It's hard times for nonprofits. It's hard times for everyone. Donations are lagging. Money is tight, and charitable giving is slowing to a trickle. There is more competition for the remaining dollars.

All nonprofits suffer at times like these. The large charities with national fundraising capabilities will survive. But these groups are not all inclusive.

People and services fall through their cracks. To meet these needs there are thousands of smaller local and regional nonprofit groups that offer a wide range of services.

Our agency, Family Connections of Wisconsin Inc., takes children on monthly visits to their incarcerated mothers. Our agency holds a reading program where the mothers, unable to see their children, are recorded on DVDs reading books to their children, who receive the DVDs.

These programs help the family remain a cohesive unit throughout incarceration. We offer a combination of services no other agency in our region provides.

As with any business in tough economic times, nonprofits are forced to cut spending and staff. They do everything they can to continue to offer their much needed services. Family Connections is currently out of salary funding to continue its visiting program. Only through minimal salary to the director, who also donates hours, and with help from volunteers can we continue the reading program.

But there are ways we can all help when money is tight. If people and businesses take a few easy steps, more of these groups will survive:

* Adopt a local agency and help. Choose to support a local agency to match your interests. Ask around. What agencies are in dire need? Donate 5 percent of your daily sales one day. Hold a car wash, garage sale or auction. Put out donation boxes for the agency. Be creative!

* If you cannot donate money, give something else. Call an agency and ask what they need. A microwave owned by a family in our program stopped functioning. They live in transitional housing, and it was their only means of cooking. My husband sent out an e-mail at his office and within minutes had six offered.

* Volunteer. As funding and staff are cut, agencies need to rely on volunteers to provide basic services. You will feel good for helping, understand why you were needed and meet wonderful people.

* Give what you can. Monetary donations remain the lifeblood of any charitable organization. They fund programs and salaries as well -- something many grants will not. Ten dollars may not seem like a lot. But if 100 people each give $10, it becomes $1,000.

Smaller, local nonprofits do not get the headlines that the major charities do. But their services are needed now more than ever. Let us all hope we do not see the unfortunate results if they are gone.

Bibo is executive director of Family Connections of Wisconsin Inc. and served on the Wisconsin State Journal's Nonprofit Advisory Board; www.familyconnectionsofwi.org.