community needs,”

Philanthropy Remains Fragile

Charitable giving has increased since 2019, but the report estimates it reached only $186 per Ventura County resident in 2024, approximately one-third of California and US levels. Funding also remains concentrated among a relatively small number of major funders.

The assessment draws financial information from Candid.org, which aggregates IRS data to provide a view of philanthropy across the US. Workforce indicators incorporate findings from Ventura County Civic Alliance’s State of the Region reports.

Steve Goodall, author of the report, said:

“Ventura County does not have a shortage of capable nonprofit organizations. It has a shortage of the resources those organizations need to reach their potential. That matters because the financial health of our nonprofit sector is not inevitable—it is a choice we make as a community,”

Report Launch Set For September

The 2026 Ventura County Nonprofit Sector Report will be officially released on Monday, 28 September, from 9am to 11am at the Lundring Center at California Lutheran University. Goodall, past President and CEO of J.D. Power and Associates, will present and discuss the findings.

A panel discussion moderated by Elena Brokaw, Executive Director of Museum of Ventura County, will follow. The event is intended to give nonprofit leaders, funders, policymakers and community stakeholders an opportunity to consider the findings and how the community can strengthen the sector’s financial resilience.

Foundation For Community Discussion

The report characterises Ventura County’s nonprofit sector as capable and economically meaningful, while identifying persistent under-capitalisation, operating deficits and limited philanthropic investment. Its findings set out the financial and capacity-building needs facing organisations already serving the county’s communities.