PANO’s Newest Priority: Nonprofits as Keepers of Democracy

This week, PANO’s board voted to formally adopt a new public policy priority: Promote Civic Engagement of Nonprofits as Keepers of Our Democracy.

From registering voters to hosting candidate forums, training residents to engage their elected officials, building grassroots coalitions, and defending the rights of people they serve, our member nonprofits have been doing this work for years. The board’s action puts this work on the record in PANO’s 2026 advocacy agenda.

The operating environment for nonprofits has changed. Federal policy is shifting quickly, the long-term effects of H.R.1 are still unfolding, and the legal and political space for civic engagement is increasingly contested. In that climate, it is not enough for nonprofits to do this work quietly. We have to be clear about it and defend the right to do it at all. 

We also know not every nonprofit is in a position to speak up in this way. PANO stands with those nonprofits who can engage publicly, and with those who, by mission, funding, or the communities they serve, need to do this work more quietly. Part of our role is to carry weight others can’t carry right now.

What the priority covers

The new priority commits PANO to advocate for policies that protect the rights and responsibilities of nonprofits engaged in civic engagement and nonpartisan activities, including the following:

• Engagement with local, state, and federal representatives as field experts
• Movement building, including through social media
• Voter registration
• Candidate forums on issues critical to local communities
• Protecting the fair and just application of law and constitutional rights for nonprofits and the communities they serve
• Training participants and community members in civic engagement, and supporting grassroots organizations
• Protecting the right of 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations to maximize advocacy efforts.

This nonpartisan work is essential to a functioning democracy.

What’s next

Translating the board’s vote into action means equipping our members with the information, confidence, and tools to engage. That starts with a free webinar on Wednesday, June 3 at 3 pm. Legal Landscape for Nonpartisan Voter Engagement features a national lineup of legal experts who will walk through what nonprofits can and should be doing right now, and how to navigate the legal landscape. Register now — space is limited and it will not be recorded.

Nonprofits are already keepers of our democracy. PANO will fight to protect that role.