Economic Impact of Environmental Non-Profits: Analysis of the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s Restoration Programming Since 2009

Abstract

The North Carolina Coastal Federation, a non-profit organization in coastal North Carolina, completes restoration projects all along the North Carolina coast. While these restoration projects aim to satisfy the organization’s environmental goals, they are also interested in the economic benefit of these projects. To estimate the Coastal Federation’s economic impact on coastal North Carolina, we conducted: (1) an Economic Impact Analysis, determining how many times Federation spending is “re-spent” in coastal North Carolina, and (2) an Ecosystem Service Valuation, which estimates the economic value of services provided by the areas restored. Results from our sample Coastal Federation projects suggest that the organization has substantial economic impact on its region. We expect that our results and lessons learned will assist both the Coastal Federation and other Restoration Practitioners in showcasing the potential economic impact of their work, in addition to ecological benefits.