Key reporting and opinion pieces on the second Trump administration by the top experts and thinkers in philanthropy and what it means for the nonprofit world.
The Latest
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Case Study
What Happens When Federal Funding Disappears? A Preview From the Bronx
Over 84 percent of nonprofits based in the Bronx rely on federal grants that are at risk under the Trump administration’s policies, according to an analysis by the Urban Institute. -
Government and Legislation
Bipartisan Support Helps Foundations Avoid Tax Increase in New Trump Legislation
Two Republican senators and a broad bipartisan coalition of funders and nonprofits prevented a 600% increase in taxes levied on the endowments of the largest private foundations. -
Religion & Taxes
IRS Opens Door for Churches to Endorse Political Candidates
Churches and other houses of worship can endorse political candidates without risking the loss of their tax-exempt status, the Internal Revenue Service said in a recent filing.

Nonprofit Layoff Tracker
The Nonprofit Sector Is Bleeding Jobs. Here’s What Our Tracking Data Reveals
As federal budget cuts ripple through an uncertain economy, at least 14,000 nonprofit jobs have disappeared since Inauguration Day.
Emergency Funds
Seeking Rapid Response Grants? These Funds Are Offering Help
In reaction to the Trump administration’s efforts to cut federal grants to some nonprofits, more foundations are offering emergency support.
More News and Opinion
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Advice
Trump-Era Survival Strategies: Climbing Back After Losing $300 Million in Federal Funding
The chief fundraiser of Save the Children talks about how to sustain core programs during challenging times. -
Opinion
How the Tax Bill Could Change Giving and Donor Behavior
Even if the megabill boosts charitable giving, nonprofits providing social services are likely to find themselves financially squeezed, an economist says. -
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
A $200 Million Endowment Focused on Black Americans Is Taking Shape
The Black Freedom Fund has raised $100 million — and plans to double that amount — in a rare effort to build a Black-led endowment. -
Opinion
The Tax Bill Will Upend Corporate Giving. Here’s How to Prepare
To soften the blow of new tax rules, companies and nonprofits must rethink how they work together. -
Case Study
With Federal Funding Slashed, This Nonprofit Aims to Reinvent Itself
About half of Jumpstart’s funding came from AmeriCorps, support the Trump administration recently cut. -
Leadership
The Fight to Protect the Social Sector
The lawyers, grant makers, policy wonks, faith leaders, organizers, fundraisers, philanthropists, and advocates making a difference. -
Opinion
After Avoiding New Taxes, Here’s How Philanthropy Can Prepare for the Right’s Next Attacks
To survive future scrutiny, foundations need to reform how and where they give. -
Data & Research
The Nonprofit Work Force Just Recovered From the Pandemic. Will Trump 2.0 Set It Back Again?
Nonprofits are the third-largest nongovernment employer, providing 10 percent of American jobs. A future dip, though hard to decipher, looks likely. -
Foundation News
Former Librarian of Congress, Fired by Trump, Vows to Improve Public Information in New Mellon Role
Her new position as a senior fellow at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation places her back at the center of the very debates over American culture that surrounded her dismissal. -
Government and Legislation
Senate Passes Tax Bill With Mixed News for Nonprofits
The Senate version includes a larger charitable deduction for non-itemizers than the House version, but it also sets a floor and a cap for wealthy donors, which could reduce giving. -
Government and Regulation
Billions in New Taxes on Private Foundations — What’s Next?
The Senate removed the sharply escalating taxes in the measure approved on Tuesday, but foundations worry they could still re-emerge in the “Big Beautiful Bill.” -
Government and Legislation
The Tax Bill Will Add New Money Woes to a Reeling Nonprofit Sector
Individuals and corporate donors could cut back — just as safety-net charities face a sharp rise in demand. -
Foundations
Ford Picks Yale Law School Dean to Succeed Darren Walker
Heather Gerken, dean of Yale University Law and former Obama adviser, is expected to focus on social justice, democracy, and equity. -
Government and Legislation
Billions in Charitable Giving Could Be Lost, New Research on Tax Bill Shows
Independent Sector commissioned studies to measure the potential impact of two key proposals that are in both the House and the Senate versions of the tax bill. -
Advice
How Women Funders Are Building a Gender-Equity Movement
Female philanthropists say they are increasing donations to nonprofits affected by anti-DEI policies, per a new survey from Women Moving Millions. They also have tips for doing so. -
Opinion
Civil Society Is Under Attack. What Is It, Anyway?
