National Nonprofit Day is observed today, Aug. 17, and it offers an opportunity to recognize the organizations that provide services, preserve traditions, support causes and improve the quality of life in New Glarus and beyond.

The annual observance falls on the anniversary of an 1894 federal law that helped establish the tax-exempt status of charitable organizations. Today, the nonprofit sector encompasses far more than charities. It includes health and human-service organizations, foundations, business associations, recreational organizations and other groups organized for purposes other than distributing profits to owners.

New Glarus has dozens of tax-exempt organizations registered with the Internal Revenue Service. Some are familiar institutions that residents encounter regularly. Others operate largely behind the scenes or have New Glarus addresses even though much of their work takes place elsewhere.

Here is a closer look at 10 of the largest tax-exempt organizations associated with New Glarus, based on the most recent IRS filings available. The descriptions focus not on their finances, but on what each organization exists to do.