WHAT WE’RE READING ELSEWHERE
Some nonprofits are getting back to work after the Trump administration rescinded a freeze on federal grants that sowed widespread confusion. Still, groups are bracing for cuts down the road as the administration continues a review of government spending to end support for what it calls “woke” ideologies. Kendra Davenport, the CEO of Easterseals, said the freeze sent some of the charity’s affiliates into a panic, “calculating that they could afford to work for only a few days without federal funds.” (New York Times)
Kash Patel, President Trump’s choice to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation, formed a nonprofit in 2022 that seemed focused more on promoting himself than doing good. The Kash Foundation promoted Kash’s media appearances and sold his books as well as T-shirts with his name on them, which were made by a company he co-owned. It spent more on advertising and promotion than on charity, according to its most recent tax filing. An expert on nonprofit law said Patel’s use of the charity for self-promotion raised questions. A spokeswoman for Patel said he had lent the foundation $150,000 to launch it “and that the group had made more than $1 million in donations.” (New York Times)
Some lawyers and nonprofits helping undocumented people prepare for immigration court were blocked from detention sites and had their federal grants suspended following an executive order last week targeting programs for immigrants without legal status. Advocates say the programs helped immigration courts function more effectively, but supporters of the suspension say people in the country without legal status are not guaranteed government-funded counsel and that the move will expedite long-needed deportations. California has a bill in the works to provide $25 million for pro bono lawyers for people likely to be targeted by the Trump administration, including immigrants and transgender people. (Los Angeles Times)
The Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether the country’s first publicly funded religious charter school should be allowed to open. Oklahoma’s highest court ruled that using tax dollars to fund the Catholic school would violate the constitution’s separation of church and state, overturning a state board’s approval of the church’s application. Conservatives say the ruling amounts to religious discrimination against the Catholic Church, while the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups said in a statement: “The law is clear: Charter schools are public schools and must be secular and open to all students.” (Associated Press)
Oscar Tang and Agnes Hsu-Tang are the rare donors of Asian descent to enter the top tier of America’s cultural philanthropists. Their $125 million gift to the Metropolitan Museum of Art helped launch the new modern and contemporary wing; their $40 million donation to the New York Philharmonic was the largest endowment gift in the orchestra’s history; and their donation of $20 million helped complete New York Historical’s new Wing for American Democracy. The couple had been low-profile donors until a pandemic-era wave of anti-Asian hate prompted them to be more visible to show “that we earned our right to be part of this society, that we are an integral part of this society,” Oscar Tang said. (New York Times)
The Smithsonian Institution will close its office of diversity following an executive order banning diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in federal agencies. It is not clear how many employees will be affected. In an email to staff, Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III said, “Our core values of fairness and equity for all remain unchanged.” Bunch, the former founding director of the National Museum of African American History, “has championed efforts to tell “the full American story.” (Washington Post)
NEW GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
Your Chronicle subscription includes free access to GrantStation’s database of grant opportunities.
Youth Projects: The Call for Kindness Fellowship empowers youth leaders ages 13 to 23 in the United States to implement social impact projects that inspire kindness and strengthen communities. Selected youth participate in a 12-month leadership development fellowship and receive a startup grant of up to $5,000, one-on-one coaching, virtual skill-building sessions, an in-person leadership retreat, mentorship opportunities, and a peer community. Application deadline March 9.
Art: Walking Together: Investing in Folklife in Communities of Color, a national funding program managed by the six U.S. regional arts organizations, supports folklife and traditional arts rooted in communities of color in the United States. The program will provide $15,000 unrestricted awards for six traditional artists or practitioners in each regional arts organization’s area, supporting a total of 36 practitioners in their community-rooted traditional arts practice. Application deadline March 19.