Defending civil society from Trump administration threats isn’t possible without a clear understanding of what it actually means. -
Government and Regulation
Charity Advocates Applaud Senate Version of Tax Bill
It greatly increases the charitable deduction for non-itemizers and eliminates proposed tax increases on foundations. But other provisions harmful to nonprofits remain. -
Fundraising
From $100,000 to $185 Raised: The Toll of Job Losses, Federal Cuts on Fundraising
Large numbers of donors in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta have lost jobs because of federal cuts and companies that have lost business. Fundraisers’ experiences in those cities might be a preview of what nonprofits elsewhere will face if the country slides into a recession. -
Podcast | Nonprofits Now: Leading Today
Listen Now: Navigating Leadership Challenges
Drawing from a long career in philanthropy, Barron Segar discusses the important role leaders play as a steady hand during challenging times. -
Opinion
To Protect Grantees, Invest Conservatively: A Financial Strategy to Buck the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’
A proposed new tax on foundation earnings should push foundations to align endowment investments with mission — and help grantees survive. -
Data
‘Colliding Crises’ Are Straining Nonprofit Finances
More than a third of respondents in a Nonprofit Finance Fund analysis ended last year with an operating deficit. -
Funding Cuts
Tens of Thousands Have Lost Nonprofit Jobs to Federal Cuts. Here Are 6 of Them
These workers — at different stages of their careers and representing various fields — illustrate the personal fallout from the federal government’s defunding of the nonprofit sector. -
Interview
Taking It to the Streets: California Endowment President Joins L.A. Protests, Doubles Payout
Brenda Solórzano argues that the protests against ICE raids have been mischaracterized for political purposes and to sow fear among Latinos. Her health and racial equity foundation is granting more and faster. -
Q&A
An Indigenous Leader’s Message for Nonprofits: Focus on Resilience, Endurance
Joshua Arce, head of Partnership for Native Americans, is thinking seven generations behind and ahead to keep his nonprofit on mission. “It’s time to get centered on what you stand for,” he advises. -
Work and Careers
Feeling Burned Out, Overwhelmed, and Outmatched? This Professor Has Some Advice
Finding community is the “holy grail” to keep going when you’re trying to solve social problems against what seem like impossible odds. Joy is important, too. -
Opinion
Congress Is Facing a Crisis of Courage. Here’s a Solution Tailor-Made for Philanthropy
To protect democracy, grant makers should fund security details for members of Congress. -
Q&A
‘We Need to Be Strategic’: How GBH’s Leader Makes Hard Choices After Federal Funding Cuts
Susan Goldberg discusses running a nonprofit in the crosshairs of the Trump administration’s attacks on PBS, among other challenges. -
Government and Regulation
‘NGOs Gone Wild’: House Republicans Target Nonprofits in Hearing
Republican lawmakers alleged a “money laundering” scheme funneling taxpayer dollars to Democratic officials. Democrats claimed the Trump administration is “weaponizing the federal government” to chill nonprofit activity and speech. -
Opinion
Our Funding Was Frozen by the Trump Administration. Here’s How We’re Fighting Back.
