The nonprofit sector continues to demonstrate in several ways that it is a growing sector in the state of Arizona. Chart 1 shows that between 2002 and 2013 the number of registered nonprofit organizations increased by 18 percent, from 16,786 to 19,776.

It can also be seen in the chart that there was an important decrease in the number of nonprofits in 2011. This decrease happened across the nation as several nonprofit organizations lost their tax-exemption when they failed to file with the IRS for three years in a row, a new requirement that went into effect with the Pension Protection Act of 2006.

Want to know more? Click the envelope to learn about the growth of the nonprofit sector in the United States.

Total nonprofit expenditures have increased significantly as it can be seen on Chart 2 below: from $12.96 billion in 2002 to $26.65 billion in 2012, a 105 percent growth in an economy that grew 54 percent over the same period, as shown on Chart 3 which is a representation of Arizona's Gross Domestic Product.

Chart 3 also shows the impact that the recession had on Arizona's economy, as seen in the significant downturn from 2008 to 2009. On the contrary, Chart 2 suggests that the nonprofit sector showed more resiliency to the recession: nonprofit expenditures continued to increase even during the years of the recession.