How might the new Pope influence the nonprofit sector?
The Catholic Church has a new leader. On May 8, 2025, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected as Pope Leo XIV. The news made headlines around the world, but it may have felt distant or symbolic to many nonprofit leaders in the United States.
It shouldn’t.
At a time when U.S. nonprofits are facing some of the most significant public and political pressure in decades, Pope Leo XIV’s leadership could serve as a critical counterbalance—and a source of moral, strategic, and cultural encouragement.
This post kicks off a four-part series about what the new pope might mean to the nonprofit sector. We’ll explore his leadership style, his track record, his theology of service, and—perhaps most importantly—what signals his papacy sends about civil society in a time of rising hostility. Whether your nonprofit is faith-based or secular, Catholic or not, the themes of this new era may resonate more than you expect.
Personal disclosure: I have a challenging relationship with the Catholic church. I was raised Catholic but consider myself very lapsed. I have struggled for many years about the role of the Church in the world, for better and worse. A new Pope does not impact me as it does practicing Catholics and will not impact secular nonprofits as much as some faith-based ones, but we need to consider how this new leader may impact a nonprofit sector under substantial strain. Risk management involves being radically alert to changes in our environment, and then taking the next reasons steps in response. This is one of those changes.
Since January 20, 2025, the federal government has launched a series of aggressive moves that have reshaped the operating environment for nonprofits. These include:
The result? Civil society is under pressure. Many nonprofits are scrambling to fill gaps, defend their legitimacy, and continue serving communities with fewer resources and more scrutiny.
This is not business as usual. And that’s why the election of Pope Leo XIV is worth our attention.
Born in Chicago in 1955, Robert Francis Prevost was an Augustinian missionary who spent two decades serving in Peru before becoming a bishop and eventually a Vatican official. In 2023, he was appointed as the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops—essentially the person who helps select and oversee bishops worldwide. In 2025, he was elected pope.
Prevost has earned a reputation as both a theological traditionalist and a social progressive. He holds firm to Catholic doctrine but emphasizes pastoral sensitivity, institutional accountability, and solidarity with the poor. His years in Latin America gave him a deep understanding of how civil society, including religious institutions and secular nonprofits, can support the vulnerable when governments are weak, unstable, or antagonistic.
In short, Pope Leo XIV is a servant-leader with a global view, shaped by both grassroots ministry and high-level governance. His election is not just a symbolic shift. It’s a strategic one.
You might reasonably ask: What can a pope actually do for nonprofits operating in a polarized U.S. environment?
He can’t change federal law. He doesn’t control foundations. He can’t replace lost revenue or staff.
But what Pope Leo XIV can do is help reset the public narrative—and remind the world that nonprofit service is not a partisan act, but a moral necessity.
He can use the global megaphone of the papacy to:
In a time when many nonprofits feel isolated or attacked, the Pope’s moral authority can offer solidarity and strength. His presence on the world stage creates space for nonprofit leaders to reclaim their legitimacy and mission.
In the coming blog posts, we’ll go deeper. We’ll explore how Pope Leo XIV’s leadership style aligns with effective nonprofit governance, what his Latin American experience taught him about social justice, and how his words and actions can bolster nonprofits’ courage in difficult times.
But for now, consider this:
You are not alone.
Even as policymakers try to delegitimize nonprofit service, a global leader—newly elected, deeply experienced, and pastorally grounded—is stepping into the arena with a clear message: care for others is not weakness. It is strength. Service is not a political tool. It is a human calling.
And no matter your faith background, that should resonate.