We learned that staying silent amid baseless lies and attacks only makes matters worse. -
Government & Regulation
Can Trump Strip Harvard of Its Charitable Status? Scholars of Nonprofit Law and Accounting Describe the Obstacles in His Way
Two experts explain what it would take for the federal government to revoke a university’s tax-exempt status. -
Opinion
Why Philanthropy Should Help Build a Better State Department
Decades of global philanthropic aid missed the mark. It’s time for a new strategy. -
Executive Leadership
Nonprofit Leaders Face Tough Choices on Staffing, Fundraising as Federal Cutbacks Continue
In a Center for Effective Philanthropy survey of 585 of nonprofit leaders, a majority said they were confronting unprecedented financial and other challenges that included the politicization of their work. -
Interview
The ‘Nonprofit Killer Bill’ Could Rise Again
A Middle East peace expert argues the legislation will likely reappear because some in the GOP see it as a means to silence free speech. -
Government and Regulation
As the Tax Bill Heads to the Senate, Here’s How Philanthropy Is Fighting Back
The new tax bill would impact foundations and nonprofits — and charity advocates are scrambling to limit the damage. -
Government & Regulation
Trump’s Anti-DEI Battle Threatens Nonprofits Trying to Fill Critical Labor Gaps
For groups whose mission involves providing services to historically marginalized communities, Trump administration executive orders pose an existential threat. -
Opinion
The Tax Bill Is a Warning to the Nonprofit Sector: Reform or Face the Consequences
Wealthy foundations and nonprofits need to change their ways — not scare the rest of the field into submission. -
Giving
Abigail Disney Urges Donors to Be Braver About Giving
Donors and the leaders of major foundations and nonprofits should be willing to shoulder more risk, she says, especially at a time when more are fearful about speaking their minds. -
Community Lending
Community Lenders Fear Tightening of Credit With Trump Cuts
President Trump’s proposed budget eliminates much of the federal CDFI Fund, which since 1994 has enabled community development nonprofits to support millions of small businesses and housing efforts. Smaller borrowers are most at risk. -
Opinion
Federal Public Health Funding May Soon Evaporate. Here’s How Philanthropy Should Prepare
While grant makers can’t make up the budget shortfall, they can coordinate fast, local action when federal help falls short. -
Government and Regulation
House Republicans Look to Help Trump Strip Tax-Exempt Status of Nonprofits He Says Support Terrorism
Some nonprofits say it’s an arbitrary standard to financially punish charities that advocate for issues that don’t align with his agenda. -
Government and Legislation
Tax Bill Takes Shot at the Largest Foundations and Universities
Taxes could top hundreds of millions per year at the Gates Foundation and others. -
Government and Regulation
Meet the Man Who Wants to Tax Most of the Nonprofit World
As charities focus on Trump, little-known Scott Hodge pushes for $40 billion in new taxes on nonprofits. -
The Trump Agenda
AmeriCorps Cuts Threaten Service Programs and Their Unifying Power, Advocates Warn
The Trump administration intends to dismantle the national service program that fuels the work of big charities like Habitat for Humanity as well as local organizations and faith-based groups. -
Opinion
How Philanthropy Can Tap Unemployed USAID Workers to Fix Democracy at Home
Funding a ‘Democracy Corps’ national service program would ensure valuable expertise doesn’t go to waste. -
Grant Making
Philanthropy Opens the Vault: Payouts Are Surging in Response to Trump
Across the country, foundations are weighing the pros and cons of digging into their endowments. For some, increasing funding to grantees is a moral imperative. -
Advice
Know Your Rights: How Much Can Tax-Exempt Groups Speak Out?
Charities are legally permitted to lobby more than their leaders may realize. A law professor tells you how. -
Fundraising Strategy
Online Giving Is Sliding Amid Turmoil. Should Fundraisers Retreat or Go Big?
Digital donations are dropping in the wake of the president’s tariffs. Experts weigh in on whether charities should back off appeals or push ahead with ambitious campaigns. -
Social Services
Funding Cuts Threaten to Deepen Hunger Crisis
Rising costs are sending more families to food banks, including people with jobs. -
Leading
An Outspoken CEO Rises to Defend Nonprofit Sector in Turbulent Times
In her nearly four-month tenure as head of the National Council of Nonprofits, Diane Yentel has joined two lawsuits against the Trump administration and warned against silence and infighting. -
Opinion
Harvard, Public Trust, and a Warning for the Nonprofit Sector
Elite universities have alienated many Americans, leaving these institutions vulnerable to government attacks. The social change world is next. -
Government and Regulation
The 100 Days That Shook Nonprofits
Nonprofit leaders react to the first three months of President Trump’s second term, which has left the sector stunned, transformed, and weakened. -
Opinion | Dispatches From the First 100 Days
What a Spanish Cathedral Can Teach Funders About Responding to Trump
During the next 1,300 days of Trump’s presidency, let’s put the bricks in place for a better future while doing everything we can to hold up the foundation. -
Opinion
I Was Recently Detained by ICE. Here’s My Message to Philanthropy
Sitting on the sidelines isn’t an option as immigrant advocates are targeted. -
Advice
How to Retain Skittish Donors Amid the Economic Turbulence
Donors rattled by stock market volatility and gloomy economic forecasts may be hesitant to give. But that doesn’t mean they won’t, say experts. -
Grant Making
Marguerite Casey Foundation Dips Into Endowment to Donate $130 Million This Year
The grant maker, which has given $23 to $57 million annually since 2019, is increasing its support in response to the Trump administration’s actions. -
Fundraising
‘There’s a Hurricane Coming': Latino-Led Nonprofits Brace for Hardship Under Trump
There is tremendous pressure on the groups to provide services to their communities amid a flurry of Trump administration policies that affect immigration, higher education, and potential cuts to federal health care programs, advocates say. -
Opinion
‘Five Alarm Fire': How New Tax Law Could Decimate Nonprofits — and What Can Be Done
Local nonprofit leaders in Republican districts need to speak out against proposed changes and ensure lawmakers understand the consequences, suggests a former leader of United Way Worldwide. -
Analysis
Trump Threats to Tax-Exempt Status: Can the Rhetoric Become Reality?
