March 27, 2025 | Read Time: 5 minutes
The United States charitable sector, made up of 1.9 million nonprofits and philanthropies, is facing an increasingly uncertain landscape. With new executive orders every day and a rapidly changing political environment, the sector is contending with new challenges and threats. But it’s times of uncertainty — economic, political, and social — when Americans need the work of nonprofits most.
Now more than ever, we need to be able to count on each other for partnership and strength. Nonprofits know what it means to join together and use their passion and commitment to get things done.
In the face of political, financial, and social challenges, Independent Sector offers advocacy and support that allows its members to regroup, strategize, and take action. This is what we were built for: Not only do we elevate and mobilize our members, but we also bring them together to confront the toughest challenges and find meaningful solutions.
Nonprofits are making a difference
In a time of rising polarization and uncertainty, philanthropy and nonprofits are uniquely positioned to foster connection, community, and collective action. I’ve worked in nonprofit association management for 21 years now, and I’ve seen time and time again what we’ve been able to achieve as a sector.
Nonprofits are an essential component of the national economy. As a sector, we contributed $1.4 trillion to the U.S. economy in 2023, and in 2024 we employed over 13 million people. That speaks volumes about who we are and what we’re doing despite the challenges we’re facing.
As part of our Trust in Nonprofits and Philanthropy report, Independent Sector found that 57% of the U.S. public trusted nonprofits in 2024. Meanwhile, trust in other sectors, such as government, business, and media, has declined. People turn to us when they feel let down by other institutions, and their trust in us means everything; it leads to more volunteers, more donations, and more good being done.
Volunteers in the U.S. hold up the foundation of civil society — and an engaged civil society is democracy’s greatest asset. No matter what kind of volunteer work they do, they contribute in invaluable ways. As a lifelong civic advocate, I know personally how volunteers show up when no one else does. Even in situations where there are limited resources, we make up for it with creativity and ingenuity to keep the mission alive.
The nonprofit sector models what the world needs most right now — the power of collective value and social cohesion, connectedness, and solidarity. In this sector, we model the change we want to see, and when we work together, we see results.
We’re stronger together
The charitable sector is grappling with the question of how to pursue our essential missions with limited resources, on shifting political sands, in an environment where diversity, equity, and inclusion are increasingly politicized. The answer lies in collective advocacy.
In our 2023 research report, The Retreat of Influence: Exploring the Decline of Nonprofit Advocacy and Public Engagement, we found that nearly 60% of nonprofits that belong to coalitions report advocating or lobbying on behalf of the communities they serve. Comparatively, only 12% of nonprofits that do not belong to coalitions report advocating.
Membership in a national coalition like Independent Sector offers sector leaders a space to convene, share strategies, and find strength in numbers, especially as external challenges grow. Strengthened by 300 organizations, Independent Sector emboldens and empowers our members to have their voices heard and effect real policy change to benefit their communities.
Independent Sector members have a national policy advocate on their side. We take action on behalf of our members by:
● Engaging directly with policymakers to strengthen our sector and its workforce
● Tracking legislation that could impact nonprofits
● Mobilizing to defend our sector’s values and defeat challenges
● Sharing timely guidance in light of new executive orders and legislation
● Providing data to strengthen our cases
Our members are supported by a network of peers, leaders, and changemakers who care about the communities they serve. They are able to engage with thousands of like-minded organizations at national convenings, webinars and trainings, and conversations with our President and CEO Dr. Akilah Watkins.
In a time where misinformation is rampant, Independent Sector shares timely and trusted information. This includes real-time policy updates and analysis to help members track developments in Washington, DC, and respond accordingly. For example, in January 2025, we hosted a rapid response webinar on a new executive order that threatened diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
What comes next
There’s no question that we’re living in turbulent times. Families, businesses, and communities across the country are facing an uncertain future, and nonprofits are no exception. But we are also uniquely positioned to meet this moment. Doing what we’ve always done, nonprofits can meet confusion with solidarity, instability with action, and fear with hope.
Working together, we can face these challenges and move toward a future where:
● Nonprofits and charitable organizations are financially robust
● They have a thriving workforce that reflects the communities they serve
● They’re trusted and well-governed
● They’re informed and active advocates
At Independent Sector, this is our focus, and as we bring in more members from across the country, we get closer to that vision. The diversity of our members, from mission to size and geography, makes us all stronger.
Our current landscape is challenging, and we face many obstacles in our path to meeting our missions — but challenging times can bring out the best in us, and becoming an Independent Sector member means you never have to face them alone. Let’s take advantage of this moment and come together to make an even greater impact for the sake of our constituents, our communities, and ourselves.