Independent Sector is the leadership network for nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving programs committed to advancing the common good in America and around the world. Our nonpartisan coalition of approximately 600 organizations leads, strengthens, and mobilizes the nonprofit and philanthropic community in order to fulfill our vision of a just and inclusive society and a healthy democracy of active citizens, effective institutions, and vibrant communities.

Discover the principles behind our work through our vision, mission, and values statements, and learn more from key documents such as the Annual Report and the IRS Form 990.

Our Work

Independent Sector serves as the premier meeting ground for the leaders of America's charitable and philanthropic sector. Since our founding in 1980, we have sponsored ground-breaking research, fought for public policies that support a dynamic, independent sector, and created unparalleled resources so staff, boards, and volunteers can improve their organizations and better serve their communities.

In 2010, Independent Sector celebrated 30 years strong. Learn more about our history and what we've collectively accomplished.

Independent Sector fulfills our mission by:

• Convening opportunities for sector leaders to work together on key issues. The most prominent forum of this kind is the Independent Sector National Conference, and IS committees are another key part of developing collective strategies.
  
• Promoting policies that enable the nonprofit and philanthropic community to engage with public officials on a nonpartisan basis. IS is currently focusing on issues such as protecting advocacy rights of nonprofits, promoting tax incentives for charitable giving, and addressing federal and state budget concerns.
• Supporting the development and dissemination of strategies to strengthen volunteering, voting, giving, and other forms of citizen engagement.
  
• Encouraging the sector to meet the highest standards of ethical practice and effectiveness. As part of our continuing efforts in this area, IS has launched the online Resource Center for Good Governance and Ethical Practice, which is making recommendations in the areas of governance, fiduciary responsibility, government oversight, self-regulation, and financial accountability.
  
• Serving as the voice of the independent sector to the media, government, business, and international voluntary communities.

Our Commitment to Accountability

Independent Sector is dedicated to the highest ethical standards and to making its operations as transparent as possible. As part of that commitment, we have posted many of the documents important to our operations, including our bylaws, our code of ethics, our financial information, and annual report.

Get Social with Independent Sector

As an organization that connects and convenes nonprofit and philanthropic professionals, we are committed to also using online resources to engage with the community, as well. Explore Independent Sector's social media tools and join the conversation today!