New Report From the Nonprofit Trends and Impacts Study Details Impact of Government Funding Disruptions in 2025
Using data from the 2025 National Survey of Nonprofit Trends and Impacts, a nationally representative survey of 501(c)(3) public charities that operate across a wide range of service areas, the report finds that a third of nonprofits reported experiencing federal, state, or local government funding disruptions, and these nonprofits were more likely to report reductions to staff, programming, and future hiring. Even nonprofits that do not receive government funding reported that these disruptions have altered the philanthropic funding landscape, presenting fundraising challenges. Taken together, these findings point to the cascading effects across the US of federal, state, and local funding disruptions and a widening gap between increasing demand for nonprofit services and organizations’ ability to meet it.
Click HERE to read the latest report.
About the Nonprofit Trends and Impacts Study
In 2015, researchers from the Urban Institute, American University, and George Mason University began discussions with scholars and institutions across the country to address the fragmented nature of research on nonprofit organizations. These early conversations engaged over 70 researchers, benefiting from contributions from ARNOVA (the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action). They recognized the challenge of gaining a comprehensive understanding of nonprofits’ vital roles at the national and local levels. With initial funding secured, the Urban Institute, American University, and George Mason University launched the first survey of the panel study in 2021. You can read more about its history and development on our partner, the Urban Institute website.
This ongoing project includes two core components designed to advance transparency, interoperability, and research in the nonprofit sector. First, the National Survey of Nonprofit Trends and Impacts gathers data from a representative sample of 501(c)(3) organizations, which deepens our understanding of the effects of changes in giving and volunteering on nonprofits and their communities. Second, the project contributes to an open data platform that houses this survey data alongside public datasets from the IRS and the U.S. Census Bureau which increases the accessibility for all users.
The Project Team:
George Mason University Nonprofit Center
Professor; and Director, Center on Nonprofits, Philanthropy, and Social Enterprise
Associate Professor; Director, Master of Public Administration Program
American University School of Public Affairs
Lewis Faulk, Associate Professor of Public Administration and Policy
Urban Institute Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy
Elizabeth T. Boris, Institute Fellow
Teresa Derrick-Mills, Senior Fellow
Jesse Lecy, Senior Research Associate
Laura Tomasko, Senior Policy Program Manager
Hanna Martin, Policy Associate
Thiyaghessan Poongundranar, Data Scientist