About the Survey

This effort will fill a 20-year gap in data about nonprofit organizations’ impacts on public and civic engagement through a nationally representative survey of charitable nonprofits. The Public Engagement Nonprofit Survey will provide insights into how nonprofit organizations’ activities have changed in the last two decades and how activities vary by organization size, geography, communities served, and leadership demographics. This information will directly inform strategies, resources, and capacity-building necessary to support nonprofits and their broader societal impacts. To ensure a nationally representative survey, only nonprofits invited to participate can take the survey. A mix of small, medium, and large 501(c)(3) organizations providing all types of services through a variety of funding sources, in rural, suburban, and urban areas in every state are included in the sample.

Check out a SNEAK PEEK of what we know and what we’re hoping to find out!

The researchers are: 

• Dr. Lewis Faulk at American University (a private university in Washington, DC) 
• Dr. Mirae Kim at George Mason University (a public university in Virginia) 
• Dr. Heather MacIndoe at University of Massachusetts Boston (a public university in Massachusetts)

“For those of us committed to a more vibrant and civically-engaged nonprofit sector, it’s essential to better understand what type of nonprofits are doing public engagement work, what motivates them to do so, as well as the barriers preventing other nonprofits from engaging.” – Brian Miller, NonprofitVOTE 

“Independent Sector is conducting vital research on nonprofit and third sector issues. The data and reports they issue are examining the field in a way that supports the work and research of the field by academics such as myself…I am very excited to see how they continue to support nonprofit public engagement and research in the future.” – Dr. Jack Philips, Tarleton State University

CONFIDENTIALITY:  The project reports will not include the names of participants or their organizations. The identity of individual respondents and their organizations will be confidential, and only aggregate data will be presented representing averages or generalizations about the responses as a whole. The information that you provide will be housed in a secure database. De-identified data without information that could be used to identify you or your organization will be made available for noncommercial research through a Creative Commons license. Identifiable data files will be protected in a secure database and made available only to researchers who can demonstrate they are able to maintain the same standards of confidentiality as the project team. 

PAYMENT: As a token of our appreciation, respondents receive a $10 e-gift card when they complete the survey. At the completion of the survey, each respondent is invited to enter his or her organization’s name into a random drawing for one (1) $1,000 donation, which will be drawn from the pool of organization names that all respondents of the survey entered (a pool of up to 25,000 organizations). The drawing will take place after the survey period has ended in fall, 2022, after which one (1) winner will be notified through email and/or phone. Complete sweepstakes rules are located here.

BENEFITS: There is no direct benefit to participants personally. However, there may be a benefit to their organization. This will study contribute to the field by providing the most accurate and up-to-date portrayal of nonprofit public and civic engagement activities, and findings will help inform organizational strategies and best practices. 

RISKS: We do not anticipate any risks to respondents or their organization from participation in this study. 

VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION: Participation in this survey is entirely voluntary. If your nonprofit is invited, your nonprofit is free to choose not to participate.  Should your nonprofit choose to participate, you (or someone taking the survey on behalf of your nonprofit) can withdraw from the study at any time without consequences of any kind. You may also refuse to answer any individual question without consequences. If you want to stop receiving requests from the research team, please send an email to info@nonprofit-pen-survey.org and your organization will be removed from the study list. Alternatively, mark “no” to the first survey question stating that you do not consent to participate in the study.  

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS: Contact us at info@nonprofit-pen-survey.org if you have questions or concerns about this project. You can also contact us if you think you have been harmed by the study or if you have concerns about your rights in this project.