GIVING 4 · 2017 GG SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL Springfield Business Journal has long recognized the importance and impact of the many non-profit organizations in the Springfield area to the business community that we serve. For that reason, SBJ continues to cover this sector of our community as a regular part of the business news that is packed into every issue. We would all be hard pressed to find someone in our community that has not been touched in some way by a non-profit organization, either directly or through the experiences of a valued employee, co-worker, loved one or friend. The more than 1,500 non-profit and charitable organizations in the Springfield area provide valuable services and support to everyone from Springfield’s most vulnerable citizens to the most secure. According to the 2014 Nonprofit Impact Study issued by the Drury University Center for Nonprofit Communication, Springfield nonprofits account for 20% of the city’s total revenue and 50% of all private sector employment. More importantly, the study found current funding and resources available to this vital sector of the local economy to be alarmingly inadequate. Springfield Business Journal’s Giving Guide is a vehicle for non-profit organizations in our community to tell their stories, highlight their missions and update our audience on all the work that they do. However, there is more to the story. SBJ’s Giving Guide also highlights the importance of the local business community to area non-profits. Each profile features the organization’s board of directors, staff leadership and annual revenues. Further, the written contributions from UMB Bank and KPM CPAs provide some expert advice on how to give. Springfieldians continue to demonstrate their generosity of spirit and capacity to give. More and more SBJ event honorees are being recognized by our judges for their volunteer work and civic contributions than ever before. The following pages highlight an amazing array of services that are available in our community, as well as the continuing needs that exist here. It is my hope that the many businesses and individuals with a demonstrated social conscience that make up SBJ’s elite group of readers will find in these pages a call to action. Please read, learn and act. Repeat often. Sincerely, Jennifer Jackson Publisher, Springfield Business Journal Jennifer Jackson, Publisher ADDRESS: 313 Park Central West Springfield, MO. 65801 PHONE: 417-831-3238 WEBSITE: http://sbj.net FOUNDER: Dianne Elizabeth Osis