We appreciate the responses to our publication of a data-driven analysis of the foundations that could be at risk of investigation due to President Trump’s executive order about diversity, equity, and inclusion. That executive order said businesses, associations, and philanthropies could be subject to scrutiny.
The executive order from President Trump said possible targets would include foundations with assets of $500 million or more — but he has offered no more details.
As journalists who cover all issues impacting philanthropy, our newsroom explored just how sweeping such an executive order would be. We quickly turned to the 990-PF informational tax returns grant makers file every year and found that nearly 350 organizations that account for roughly 55 percent of all grant dollars awarded annually could be affected.
That’s such a significant number that we felt it was important to share it with our readers to explain the breadth of the philanthropic world that would be affected, from the largest and most prominent grant makers to many regional foundations. Identifying the organizations was important to help the nonprofit sector and the American people understand what’s at stake. We relied on tax returns that are publicly available to do our analysis — information available to anyone who is interested in exploring this topic.
We understand the concerns many philanthropies and nonprofits face today about threats to their missions; news organizations like ours are also at risk as we watch how the White House is restricting press access. We also believe that democracy depends on the release of solid, fact-based information, and it is our responsibility to share such information when it is relevant to the sector.
Our newsroom has been closely following the administration’s executive actions that affect nonprofits and foundations, and you can find all of our articles gathered in this special section. We will continue to report on what’s happening in Washington and threats to DEI, and will be providing more context in the days ahead. We welcome commentary and feedback from everyone who wants to share their response to what we have published. We are eager to share perspectives and letters to the editor about our coverage prominently.
Feedback from our readers about what we publish is valuable to all of us. We closely read everything we receive. The insights make us a better publication when we hear constructive comments about what best serves the sector.
With gratitude,
Andrew Simon
Editor-in-chief, the Chronicle of Philanthropy