The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) is an alliance of more than 50 national non-profit organizations, including literary, artistic, religious, educational, professional, labor, and civil liberties groups. NCAC's mission is to promote freedom of thought, inquiry and expression and oppose censorship in all its forms. NCAC:
educates the public and policy makers about threats to free expression,
mobilizes them to take action to oppose censorship, and assist in those efforts,
facilitates communications between local activists and national organizations,
devises new educational, advocacy, and media strategies to create a more hospitable environment for free speech and artistic freedom.
We collaborate with coalition partners to produce educational materials and events to meet the needs of their members. We promote grass roots activism by providing assistance, advice, and information to individuals and community groups around the country.
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) is an alliance of more than 50 national non-profit organizations, including literary, artistic, religious, educational, professional, labor, and civil liberties groups. NCAC's mission is to promote freedom of thought, inquiry and expression and oppose censorship in all its forms. NCAC:
educates the public and policy makers about threats to free expression,
mobilizes them to take action to oppose censorship, and assist in those efforts,
facilitates communications between local activists and national organizations,
devises new educational, advocacy, and media strategies to create a more hospitable environment for free speech and artistic freedom.
We collaborate with coalition partners to produce educational materials and events to meet the needs of their members. We promote grass roots activism by providing assistance, advice, and information to individuals and community groups around the country.
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Charting Impact
What is your organization aiming to accomplish?
NCAC defends freedom of thought, inquiry, and expression through education, advocacy, and direct intervention, in service of a stronger democracy.
What are your strategies for making this happen?
NCAC works directly with those affected by threats of censorship, including students, teachers, artists, curators and social activists. NCAC works with community members to resolve censorship controversies without the need for litigation.
What are your organization's capabilities for doing this?
NCAC is national in scope, but often local in our approach. Our coalition comprises 56 organizations that see freedom of expression as crucial to their missions. NCAC draws on over 40 years of experience in resolving censorship disputes without the need for litigation.
How will your organization know if you are making progress?
NCAC’s work focuses on case intervention, education and advocacy. In cases of censorship, or attempted censorship, success means that the targeted content--be it a book, an artwork or a political speech--is not removed, restricted or banned. Beyond individual case successes, we measure our impact on schools and cultural institutions strengthening their guidelines for handling content challenges, reaffirming their missions to defend freedom of expression and using attempts at censorship as opportunities to create deeper conversations within a community. Quantitatively, we measure the usage of our online resources, requests for assistance, intervention success rates. We also look for qualitative feedback from individuals and institutions with whom we work--students affected by book challenges, museum curators facing calls for censorship, etc. --to help us measure our impact and refine our work.
What have and haven't you accomplished so far?
As long as people are both creative and different, the urge to censor words, images and ideas with which people do not agree will exist. Since 1974, NCAC has ensured that countless students have access to books, hundreds of artists can reach an audience and advised on legislation and litigation that has made our democracy more open and vibrant. In today’s increasingly polarized climate, we will continue to promote First Amendment principles, educate communities on engaging in discussion rather than attempting to silence dissent, and defend freedom of expression for everyone, every day.
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This impact information is current as of March 2020, when it was provided to us by GuideStar.
At this time, Impact information published on this organization's page has no effect on its rating per our methodology.
Program names and associated costs are listed for the top programs as reported on the charity's most recently filed Form 990. The top programs displayed will include the largest three programs, or those programs covering at least 60% of the charity's total expenses, whichever comes first.
Due to an error on this organization's Form 990, we are unable to display program information.
Ratings History National Coalition Against Censorship has received 7 consecutive 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator.
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations).
