Goodwill’s Economic and Workforce Impact in Florida: FY 2024 quantifies how the Florida Goodwill Association and its nine territories convert donated goods and mission-driven operations into jobs, higher earnings, and stronger local economies across the state. Using FY 2024 operational, employment, and capital spending data and the IMPLAN input-output model, Florida TaxWatch estimates that Goodwill generated $1.52 billion in total economic output, added $893.9 million to Florida’s GDP, and supported 21,471 jobs statewide.
Beyond its familiar retail presence, Goodwill functions as a major workforce development and barrier-removal partner. In 2024, Florida territories served 161,379 individuals, directly employed more than 11,000 people, and placed 4,694 individuals into jobs through community job placement programs—approximately one in every 27 new hires in Florida. These placements generated an estimated $146.37 million in additional annual personal income, while Goodwill’s recycling and salvage activities diverted 384.5 million pounds of materials from landfills.
Across the nine territories—Big Bend, Central Florida, Gulf Coast, Gulfstream, Manasota (including Palm Beaches & Treasure Coast), North Florida, South Florida, Southwest Florida, and Suncoast—Goodwill tailors services to local needs while maintaining a consistent focus on employment and independence. Territory-level impacts range from tens of millions to more than $300 million in annual economic output and from several hundred to nearly 4,000 jobs supported per territory, driven by programs in career readiness, housing stability, re-entry, veteran services, youth services, and supports for individuals with disabilities.
Financially, Goodwill’s model turns donations into sustained community investment. Roughly 90 percent of revenues in Florida territories are reinvested directly into program activities, far exceeding the Better Business Bureau’s 65-percent benchmark for charitable program spending. For donors, partners, and policymakers, this translates into a strong nonprofit return on investment: more than $1.5 billion in annual economic activity, higher household earnings for those facing employment barriers, and over $72.9 million in state and local tax revenues—positioning Goodwill as a critical ally in strengthening Florida’s workforce and reducing long-term reliance on public assistance.
Meet the Authors:
Jessica Cimijotti-Little
Research Analyst | Lead Author
E-Mail
LinkedIn