Nonprofits are bracing for what may represent the administration’s most direct action against them to date. Experts caution groups not to panic. -
Q&A
First, the Vera Institute of Justice Lost Its Federal Grants. Then DOGE Called
Vera’s experience is a ‘harbinger’ for the rest of the nonprofit world, says Nicholas Turner, president of the criminal-justice reform organization. -
Higher Education
Endowments Aren’t Blank Checks — but Universities Can Rely on Them More Heavily in Turbulent Times
The law permits most colleges and universities to increase spending from their endowments in light of financial pressures, the author argues. -
Nonprofits & Funders
How a Single Instagram Post Cost One Nonprofit a Quarter of Its Budget
When a progressive group posted in support of Palestinians in Gaza, it saw funding evaporate. Similar fissures are reverberating across the nonprofit world. -
Government and Regulation
Can the IRS Revoke Harvard’s Tax-Exempt Status?
Attorneys who specialize in nonprofit law and freedom of speech weigh in the president’s battle with the university. -
Government & Regulation
Law Firms, Universities, and Now Civil Society Groups Are in Trump’s Sights for Punitive Action
Advocacy groups are the latest targets of the Trump administration, which is seeking to limit the independence of various civil society organizations — or put them at risk of losing their federal funds and professional livelihood. -
Q&A
Hispanic Federation Chief Describes Defunding, Harassment Facing Latino Nonprofits
Funding shortfalls and the growing public perception that Spanish-speaking people are “potential invaders and potential criminals” are putting Latino organizations in crisis mode, said Frankie Miranda, president of Hispanic Federation. -
Opinion
New Fund Seeks $20 Million to Aid Nonprofits Standing Up to Democracy Threats
Grant makers must rally to challenge disregard for rule of law because it affects virtually every issue that philanthropy works to advance. -
Nonprofit Finances
A Tariff ‘Tidal Wave': Higher Costs, Donor Pullback, More Budget Pain
President Trump’s shifting approach to tariffs is adding new headaches for nonprofits already grappling with chaos related to executive orders from his administration. -
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Faced With Anti-DEI Complaint, Gates Foundation Opens Scholarship to White Students
After Edward Blum’s complaint to the IRS about the Gates Foundation’s “illegal” scholarship program for students of color, the Seattle philanthropy giant said it would change the scholarship’s eligibility criteria to include all races. -
Grant Making
70-Plus Foundations ‘Meet the Moment’ and Pledge to Increase Their Grants
Trust-based funders are taking a stance to shore up nonprofits defunded by the Trump administration, although 10 of them declined to identify themselves publicly. Separately, a group of foundations offered a ‘statement of solidarity’ in response to the federal cuts. -
Data & Research
What We Know — and Don’t Know — About the Nonprofit Layoff Crisis
As federal budget cuts ripple through an uncertain economy, at least 23,000 documented, full-time positions have been eliminated since Inauguration Day. -
Opinion
Cory Booker Set a High Bar for Toughness. The Nonprofit World Should Aim to Reach It.
Fighting Trump administration policies requires grit and sacrifice more typical of college athletes than social justice warriors. Booker showed how it’s done. -
Foundation Giving
Seeking Rapid Response Grants? These Funds Are Offering Help.
In reaction to the Trump administration’s efforts to cut federal grants to some nonprofits, more foundations are offering emergency support. -
Analysis
Recession Ahead? How a Tariff-Induced Downturn Might Change Giving
There’s good news and bad, according to analyses of how donors responded to the four most recent economic downturns. -
Opinion
Pro-Immigration Forces Are Losing the Information War. Here’s How to Fight Back.
