A newly released survey by the Human Service Chamber of Franklin County paints a picture of a growing county that needs human services more than ever while nonprofit organizations are struggling to meet that demand without sufficient support.
The chamber surveyed its members over the summer about the challenges local health and human service agencies are currently facing. Those results were made public Oct. 20 in the Chamber’s 2026 State of the Sector report.
Of the 104 responding nonprofits, 81% reported an increased demand for their services, but 61% said they are unable to meet these needs, and 85% said they have been forced to limit access to their services through waitlists, reduced services, longer waits or even turning away eligible clients.
“Over the last couple of years, there have been significant changes to programs like SNAP, Medicaid, resources for organizations that serve immigrants and refugees as well as other marginalized groups,” said Bhumika Patel, deputy director of the Human Service Chamber of Franklin County. “Everybody is being impacted by these changes.”
According to the report, nonprofit organizations say rising operational costs, federal funding cuts and unsustainable demand for resources are top concerns.
The chamber reported that 40% of responding agencies said they hold only three months’ worth of cash reserves or less.
“That can go very quickly,” said Kate McGarvey, Human Service Chamber board chair and executive director of Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio. “If you lose a grant or if there's even a delay … with only three months of reserves, it's a really scary position for the nonprofits and all of those folks who rely on them.”
The survey results reveal that midsize nonprofits in the $2-$10 million range are suffering the most. Only 17% of midsize nonprofits surveyed reported that they can meet current demand, just 18% expect a stronger position in 12 months, and less than half at 44% said they were able to forecast the next 12 months.
In the report, the Human Service Chamber warns that the region’s projected population growth will likely further exacerbate the sector’s lack of resources. Despite significant concerns among the county’s nonprofits, the report also outlines proposed solutions from the Funding Review Advisory Committee (FRAC) that aim to support the local human services, cultural arts and travel and tourism sectors.
Recommendations include a $2 per-day Columbus car rental surcharge, applying the county’s existing 8% sales tax to rideshare trips and increasing Franklin County property transfer fees from $2 to $3 per $1,000 of property value. The report also states that FRAC recommends increasing the city of Columbus income tax and proposing a new Franklin County property tax levy.
In total, the report estimates these changes could generate more than $200 million annually.
McGarvey said she believes this is a unique opportunity for Franklin County residents to come together and find a solution that serves the entire community – including those who are most vulnerable.
“There are a lot of people, organizations and companies in our community that benefit from the support our nonprofits provide community members," Patel said, "to upscale them, to make sure that they have access to child care or senior care, to help in so many different ways. I would like to see that kind of support returned back to our nonprofit sector.”
Reporter Kelly Tucker can be reached at ktucker@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: New report shows widening gap in local human services
