Mapping Nonprofit Data Accessibility in Latin American Countries: Early Insights from an Exploratory Comparative Study

Authors

Angie Holzer, Aspen UniversityFollow
Tania Hernandez, Anahuac UniversityFollow
Ted Gray Barnes Jr, WikiCharitiesFollow
Noah Ellis, University of North TexasFollow
Sumasri Jasti, WikiCharitiesFollow
Hannah Chu, Georgetown UniversityFollow
Nithin Kumar, WikiCharitiesFollow
Evan Campione, WikiCharitiesFollow
Louis Ye, Harvey Mudd CollegeFollow
Quoc Thai Dinh, Denison UniversityFollow

Keywords

Nonprofit data, Civil society organizations, Data accessibility, Transparency, Accountability, Open data governance, Nonprofit registries, Registration costs, Latin America, Comparative study, Institutional trust, Governance and freedom

Abstract

This paper presents findings from a global study of nonprofit data accessibility, focusing on Mexico and other Latin American countries. The analysis explores whether nonprofit databases exist, who operates them, what accessibility barriers are present, what requirements nonprofits must meet to register, and what registration costs they face. Using an exploratory comparative design, the study highlights both cross-country similarities and differences while situating nonprofit data systems within broader theories of transparency, accountability, and open-data governance.

Early insights reveal that about 70% of countries in Latin America maintain nonprofit registries, yet accessibility, usability, requirements, and costs vary widely. Registration processes range from low thresholds that allow broad inclusion to higher thresholds that impose stricter oversight but may exclude grassroots organizations. This variation raises an important question: can the mere fact of being registered in a country serve as a sufficient threshold for donors, volunteers, and communities to trust an organization? Or are more robust validation mechanisms needed to ensure credibility? Costs further complicate this landscape, as high fees can discourage participation while lower or no costs promote broader representation.

These findings underscore the importance of harmonized, transparent, and affordable nonprofit data systems that both broaden inclusion and strengthen credibility. They also provide a foundation for future phases of research that will expand beyond Latin America, test correlations between governance indicators and data accessibility, and explore pathways toward a global framework for nonprofit data that supports trust, accountability, and collaboration.

Recommended Citation

Holzer, Angie; Hernandez, Tania; Barnes, Ted Gray Jr; Ellis, Noah; Jasti, Sumasri; Chu, Hannah; Kumar, Nithin; Campione, Evan; Ye, Louis; and Dinh, Quoc Thai (2025) "Mapping Nonprofit Data Accessibility in Latin American Countries: Early Insights from an Exploratory Comparative Study," Journal of Nonprofit Innovation: Vol. 5: Iss. 3, Article 9.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/joni/vol5/iss3/9