The far right has spent millions peddling its anti-immigrant narrative. Philanthropy can help tell a more powerful story about immigrants’ value to the nation. -
The Arts
The Problem With Trump’s Takeover of the Kennedy Center Isn’t the Possibility of ‘Cats’
The president’s moves highlight fundamental questions about the role of the U.S. government in the nation’s artistic life. -
Careers
Tips to Maintain Your Well-Being Amid Tariffs, Layoffs, and Recession Talk
Nonprofit workers stressed by the uncertainty their groups face should acknowledge their emotions, set limits around work, and find purpose beyond their jobs, experts advise. -
Fundraising
Canadian Fundraisers Cancel Plans to Attend AFP Conference, Fearful of How They’ll Be Treated in the U.S.
Some fundraisers are unhappy with the organization’s response and are pushing for ways to participate virtually. -
Government & Regulation
‘Strategic Ambiguity’ of Trump DEI Orders Raises Big Questions About What’s Legal
Progressives have criticized the orders for being vague and attacking a concept — DEI — that does not have an agreed-upon legal definition. Conservatives argue that race-based grant making amounts to illegal discrimination. -
Q&A
60 Years of Government Outsourcing to Nonprofits Could Be Coming to an End
Claire Dunning, author of “Nonprofit Neighborhoods: An Urban History of Inequality and the American State” talks about how the 1964 war on poverty expanded federal grants to nonprofits to provide social services in low-income communities and how Trump appears to be dismantling that strategy. -
Opinion
4 Underfunded Strategies to Lift the Working Class and Strengthen Democracy
Philanthropy should invest big in projects that give more Americans a voice in policy decisions that affect their lives. -
Letters to the Editor
Funders Should Practice Humility, Not Bravery
In response to recent op-ed, reader argues that nonprofits should stay in their lane and out of politics. -
Opinion
To Counter the Right’s ‘Narrative Coup,’ Invest in a New Story About American Democracy
In the battle to influence public opinion, democracy funders have fallen behind. Here’s how to change that. -
Foundation Giving
In a Time of Nonprofit Defunding, Will Foundations Put More Money on the Line?
Progressive foundations have been largely silent in response to Trump administration policies that affect many of the nation’s nonprofits. But some insiders say a response is coming. -
Finance and Revenue
Facing Federal Defunding, Nonprofits Draft Best and Worst Case Budgets
Organizations struggle to plan amid uncertainty about federal funds. As a result, some are crafting multiple spending plans. -
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Facing Anti-DEI Investigations, Colleges Cut Ties With Nonprofit Targeted by Conservatives
The PhD Project aims to help diversify the business world and higher education faculty. -
Opinion | Dispatches From the First 100 Days
As Funders Face New Levels of Risk, What Does Bravery Look Like?
We foundation leaders have long been insulated from threats. It’s time to shed our chicken feathers. -
Government & Regulation
How Data Subpoenas and Online Harassment Are Silencing Many Nonprofits
In reaction, targeted nonprofits are developing ‘subpoena playbooks’ and new cybersecurity strategies. -
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
More Than 50 Universities Face Federal Investigations as Part of Trump’s Anti-DEI Campaign
Forty-five of those inquiries are focused on colleges’ partnerships with the PhD Project, a nonprofit that helps students from underrepresented groups get degrees in business with the goal of diversifying the business world. -
Letters to the Editor
Defense, Not ‘Defeat,’ Is the Best Way to Survive Trump’s Attacks
The nonprofits featured in a recent article need to stop acting shocked and start getting to work. -
Fundraising
How Nonprofits Are Fundraising Amid ‘Scary, Challenging Time’
After cuts in federal spending, charities are making carefully worded appeals to donors to continue critical programs. -
News
‘Keep Your Money!’ Some Nonprofits Push Back on Federal Funding Freezes; Others Take a Quiet Approach
A few nonprofits are taking aggressive stances toward the Trump administration’s attempts to cancel funding, while others are using more of a discreet, wait-and-see approach. -
Government & Regulation
Trump Order Would Deny Student Loan Relief to Nonprofit Workers Engaged in ‘Improper’ Activity
The action, which could target those working in immigration and other areas, drew quick backlash, and is almost certain to face legal challenges. -
Opinion
How to Build a Climate Funding Strategy in the Age of Trump
As federal climate policy is dismantled, grant makers need to end their silence and get to work. -
Opinion
Readers React to Article About Trump’s DEI Investigations and Foundations
Data-driven analysis draws criticism and praise. -
Government and Regulation
Nonprofits Feel ‘Defeated,’ Unsafe as Trump Rolls Out Policy Changes
Nearly 70 percent of nonprofit leaders say Trump’s policies have hurt their organizations’ work, and data shows much of the sector would collapse if federal funding were discontinued. -
Government and Regulation
For Nonprofits, Trump’s Cuts Echo Reagan Era, but With Striking Differences
Philanthropy experts see Trump’s approach to the nonprofit sector as unprecedented for its lack of plan and philosophy as well as sweeping and questionably legal implementation. -
Data & Research
Trump’s DEI Order Takes Aim at the Biggest Foundations. Here Are the 346 That Could Face a Probe.
