Independent Sector to Host Expert Panel to Protect Sector Independence

Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund

Denver, Colo., March 23, 2026 — Today, Independent Sector President and CEO Dr. Akilah Watkins announced the creation of a Panel on Sector Independence to strengthen the nonprofit sector so organizations may freely pursue their missions with robust and effective self-governance. Launching with its first meeting on March 23, 2026, this expert panel consists of 23 leading charitable sector experts from philanthropies, operating charities, and academic institutions. Over a series of meetings, this panel will reaffirm the core principle of the charitable sector’s independence and produce operational best practices and policy recommendations to guide nonprofit institutions seeking to protect their independence through increased complexity. The panel is expected to complete and release its final recommendations in Fall 2026.

The Panel on Sector Independence expands upon Independent Sector’s foundational Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice, a set of 33 sector-facing recommendations for self-governance that have served as an ethical standard for nonprofit accountability since their publication in 2007. Developed at the invitation of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, the Principles have guided nonprofit and foundation boards and executives in the areas of legal compliance and public disclosure, effective governance, strong financial oversight, and responsible fundraising, in order to increase transparency, accountability, and public trust. Two decades after their publication, the Panel on Sector Independence seeks to strengthen and build upon these principles by developing best practices to guide nonprofits through increasingly complex legal and policy environments.

“Since our country’s founding, the U.S. charitable sector has supported the American people through every challenge – healing the sick, feeding the hungry, supporting veterans suffering from the wounds of war, marching for abolition and voting rights, and serving as a launchpad for the artists, musicians, and innovators that have made the United States a cultural and scientific powerhouse. This work has only been possible because of charity’s unique status as an independent sector of American society, separate from the influences of politics and profits,” said Dr. Akilah Watkins, President and CEO of Independent Sector. “A charitable sector that functions as an independent and equal partner of government and business allows mission-driven organizations to act more authentically, strategically, and responsively to the needs and aspirations of the communities they serve.  At a time when so much of American life has been transformed by the things that divide us, Independent Sector is calling upon leading minds from across the charitable sector to develop guidelines that will help nonprofits maintain their independence as spaces where Americans of every background can follow their passions, lift up their neighbors, solve big problems, and work together towards the common good.”

“An independent charitable philanthropic and nonprofit sector is essential to a healthy democracy and a vibrant civil society,” said Tonya Allen, President of the McKnight Foundation and Co-chair of the Panel on Sector Independence. “At a moment when these long standing guardrails are under strain, this panel creates space to re-articulate why independence matters, what it requires in practice, and how leaders across philanthropy, nonprofits, and government can work together to protect it for the future.”

“This is an exciting project at an opportune time. It seems that too few people are aware of how important sector independence is – not just for the sector and its organizations but for our society more broadly,” said John Tyler, Chief Ethics Officer at Ewing at Marion Kauffman Foundation and Co-chair of the Panel on Sector Independence. “Likewise, too many people seem to have taken that independence for granted to the point of benign neglect, resulting in the potential erosion that frequently accompanies things that are not nurtured and reinforced. Reinvigorating relevant underlying principles is at the core of this Panel and its objectives.”

Cheryl Crazy Bull, American Indian College Fund President and CEO, said, “I am honored to join so many advocates for the independence of our work as non-profits. I consider our independence to be closely tied to our rights as citizens and to the inherent rights of Native people to our identities and self-expression. At the American Indian College Fund, we are committed to ensuring that all types of organizations are afforded the opportunity to engage in learning and advocacy. I am confident that our work will bring visibility and support to continued good governance in the sector.”

The nonprofit and philanthropic leaders participating in the Panel on Sector Independence include:

• Tonya Allen (Panel Co-Chair), President at McKnight Foundation
• John Tyler (Panel Co-Chair), General Counsel, Secretary, and Chief Ethics Officer at Ewing at Marion Kauffman Foundation
• Dr. Akilah Watkins, President and CEO at Independent Sector
• Jeffrey Moore, Chief Strategy Officer at Independent Sector
• Sara Barba, Managing Partner at Integer
• Kristen Cambell, Principal at Scenario 4, LLC
• Dan Cardinali, Board Chair at The Fetzer Institute
• Roger Colinvaux, Professor at Columbus School of Law at Catholic University of America
• Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO at American Indian College Fund
• Heather Dill, Former President and CEO at John Templeton Foundation
• Andrew Dunckelman, Deputy Director of Philanthropic Partnerships at Gates Foundation
• Geoff Green, CEO at CalNonprofits
• Philip Hackney, Professor of Law at University of Pittsburgh School of Law
• Noorain Khan, Chief Innovation Officer at Ford Foundation
• Donna Murray-Brown, President and CEO at Inforum
• Amir Pasic, Eugene R. Tempel Dean at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
• Sonia M. Pérez, COO at UnidosUS
• Adam Phillips, CEO at Interfaith America
• Alexander Reid, Partner at BakerHostetler LLP
• Lisa Rice, President and CEO at National Fair Housing Alliance
• Mason Rummel, President and CEO at James Graham Brown Foundation
• Darpana Sheth, General Counsel at The Center for Individual Rights
• Ben Soskis, Senior Research Associate at The Urban Institute

About the American Indian College Fund — The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 37 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided more than $23 million in scholarships and other student support for higher education in 2024-25. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $391 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of programs at the nation’s 35 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators. It earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (Guidestar), and the “Best in America Seal of Excellence” from the Independent Charities of America. The College Fund was also named as one of the nation’s top 100 charities to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit collegefund.org.

Independent Sector – Independent Sector is the national membership organization that connects, strengthens, and advocates for nonprofits and philanthropies. Learn more at independentsector.org.

Journalists—The American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference, please use the College Fund.

Contact:
Chloe Kessock, chloek@independentsector.org, 727-433-2972