Philanthropy and Politics: Americans Think Nonprofits on Wrong Track

Almost half of Americans believe that nonprofits are on the “wrong track,” and only a third believe that they contribute a lot to society. That’s according to a new poll commissioned by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. The poll of 1,300 people conducted in the summer of 2022 may only confirm what statistics have been showing: a general decline in giving over the past few years. But falling confidence in charities may also be the result of messages from the so-called Independent Sector that have made people less confident in nonprofits.

First, it is important to note that there is a lot of confusion about exactly what a nonprofit is. The category includes everything from a church soup kitchen to a large hospital chain to organizations of political activists to art museums and symphony orchestras. When a poll asks the public about nonprofit organizations, it’s not clear what they are referring to. So while only 5 percent thought that someone in their immediate family had been helped by a nonprofit, more than 10 percent of Americans actually work for one. Would someone who had been treated for a broken bone at a Catholic hospital report that they had been helped by a nonprofit? Probably not, but these are the categories we have.

About the Author

Naomi Schaefer Riley

Naomi Schaefer Riley is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and the author of No Way to Treat a Child.

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About the Author

James Piereson

James Piereson is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.

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Almost half of Americans believe that nonprofits are on the “wrong track,” and only a third believe that they contribute a lot to society. That’s according to a new poll commissioned by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. The poll of 1,300 people conducted in the summer of 2022 may only confirm what statistics have been showing: a general decline in giving over the past few years. But falling confidence in charities may also be the result of messages from the so-called Independent Sector that have made people less confident in nonprofits.

First, it is important to note that there is a lot of confusion about exactly what a nonprofit is. The category includes everything from a church soup kitchen to a large hospital chain to organizations of political activists to art museums and symphony orchestras. When a poll asks the public about nonprofit organizations, it’s not clear what they are referring to. So while only 5 percent thought that someone in their immediate family had been helped by a nonprofit, more than 10 percent of Americans actually work for one. Would someone who had been treated for a broken bone at a Catholic hospital report that they had been helped by a nonprofit? Probably not, but these are the categories we have.