The Government Should Hear More From the Nonprofit Sector

Everyone’s heard plenty about the federal government lately, but maybe the government should hear more from the nonprofit sector? At least, that’s what a new study from Independent Sector, “United for Charity: How Americans Trust and Value the Charitable Sector,” suggests. The study surveyed American voters on the relationship between charities and the government, and here’s what it found:

• More than three out of four voters (78 percent) believe the charitable sector and federal government should work together in order to solve problems more efficiently. Voters also say they are 70 percent more likely to vote for a candidate that expresses support for policies that increase the charitable sector’s involvement in government policy-making.

• Seventy-four percent of voters would rather give $1,000 to a nonprofit organization than to the federal government.

• Nearly nine in 10 voters (88 percent) think the process of making tax-deductible charitable donations should be made easier.

One thing is certain: Voters trust charities more than they trust the government. And this could be good news for nonprofits. Independent Sector’s survey suggests that voters want to see more nonprofit voices in the political sphere. Charitable voices are valued and trusted, so nonprofits shouldn’t be afraid to speak up to both local and national government.

Another potential benefit of the attitudes reflected in this study is the overwhelming support for simplifying tax-deductible charitable donations. This suggests voters aren’t just willing to make donations to nonprofit organizations—they actively want to contribute. A push for a more efficient tax-deductible donation system could mean more funding flowing into the nonprofit sector.

View the full study at goo.gl/oFqMSP for more information.