Community relationships strengthen public trust in nonprofits 

More than grants, donations, or volunteer hours, public trust is the currency of the nonprofit sector. The public’s belief that nonprofits will “do the right thing” is what makes it possible for us to partner with communities, advocate for our missions, and bridge political divides to build a healthy and just nation. 

That’s why Independent Sector has been measuring public trust in nonprofits and philanthropy for the last five years. We want to understand not just the status of trust in the sector, but also how we can strengthen that trust. 

Data from our most recent report with Edelman Data and Intelligence highlights what many nonprofit and philanthropic leaders already know to be true: Trust is built from strong relationships, and it thrives on proximity—that is, how closely and directly we’re involved with an issue and work with the people who are affected by it. The more we connect with our communities, the more we can support them. 

Trust in nonprofits is high—but could be higher 

In the last year, trust in nonprofits increased by 5 percentage points to 57%. Trust in philanthropy remained steady at 33%. In a divisive election year, when respondents reported lower levels of trust in almost every other sector—from small businesses to the news media—these numbers are significant. They tell us the public continues to believe nonprofits will do the right thing, even as they feel increasingly let down by other types of organizations. 

The data shows Americans are overwhelmingly concerned about the future of the country. In particular, 94% of respondents said they were worried about growing social and political divides, and 58% said the rising cost of living was a top concern. On both of these key issues, they had more confidence in nonprofits than in big business, the federal government, or the media to make a positive difference. 

The foundation for this confidence comes down to relationships. Trust is relational—so is the work of nonprofits. 

Participation is essential to public trust 

Across the country, nonprofits engage with their communities in ways that for-profit entities and other institutions do not. They work with people to achieve shared goals—and, in fact, they rely on participation from their communities just as much as those communities rely on their services. 

Think of your local food bank or food pantry. You’ve probably interacted with one of these organizations at some point—whether through volunteering, donating, or participating in food drives. This is the kind of interaction that builds trust. Our research found that 69% of respondents are more likely to trust nonprofits working directly in their neighborhoods to meet the needs of every community member.  

We can also see that volunteerism has a powerful effect on trust. In our survey, 79% of respondents who had volunteered with a nonprofit within the last few years said their experience gave them a more favorable view of the sector, and 88% said they would volunteer again. By providing accessible on-ramps for people to engage in the civil life of their communities, nonprofits can lay the groundwork to build trust. 

We need to make the case for advocacy 

It’s encouraging to see that people trust nonprofits to mend social divides and improve key issues. Pluralities of respondents expressed high levels of trust in nonprofits to provide spaces for those from different backgrounds to work together (39%), advocate for people who have been historically overlooked by government (37%), and promote free speech and expression (37%). Yet, there is significantly less trust in the sector when it comes to advocacy-related work. A plurality (41%) don’t trust nonprofits to avoid partisan politics—possibly because they think it’s impossible for any entity to truly avoid partisanship today.  

Advocating for the people we serve is critical to nonprofits’ ability to advance our missions and support our communities. We need to better communicate the importance of advocacy as a key function of the sector and create more opportunities for people to take part. 

Stronger relationships lead to greater trust in nonprofits 

Trust is a verb. We see it in action through the relationships that nonprofits build and sustain with their communities. They show up at festivals and farmers’ markets to talk to folks about their efforts. They support local events and host donation drives and art walks. Their work touches the lives of everyday people. 

The survey data shows us clear pathways to increase public trust: Nonprofits can make opportunities to participate even more accessible and inviting. They can communicate more clearly how all areas of their work benefits communities—especially their advocacy efforts to advance social change.  

To be effective, nonprofits need the trust, the investment, and the participation of the people we serve just as much as they need our services. We can strengthen that trust by inviting communities to join us in our work as co-creators in our vision for positive change. 

Photo credit: AnnaStills via Getty Images