MILWAUKEE (WTAQ) - Charities in southeast Wisconsin are starting to see hope for their futures.
But many are still worse off than before the recession hit in 2008.
That's according to an annual survey of almost 100 non-profit groups by Milwaukee's Public Policy Forum. Rob Henken, the forum's president, says the main message is that "the bleeding has stopped."
Most charities still believe the economy is causing people to hold back on donations -- but the number of groups which feel that way dropped in each of the last two years. Henken says human service groups feel the brunt of the pressure, and they're not out of the woods by any means.
Two-thirds of the non-profits report higher demands for their services, but 85 percent are confident they could meet them. 11 percent of charities reported financial difficulty. 45 percent said they're okay for now, but could be vulnerable in the future. About a-third of the charities said they have operating deficits in their current fiscal years.
Many groups have stepped up their fundraising, because they expect drops in government and foundation grants.
