Nuestros Tesoros Survey: Impact of the Economic Downturn on Hispanic Community‐Based Organizations

Abstract: This presentation will unveil the key findings from a first-in-the field survey of the impact of the economic downturn on Hispanic-serving CBOs. Over the course of 2009-2010, almost 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, job training, and human services. But the need has strained their capacity. To understand the demand, capacity, and future outlook of CBO response to Hispanic community service needs, the Alliance, established the Nuestros Tesoros initiative. In 2009 and again in 2011, the Alliance with Clarus Research Group conducted in-depth interviews with 50 Hispanic CBO directors. Results: The results found that 74% report that the national economy has had a negative impact on their organization, one-in-five (21%) expect the impact to be permanent, and an overwhelming 96 percent of CBOs report that demand for services has increased over the past year with more than half (54%) expecting the trend to continue. To respond to immediate demand for services almost half (46%) of Hispanic CBOs are taking on new debt and one-in-four are cutting staff (26%) to maximize resources for direct services. Many CBOs also report that such measures are now being exhausted and they are being forced to implement measures that limit services with 42% reporting a wait time of more than a month and 16% closing facilities.