Independent Sector seeks to measure the status of a major pillar of nonprofit sector health: advocacy and civic engagement. We commissioned research to fill a 20-year gap in data around nonprofit advocacy and civic engagement (i.e., nonpartisan voter engagement) activities through a nationally representative quantitative survey and complementary qualitative interviews of nonprofit institutions. The research is designed to provide insights on how advocacy and civic engagement may vary by organization size, geography, communities served, and leadership demographics.
This research complements the only other nationally representative survey on nonprofit advocacy conducted more than 20 years ago, entitled the 2000 Strengthening Nonprofit Advocacy Project (SNAP) Assessment. Our new research will help nonprofit leaders and policymakers see what, if any, progress has been made in nonprofit advocacy and the ability to overcome barriers during the last two decades. It also establishes a new baseline for nonprofit advocacy and civic engagement that includes three new metrics of nonprofit activity: (1) nonpartisan civic engagement, (2) support of social movements, and (3) level of investment in equity work.