Volunteers are helping museums, other nonprofits cope in tough economy - Jul 31, 2009
by The Center for the Future of Museums News Department

The Corporation for National and Community Service and the Johns Hopkins University Listening Post project have released a report on volunteering in the nation's nonprofits. The findings reveal that  volunteers are helping nonprofits to meet their community needs - and respond to increasing needs - despite the current financial crisis. In a survey sample of 1,400 nonprofits (including museums), 39% reported an increase in volunteer hours since the start of the current recession. Their reliance on volunteers is expected to increase in the near future. About half (48%) of the organizations in the Listening Post survey anticipate an increased reliance on volunteers during the next year, while 33% say they expect to cut paid members of their staffs.

An overview and more detailed information about museums is also available.