The president’s order for investigations of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs target philanthropies that hold $900 billion in assets and account for roughly 55 percent of all grant dollars awarded. -
Government & Regulation
Emergency Fundraisers Offer a Lifeline to Groups Who Have Lost Foreign Aid
As the U.S. funding freeze cascades through the international-development ecosystem, nonprofits are fundraising to help organizations struggling with the cuts. -
Opinion
To Fight DEI Rollbacks, Universities Should Break Free of Government Funding
For inspiration, they should consider the successful example of Hillsdale College, which cut the federal funding cord four decades ago. -
Foundation Giving
MacArthur Foundation to Increase Giving for Two Years in Response to ‘Crisis’
The move was prompted by the Trump administration’s freeze on federal foreign aid and the now-suspended freeze on federal grants. -
Letters to the Editor
Philanthropies Staying ‘Silent’ Has Real Consequences
Foundations’ inaction under Trump, as detailed in a recent article, will only hurt the marginalized people they serve. -
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Silent, Defiant, Private: Big Philanthropies React to Trump’s DEI Order
Except for Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan’s CZI Initiative, most big grant makers have not closed their diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. -
Letters to the Editor
In Response to USAID Cuts, Deploy Women-Led Charitable SWAT Teams
A recent op-ed was right that there’s no replacing government aid — but this solution can help. -
Interview
‘Don’t Tell Your Strategy': Bernice King Has Advice for Nonprofit Leaders
“I think everybody has to start looking at language,” says the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. “It doesn’t mean you have to go do away with your core mission, but you’re going to have to wordsmith to get through this season.” -
Opinion
Amid USAID Cuts, a Ukrainian Aid Worker’s Plea to Philanthropy: ‘Stand With Us’
On the third anniversary of the Russian invasion, Ukrainian nonprofits are facing yet another test of endurance. -
Government and Regulation
What Sway Does the Nonprofit Lobby Have in Trump 2.0?
The future of nonprofits is likely to be determined by Congress, not the judiciary. But can nonprofits effectively lobby conservative lawmakers about their worth? -
Communications
Fearing Retaliation, Loss of Funding, Many Nonprofits Stay Quiet on Trump
The flood-the-zone strategy coming from the White House has had a chilling effect on nonprofits, according to a new survey from the Communications Network. -
Environment
A Warning for Progressive Groups? Trump Yanks $50 Million From a Climate Justice Nonprofit
The Climate Justice Alliance was among 11 organizations chosen by the EPA to distribute $600 million to nonprofits. It was the first to be completely defunded. -
Government and Regulation
Is Trump’s Second Term Affecting Your Nonprofit?
The Chronicle of Philanthropy wants to hear from you. Plus, a primer on Trump administration executive orders and actions affecting the nonprofit sector. -
Opinion
How Nonprofits Can Build a New ‘Progressive Era’ in a Second Gilded Age
Jane Addams showed how the seeds of social change can be planted at the local level even as the wealthy gain power and economic inequality grows. -
Data & Research
Polarization’s Chilling Effect on Advocacy
Groups are shying from lobbying and policy work, fearing donor blow back and government retribution, a survey finds. -
Government
Trump Orders a Review of Federal Support to ‘Nongovernmental Organizations’
The memo has already drawn opposition and concerns about potential First Amendment conflicts. -
Opinion
As USAID Is Gutted, Here’s How Philanthropy Can Stop Panicking and Start Helping
In a post-aid world, philanthropy can be a potent bulwark against authoritarianism and a powerful voice for human rights around the world. -
Opinion | Dispatches From the First 100 Days
Amid Funding Freezes and ICE Raids, What Will It Take to Support Grantees?
