One year into Trump administration, new survey finds Massachusetts nonprofits – and those they serve – feeling the pain of federal policies and cuts
MassINC Polling Group survey captures federal impact on financial, community and staff well-being.
One year into the second Trump administration, a new survey of nearly 500 Massachusetts nonprofit leaders finds broad agreement that the state, the nation, their populations served, and their own organizations are worse off than they were a year ago. The survey respondents say several federal policies and decisions have reduced funding, increased demand for services, and made providing those services more difficult.
Results of the survey, conducted by The MassINC Polling Group for the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network and the Boston Foundation, were released this morning in an event at TBF.
“A year ago, this survey highlighted a sense of foreboding among nonprofits that the incoming Trump administration’s policies would unleash significant and unnecessary harm on our most vulnerable friends, neighbors, and families. Simply put, they were right,” said Lee Pelton, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation. “But while this survey captures the pain inflicted on communities and the nonprofit organizations that serve them, it also shows something else – things we can do to demonstrate our resilience, our compassion, and our determination that we will stand together in support of an equitable and just society.”
“These responses confirm the breadth and depth of the impact of federal actions on the nonprofit sector,” said Steve Koczela, President of the MassINC Polling Group. “While SNAP cuts, immigration raids and the elimination of federal funding programs are making headlines, Massachusetts nonprofits are expanding their services to meet an increased and widening demand for critical supports.”
“If last year’s survey was the warning, this year’s should be seen as a call to action for funders and supporters of the nonprofit sector in Massachusetts,” said Jim Klocke, CEO of the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network. “Nonprofits have stepped up efforts to meet increased need, but the data show that the long-term toll of that work on nonprofit finances and staff well-being are not sustainable without investments in people and services. MNN and our partners will continue our work to raise awareness and address these issues across the state.”
In all, 488 Massachusetts nonprofit leaders and staff members completed the survey in January, with 80% of respondents serving in senior leadership roles in their organizations. Responding organizations served a wide range of vulnerable populations, including low-income people, immigrants, communities of color, youth/teens, seniors, and LGBTQ+ people. Seven in ten said their organizations received federal funding.
Wide majorities of respondents across all focus areas said that federal decisions over the past year had left the state, the nation, and the communities they serve worse off than they were a year ago. Two-thirds said that the demand for their services had increased, with organizations expanding and adding new programs to meet the immediate needs, and expanding their advocacy and other work to raise awareness and greater support.
Overall, 92% of respondents said the Trump administration has made it harder to do their work, creating tension between increasing services to meet the need and partnering or reducing services to trim costs and provide long-term stability.
The survey also sends a stark warning about financial and staff sustainability. Nearly three-quarters of respondents said their organizations’ financial positions had weakened or remained unchanged over the past year, and just 21% thought their positions would improve over the next 12 months.
In addition, one in four said their nonprofits had reduced staff over the past year, and a startling 88% of respondents, including 95% of those at BIPOC-led organizations, said that the past year has had a negative impact on the well-being of their staff. Just four of the 488 respondents thought that federal actions had a positive impact on their staff.
In the face of these challenges, recipients say their nonprofits are at a crossroads. Forty percent are considering increasing offerings to meet demand, but an equal percentage say they are considering partnerships or service cuts to reduce costs. Nearly one in 10 are considering mergers, and 4% say they are considering closing.
“The numbers portray a nonprofit sector that is leaning into the work in the face of a regular stream of federal obstacles,” added Klocke. “The sustainability of their efforts will be determined by our continued willingness to invest in their work, their people, and our communities.”
About the Poll: These results are based on a survey of 488 staff members of nonprofits operating in Massachusetts. Survey links were distributed to nonprofits by the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network, The Boston Foundation, and other partner organizations. The survey and outreach language were translated into Chinese (simplified), Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Responses were collected between January 1 through February 1, 2026. The poll was sponsored by the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network and The Boston Foundation.