Nonprofit Sector: Significant Federal Funds Reach the Sector through Various Mechanisms, but More Complete and Reliable Funding Data Are Needed

February 26, 2009 This report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) presents the findings of an effort to assess how federal funds flow to non-profit organizations. In 2006, the non-profit sector received about $235 billion in federal funds through a variety of funding mechanisms. The exact amount received, however, is unknown because federal tracking did not reliably classify the non-profit status of recipients. GAO concluded that data collected on the flow of funds is incomplete and may present an unreliable picture of federal funding to non-profit organizations . . .