Something unexpected — yet increasingly common — is happening in the field: clients are refusing to share demographic data out of fear of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), and it’s affecting how nonprofits and grantees report outcomes and impact to funders.
As grant professionals, we know the importance of collecting accurate, disaggregated data — by race, ethnicity, gender, age, income — to demonstrate need, equity, and effectiveness. Metrics tell the story funders require: Are we reaching the people we intend to? Are outcomes equitable? Is the impact measurable?
But lately, our clients in the field report a troubling trend: participants, particularly in immigrant communities, are withholding or providing incomplete demographic information because of heightened fears that their data could somehow be used against them, putting themselves or their families at risk of deportation or scrutiny.
Why is this happening now?
This trend aligns with the political and social climate we see every day on the news and in our social feeds. Stories of raids, detentions, and family separations are constant reminders to many communities that their information might not be safe — even when assurances of confidentiality are given.
The impact on metrics & funding
For nonprofits, this presents a challenge. When participants refuse to disclose demographic information, it can appear in the data as if an organization is not meeting its objectives or reaching priority populations. Metrics may become skewed, and funders — without context — may assume programs are underperforming or failing to reach the communities most in need.
This creates a vicious cycle: fear reduces participation in data collection, data appears incomplete or misleading, funders question effectiveness, and critical funding could be jeopardized.
What funders need to know
Funders must recognize that the social and political context profoundly affects participants’ willingness to share information. Without this awareness, funding decisions risk punishing organizations for factors beyond their control — and could harm the very communities they aim to support.
Grantmakers and funders should:
- Allow flexibility in data reporting when context warrants.
- Accept anonymous or aggregated data when individual-level data isn’t safe to collect.
- Understand that fear in immigrant communities isn’t hypothetical — it’s reality.
Moving forward
As grant professionals and nonprofit partners, it’s our responsibility to communicate these challenges clearly to funders and advocate for reporting requirements that reflect today’s reality. It’s also an opportunity to deepen trust with the communities we serve by being transparent about how data will (and will not) be used, and why it matters.
We’re seeing this more and more — and it’s not going away anytime soon.
💬 Have you seen this in your work? How have you navigated the tension between collecting meaningful metrics and protecting participant trust and safety?
Let’s start a conversation — funders, nonprofits, and grant professionals alike — about how we can adapt our practices to meet this moment.
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