Data Collection, Sharing, and Transparency in the Tax-Exempt Sector:
At the Intersection of Regulators, Technology, and Sector Stakeholders
Urban Institute's Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy,
Regulation of Nonprofits and Philanthropy Project
The nonprofit sector is increasing its volume, use, and redistribution of data. As regulators and primary data users use new models for data collection and dissemination, it is important to look at what data are being gathered, by whom, for whom, and to what end to optimize limited resources in the tax-exempt field. Due to both regulatory requirements and voluntary disclosure, the amount of data collected from nonprofits is at an all-time high, and that data can now be shared more easily and more widely than ever before. Publicly accessible data is paramount for nongovernmental oversight by the public, charity watchdog organizations, and the media.
The goal of this convening was to discuss the ripple effect of regulatory changes regarding data collection, sharing, and transparency; discuss opportunities and challenges in the nonprofit sector due to these challenges; and explore inefficiencies and redundancies in data transfer that might be eliminated in the future among the sector’s stakeholders. .
This seminar was offered by the Regulation of Nonprofits and Philanthropy program at Urban Institute’s Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy, with gratitude to the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation for funding.