Position Statement

INDEPENDENT SECTOR Policy Position
on Campaign Finance Reform and Nonprofit Advocacy

INDEPENDENT SECTOR, and the charitable and philanthropic community as a whole, have a fundamental interest in the integrity of our democratic system of government. The growing influence of money in politics jeopardizes that integrity and the ability of citizens and charitable organizations to have a level playing field on which to exercise their right to advocate for the causes they espouse.

Thus, IS supports both the principles of the McCain-Feingold and Shays-Meehan campaign finance reform bills and those provisions that aim to bring greater integrity to the electoral and democratic processes. Campaign finance reform should protect and strengthen the ability of citizens and the charitable nonprofit organizations they form not only to advocate for their cause, but also to ensure that the voices and aspirations of citizens and the organizations that represent their views receive a fair hearing in the political process.

At the same time, IS strongly opposes those provisions in the campaign finance reform bills that unnecessarily restrict the speech and advocacy rights of charitable nonprofit organizations. IS believes that changes to the electoral laws can and must be accomplished so that the inherently non-electoral speech and advocacy rights of charitable nonprofit organizations are fully protected. 

Adopted by the INDEPENDENT SECTOR Board of Directors, July 2001