During Pandemic, Young Adults Trust Nonprofits More Than Government or Corporations

Most young American adults trust nonprofits to “do what’s right” during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey.

Sixty percent of those polled said they trust nonprofits’ responses to the pandemic “a lot” or “some.” In comparison, 57 percent said they trust local governments “a lot” or “some” to do the right thing during a pandemic, while only 49 percent said they trust the federal government to the same extent.

For nonprofits trying to figure out how to or when to approach younger donors, the data suggests they will be receptive to organizations’ messages.

“This is a great time to bring their brands to their constituencies with new information because they are trusted entities,” said Derrick Feldmann, managing director of Cause and Social Influence, which conducted the study of 18- to 30-year-olds. The organization produces research on how young Americans engage with social issues and movements.

This new report is spun out of an existing long-term study examining how, and from whom, young adults learn about social issues. The survey was conducted between March 20 and 21 and received responses from a nationally representative group of 1,100 younger adults.

The survey also found that most young adults became aware of the coronavirus through television, followed by online media and social-media networks. Only 15 percent of respondents said “online influencers” contributed to their awareness of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Feldmann said the survey will be repeated monthly for at least the next three months to see how attitudes and information sources about the coronavirus pandemic change.