Nonprofits may engage in advocacy and limited lobbying, but few do so – new research

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Lewis Faulk, American University; Heather MacIndoe, UMass Boston, and Mirae Kim, George Mason University

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Fewer than a third of charities in the U.S. (31%) engaged in advocacy in the last five years. This represents a dramatic decline in the past two decades, we found, even though the law allows these groups to speak up regarding the issues that affect the people they serve.

The results of the Public Engagement Nonprofit Survey, a new nationally representative study we conducted on behalf of Independent Sector – a coalition of nonprofits, foundations and corporate giving programs – indicate that many charities don’t engage in policy discussions because they don’t fully...