Financial Access for Nonprofit Organizations: An Evidence Base for Policy Action

Please join the CSIS Human Rights Initiative for the presentation of key findings on the role of financial access for non-profit organizations. Over time, a number of factors, including anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) regulatory obligations on banks have led to the phenomenon of “derisking” - the trend of terminating or restricting business relationships with nonprofit organizations to avoid risk. Action to solve this problem has been stymied because of a lack of basic information on the scope of the problem. Research commissioned by the Charity & Security Network and supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation sought to fill this knowledge gap, developing empirical data that can inform policy discussions aimed at finding solutions. The results paint a picture of a significant problem, affecting many kinds of nonprofit organizations operating in all parts of the globe. This event will present the study’s findings and recommendations, with observations and feedback from experts and practitioners.