The headlines of the freeze on federal funding for everything from international aid to domestic food programs and social services have been inescapable. New data from The Nonprofit Alliance shows that Americans see nonprofits as indispensable, particularly during challenging times. Their support for government funding grows when these organizations demonstrate trustworthiness and a direct impact on critical community needs.
Protecting Vital Service: Mobilizing Support for Nonprofit Federal Funding includes survey responses from 2,500 U.S. adults who self-identify by political party. The data shows that the public backs federal support and is closely linked to how essential people perceive these services to be and the level of confidence they have in nonprofit accountability.
While some political and regional differences exist — Republicans and Midwest residents tend to be more cautious — the overall sentiment is one of strong endorsement for continued federal funding when nonprofits are seen as a vital force in addressing issues such as healthcare, education, and emergency relief, according to report co-authors Pooya Pourak, host of The Nonprofit Lab, and Shannon McCracken, chief executive officer at The Nonprofit Alliance.
Republicans (83%) and Democrats (88%) agree that nonprofits are essential to the well-being of the nation. Americans believe that the federal government (58%) should provide ongoing funding for charitable organizations to cover their core operational and administrative expenses. However, 16.5% said “no” and a full one-quarter of respondents (25.2%) responded that they were not sure.
When the 2,500 respondents are broken out by self-identified party affiliation to the question of ongoing support from the federal government, “yes” was the response from 68.5% of Democrats, 51.7% of Republicans, 67.6% of Green party members and 56.8% of Libertarians.
As would be expected, 74% of all respondents were affirmative on having a personal passion for the cause driving their decision to support nonprofit.
Key survey data includes:
* Essential Impact: Respondents who view nonprofit services as indispensable are more than four times more likely to support federal funding than those who don’t.
* Trust Matters: Even a modest boost in perceived trust, stemming from transparent and effective management, can significantly increase public endorsement of federal investment in nonprofits.
* Crisis Perspective: Individuals who believe that crises such as climate disasters or economic downturns intensify the need for nonprofit services are roughly three times more likely to favor government support for nonprofits.
* Political & Regional Differences: Although overall support for federal funding varies by political affiliation and region, there is bipartisan agreement on the essentiality of nonprofits and strong personal alignment with causes demonstrates accountability can bridge these gaps.
“Recent events have made one thing abundantly clear: the stakes for nonprofits and the communities we serve could not be higher,” according to McCracken. “The new administration’s abrupt interruption of funding of vital federal grants and critical programs threatens to upend countless services that Americans and our constituents depend on — from food assistance and educational programs to vital medical research.”
Respondents to the survey view nonprofits as first responders to emergencies. When emergencies highlight the critical role of nonprofits, people expect stable public funds to underwrite support for nonprofits’ rapid response and service delivery. “Our research shows that those who understand this critical role are three times more likely to support federal funding,” said McCracken. “As we navigate current funding uncertainties, these findings underscore the importance of telling our story effectively and demonstrating our sector’s irreplaceable role in the national safety net.”
Those who directly benefit from nonprofit services show a strong expectation for federal support, as their firsthand experience aligns with the view of nonprofits as essential, according to the authors. Beneficiaries of food aid, education, or senior care rely on these programs and naturally advocate for consistent funding to secure their ongoing support.
When making points with elected officials, nonprofit leaders need to provide precise, quantifiable data about how suspending federal support would harm an organization’s ability to serve its mission. That should include the number of services or programs that would not occur without federal funding, the number of individuals who would lose assistance if grants are halted, dollar amounts of critical aid that would be suspended, and potential staff reductions or layoffs caused by funding gaps.
To see all of the data and action items from the survey, go to https://tnpa.org/wp-content/uploads/TNPA-Mobilizing-Support-for-Nonprofit-Federal-Funding-February-2025.pdf
