Voters to Candidates: Step Up For Nonprofits
Findings from June 2026 Polling by Tunnl and Independent Sector
Nobody listens better than a politician asking for a vote. Thankfully, nonprofits have a powerful story to tell would-be legislators about our impact on the people they seek to represent. Understanding the connection between voters and the nonprofit sector is critical for candidates and advocates alike, which is why Independent Sector regularly commissions polling on this topic.
Our polling is designed to illuminate how voters think about nonprofit organizations and the issues and policies affecting nonprofits and the communities they serve. In Independent Sector’s most recent polling (conducted by Tunnl) in June 2026, voters expressed broad support for candidates who work closely with nonprofits, support policies that help nonprofits carry out their missions, and listen to nonprofits when making decisions.
See more findings from the polling below and sign up for Voices in Action to get guidance on nonprofit voter engagement delivered to your inbox.
This page is provided for informational purposes. Organizations with specific legal questions should consult with counsel.
Key Insights
Voters support candidates who engage with nonprofits and support policies that advance their work. Most voters are more likely to vote for a candidate who promises to work closely with nonprofits (56%) or support policies that help nonprofits carry out their missions (60%); only 8% are less likely. Similarly, 52% of voters say members of Congress should listen more to nonprofits when making decisions that affect the people they represent, while only 10% say they should listen less.
Charitable foundations. Voters also think members of Congress should listen more to charitable foundations when making decisions (51%); only 9% say they should listen less. There is broad support across demographic groups including 46% of Republicans and 62% of Democrats, 49% of rural and 55% of urban voters, and 55% of adults ages 18-44.
Bipartisan support. Majorities of Republicans are more likely to vote for candidates who work with nonprofits (54%) or support policies that help nonprofits advance their work (57%), while 47% say Congress should listen more to nonprofits. Two-thirds of Democrats are more likely to support a candidate who works with nonprofits (66%) or supports policies that advance their work (70%), while 63% say Congress should listen more to nonprofits.
Younger voters. Younger voters are consistently supportive across both measures. Nearly 7 in 10 adults ages 18–29 are more likely to vote for candidates who work closely with nonprofits (67%) or support policies that help them carry out their missions (68%), while roughly half (54%) say Congress should listen more to nonprofits.
Support across racial demographics. Asian, Black, Hispanic, and white voters are all more likely to vote for candidates who work closely with nonprofits (52-67%) and support policies that help them carry out their missions (56-65%). More than half of Black and Hispanic voters say Congress should listen more to nonprofits (54% and 59%, respectively) and charitable foundations (56% and 61%, respectively).
Geography. Support is consistent across geographies, including 56% of rural voters and 65% of urban voters who are more likely to vote for candidates who support policies that help nonprofits carry out their missions. More than half of rural and urban voters (52% and 54%, respectively) say Congress should listen more to nonprofits.
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Independent Sector, Nonprofit VOTE, League of Women Voters, and Alliance for Justice’s Bolder Advocacy program have come together to equip nonprofits with the tools, confidence, and clarity they need to engage their communities in the democratic process.
This survey was conducted by Tunnl using online data collection methods to collect a sample of 3,001 U.S. adults, including 2,194 registered voters. Fieldwork was conducted between June 10, 2026 and June 15, 2026. The sample was stratified by sex, age, and race/ethnicity to ensure representativeness, and responses were weighted to align with key demographic benchmarks, including sex, age, race/ethnicity, region, voter registration, party ID, and vote history. The margin of error for the registered voter sample is ±2.1 percentage points.
