A new study of Los Angeles County nonprofit groups concludes that spending on advocacy and local organizing can yield significant returns for the people and neighborhoods the organizations aim to serve, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Every dollar spent by advocacy groups in the study produced $91 in benefits to local residents, according to the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, in Washington.

The watchdog group said the $75.5-million spent on advocacy by 15 groups promoting causes such as school construction and increases in the minimum wage generated nearly $6.89-billion in benefits, well above "the kind of bang for the buck that you get when you invest in funding direct services," said Aaron Dorfman, the center's executive director.

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