The Nonprofit Alliance (TNPA)

TNPA does not publish a full list of its member organizations; however, it has claimed to have over 200 nonprofit and 150 for-profit firms as members. Known members include the AARP Foundation, Doctor’s Without Borders, The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, and the Special Olympics. ^{2 3 4}

TNPA has a sister 501(c)(3) Foundation and PAC. ⁵

Background

The Nonprofit Alliance formed through an effort to consolidate nonprofit advocacy voices. In mid-2018, American Charities for Reasonable Fundraising Regulation (ACFRFR), a coalition founded in 1990s to oppose charitable solicitation laws that they considered excessive, announced it would change its name and broaden its mission, aiming to bring multiple associations under one umbrella as a larger education and advocacy organization. ⁶

Two organizations folded into TNPA as semi-autonomous councils in 2019. ⁶ The Association of Direct Response Fundraising Counsel (ADRFCO), the national association of direct-response fundraising vendors founded in 1986, formally merged into TNPA. The National Catholic Development Conference (NCDC), founded in 1968, ceased operations in 2019. In response, TNPA positioned itself as a successor by forming the Christian Development Council, absorbing many of the 200 Catholic nonprofits and their fundraisers. ^{7 8 9}

Leadership

Shannon McCracken is the President and CEO of The Nonprofit Alliance since its founding in 2018. She is also a founding member of Chief, “a private network built to drive more women into positions of power and keep them there” and “designed to effect change from the top-down.” ^{10 11}

As of February 2026, TNPA’s board of directors includes representatives from The Executive Leadership Council, Trinity Missions, American Cancer Society, Association of the Miraculous Medal, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, CARE, Alzheimer’s Association, World Food Program USA, The Nature Conservancy, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, FOCUS Mission Foundation, and Liberty Fellowship. ¹²

Advocacy

The Nonprofit Alliance has opposed the increased scrutiny that has occurred under the second Trump Administration on the nonprofit sector for alleged illegal activity. Between September and October 2025, TNPA responded to a presidential memorandum describing a new National Joint Terrorism Task Force for investigating domestic terrorism, including “institutional and individual funders, and officers and employees of organizations, that are responsible for, sponsor, or otherwise aid and abet the principal actors engaging in the criminal conduct.” ¹³ During the same period of time, they responded to proposed changes to IRS criminal-investigation governance and staffing from those aligned with the priorities of the Biden administration to those of the Trump administration. ¹⁴ Finally, they responded to a Department of Education change to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program that makes it possible for a 501(c)(3) employer to lose qualifying status if it is found to have “substantial illegal purpose.” Under the PSLF program, an individual receives loan forgiveness after 10 years of on-time payments while employed within a designated nonprofit or government entity. TNPA highlighted the disqualifying condition of “engaging in a pattern of aiding and abetting illegal discrimination” as cause for concern for how it may be applied. ^{15 16}

TNPA has also been involved in the U.S. Supreme Court battle over donor disclosure (or, alternatively, donor privacy). In 2021, the TNPA Foundation organized and filed an amicus curiae brief in Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta, arguing against California’s rule that charities must submit their donor lists to the state Attorney General. ¹⁷

TNPA advocates positions regarding financial and tax policies relevant to the nonprofit sector. The organization submitted a letter signed by 215 nonprofit organizations to Mastercard concerning new requirements for subscription billing in 2022, such as notifications of charges and ease of online cancellation. Mastercard accepted TNPA’s request for exceptions for nonprofits in good standing later that year. ¹⁸

Financials/Funding

In 2024, The Nonprofit Alliance had $915k in revenue, 96% percent of which came from program services like membership dues. Revenues had grown from a trough of $352k in 2020. Expenses rose to $1.07 million in 2024 from $771k the year prior, and assets stood at $339k. ¹⁹

The Nonprofit Alliance Foundation, the charitable arm of TNPA, reported revenue of $1.04M in 2024, 62 percent of which came from contributions. Little information as to the source of these contributions is available on public grant databases, which suggests that most contributions are made through individuals or corporate gifts/sponsorships. ²⁰

The Nonprofit Alliance PAC raised $61.6k and spent $55k in 2024. Candidate contributions were split roughly evenly between parties. ²¹