As nonprofit and philanthropic changemakers, public trust is our currency. Without it, advancing our many missions becomes significantly harder, if not impossible.
The public’s belief that nonprofits will “do the right thing” is one of the central reasons our sector exists. Communities have relied upon nonprofits for centuries to provide education, culture, life-sustaining services, environmental stewardship, and places of refuge.
Public trust in our sector allows us to partner with local communities, governments, and industries. It enables us to advocate for our missions, drive policy and systems change, have hard conversations, attract resources, and recruit volunteers to deepen our impact. In today’s polarized environment, trust allows nonprofits to “bridge” social divides, serve more people, and do more good.
Given its importance, we must regularly assess the status of trust and explore strategies to strengthen our sector’s most valuable asset.
That’s why we launched our new report, Trust in Nonprofits and Philanthropy: Strengths and Challenges in a Time of Division, this week, in partnership with Edelman Data & Intelligence.
For the past five years, our surveys — the largest of their kind — have explored trust in American nonprofits, philanthropic organizations, and other institutions. This year, after four years of decline, trust in nonprofits has rebounded, increasing to 57% and making us the most trusted sector in the 2024 survey. Trust in philanthropy, however, remains steady at 33%, lower than trust in nonprofits.
While the boost in trust for nonprofits is encouraging, the broader context is concerning. Trust in many sectors has dropped, suggesting that Americans are approaching this election season with doubts and distrust. Trust in philanthropy remains lower than trust in nonprofits, even though donors directly support nonprofits’ charitable and community work.
Our findings highlight that Americans trust nonprofits to mend social divides, but are skeptical about our advocacy efforts. Advocacy is crucial for advancing our missions and driving social change, yet 41% of Americans don’t trust nonprofits to avoid partisan politics. This skepticism might stem from the belief that true nonpartisanship is impossible in an election year.
Dr. Akilah Watkins
Advocating for the people we serve is critical to our sector’s ability to successfully meet our many missions and to advance social change. We need to find ways to make it clear that advocating for our communities is critical to the work of the charitable sector, without which we cannot serve the public.
What more can our sector do to strengthen the public’s trust? Our research shows us clear pathways.
Committing to organizational guidelines or ethical principles can build trust. Over 60% of Americans say their trust in a nonprofit would increase if it committed to third-party standards for ethical operations and good governance practices.
Independent Sector’s 33 Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice, our governance guide for nonprofits and foundations, remains a frequently used resource across the sector. Plans are underway for a third edition, including guidance on technology advancements like AI and data privacy.
Volunteering and direct connections with nonprofits significantly boost trust in our sector. This year’s survey reaffirms that volunteers not only support our work, but also enhance public trust. Four-fifths of Americans who volunteer say their experience made them view nonprofits more favorably, and 88% would volunteer again. Previous surveys have also shown that direct experience with nonprofits increases trust.
Knowing this, nonprofits should clearly communicate the good they’re doing in communities and how individuals can benefit and get involved. We need to let people know how nonprofits are helping their friends, family, and neighbors, and how they can participate.
I invite you to explore the findings in our latest report and join the conversation on strategies to enhance trust by registering for our webinar on July 11. Together, we can strengthen the trust that is fundamental to our sector’s success and our collective work to build a nation where all people thrive.
Dr. Akilah Watkins is president and CEO of Independent Sector.
