A recent report indicates that Alabama and Kansas rank as the most “faith-friendly” states in the U.S., while Michigan and Washington are at the bottom for protecting the freedoms of religious nonprofits.
The Faith and Freedom Index, produced by the Napa Law Institute, is now in its third iteration. It evaluates 15 elements of state law that influence the operations of faith-based nonprofit organizations. The analysis considers various regulatory challenges—including charity registration laws, employment regulations, and protections for religious freedom enshrined in state constitutions—and assigns scores to all 50 states along with the District of Columbia.
The authors of the report noted concerns that, despite the current administration’s attempts to safeguard religious freedoms, several states remain slow in implementing protections for faith-oriented organizations. Interestingly, while many Republican-led states scored well, the results aren’t strictly partisan.
In the 2025 rankings, Alabama scored 72%, Kansas 69%, Indiana 68%, Texas 65%, and Mississippi 63%, indicating robust protections for religious and regulatory freedoms for faith-based groups.
Alabama and Kansas were acknowledged for having “stronger protections for free exercise and worship” compared to the First Amendment. Additionally, both states received commendations for their anti-discrimination laws, which help prevent burdens on faith-based employers, alongside implementing state-level Religious Freedom Restoration Acts (RFRAs).
Interestingly, some liberal states outperformed their conservative counterparts in specific legal protections. For instance, New York scored marginally higher than Alaska, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Connecticut has a state-level RFRA, whereas Ohio and Alaska do not.
The report’s authors argue that strong state laws are particularly crucial in areas where leadership offers less support for religious groups.
According to the report, despite California’s current administration not being very religion-friendly, nonprofit religious corporations in the state still benefit from legal protections, such as exemptions from charity registration requirements and greater internal autonomy compared to secular nonprofits.
On the other end of the spectrum, Michigan (31%), Washington (35%), Massachusetts (37%), Illinois (38%), West Virginia (38%), and Maryland (38%) scored the lowest in terms of religious and regulatory freedom protections.
The report describes Michigan and Washington as among the “worst places” for operating faith-based nonprofits, noting that various laws—like the broad Blaine Amendment and anti-discrimination regulations—might impose burdens lacking strong exemptions for religious employers and public ministries.
Napa Legal, a nonprofit focused on providing resources to protect the missions of religious organizations, highlighted the findings as a reminder of the importance of state-level protections.
“The numerous attacks on religious freedom in recent years underscore that without robust state-level protections, everyday Americans will suffer, even if the current administration is supportive,” stated Frank DeVito, Napa’s senior general counsel.
He added, “From Catholic priests in Washington to concerned parents in Montgomery County, Maryland, individuals in two of the lowest-scoring states on the 2025 Faith and Freedom Index are increasingly forced to spend time and resources litigating matters that shouldn’t even reach court.”
The report concludes that while the current administration and the Supreme Court are upholding religious freedom, there’s still room for lawmakers to further strengthen those protections.
“This year’s Faith and Freedom Index serves as an important tool for lawmakers to identify where protections can be added, existing laws can be enhanced, or harmful statutes can be repealed. Given the present presidential administration and a Supreme Court that consistently supports religious freedom, now is the time to establish enduring national protections that will safeguard Americans’ rights for generations,” the report asserts.
The 2025 index also recognized states that have improved their standings compared to last year.
Wyoming and Georgia, which passed RFRA this year, improved to ninth and sixth place, respectively.
