The nonprofit sector is a significant economic force in Arizona. Through expenditures in the form of salaries, wages and supplementary labor income, among others, nonprofits of all kinds contribute directly to the state's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

As shown in the chart below, nonprofit expenditures are estimated to account for nearly 9 percent of Arizona's Gross Domestic Product.

Over 80 percent of nonprofit expenditures come from fewer than 3 percent of nonprofit organizations. Of the Arizona nonprofits that filed a form 990, 990EZ or 990PF in 2015, over 76 percent reported annual expenses of less than $500,000. A total of 288 organizations, 1.2 percent of Arizona nonprofits, reported annual expenses of $10 million or more. All nonprofit organizations, both big and small, are together part of a growing sector that bolsters the state's economy.