Grant makers need to reassure nonprofits that they have their backs during these tumultuous times. -
Government and Regulation
Foundations Remain Largely Mute as Nonprofits Face Slashed Federal Funding
Most large private foundations have been slow to respond to the Trump administration’s policy changes affecting nonprofits. Bloomberg Philanthropies is the one exception. -
Government and Regulation
Coalition’s Lawsuit Over Federal Funding Freeze Is Part of an ‘Avalanche’ of Litigation
More than a dozen federal lawsuits have already been filed against President Trump and his administration by a wide range of nonprofits. -
Fundraising
‘It’s Not Over’: Steps to Rethink Fundraising After Trump’s Spending Freeze
It will be especially important for nonprofits that rely on federal grants to communicate with their donors, fundraising experts say. -
Government and Regulation
Nonprofits Dependent on Federal Grants Scramble Amid Mixed Signals From White House and Federal Judge
A federal judge extended a block on Trump’s rescinded federal funding freeze, but some nonprofit leaders think the fight to keep federal payments has just begun. -
Government and Regulation
Judge Steps In After Trump Pauses Federal Grants
A coalition of nonprofits declared that a Trump administration freeze on federal payments would have “catastrophic consequences” for charities that rely on government support. -
Government and Regulation
Trump DEI Investigations Could Target Large Foundations
While Trump criticized DEI in his first administration, his recent executive order targets for-profit and nonprofit government contractors, universities with large endowments, and foundations with assets north of $500 million. -
Opinion
Foundations, Trump, and Religious Conservatives
Coalitions that aim to counter what they see as the President’s authoritarianism are overlooking key potential partners: faith-driven Trump supporters. -
Opinion
Civil Society Isn’t Prepared for Trump’s Attacks. Here Are Steps to Take Now
Trivial lawsuits and endless audits can quickly hinder nonprofits’ ability to operate. Foundations should ready their defenses. -
Opinion
The ‘Nonprofit Killer Bill’ Seems Scary — but Current Law Is Worse
While widely seen as a threat to civil society, HR 9495 actually gives nonprofits more power to fight back than the existing law. -
Immigration
How Will Philanthropy Respond to Trump’s Deportation Policies?
Trump’s first term triggered a wave of immigration grant making. Where the money will go this time is starting to take shape. -
Opinion | Dispatches From the First 100 Days
As Trump Takes Office, Philanthropy Should Adopt a Pandemic-Like Crisis Response
Lessons learned in 2020 can serve the field well as it faces another period of uncertainty and upheaval, writes Lisa Pilar Cowan in the first in a series of dispatches on Trump’s initial 100 days in office. -
Trends 2025
Corporations and Higher Ed Are Backtracking on DEI. Will Foundations Fold?
As companies and universities back away from DEI policies, grant makers that focus on racial equity are bracing for litigation. -
Opinion
How Trump Could Target Nonprofits — and How to Protect Yours
Expect donors and organizations to be attacked by name, harassed and threatened online, and investigated on questionable grounds, says the author. Here’s how groups can defend themselves. -
Opinion
5 Conservative Proposals That Could Reshape Philanthropy — and How to Prepare
Republican lawmakers are committed to nonprofit reform in 2025. That could spell challenges for the field. -
Laws & Regulation
Threats to Nonprofits — and an Opportunity — on Capitol Hill in 2025
A new incentive for giving is one bright spot on a congressional slate filled with peril for philanthropy. -
Opinion
Funding the Resistance Is Not a Winning Strategy. Here’s What Is.
Billions spent fighting Trumpian populism hasn’t worked. Practicing a pluralistic approach to grant making will. -
Government and Regulation
With House Passage of ‘Stop Terror-Financing Bill,’ Charities Fear Being Targeted
Despite opposition from a wide range of nonprofits, lawmakers in the U.S. House passed a bill designed to give the Treasury Department unilateral authority to strip the tax-exempt status of nonprofits it claims support terrorism. -
Opinion
In the Face of Conservative Populism, Darren Walker Gets It Right
To counter attacks from the Trump administration, philanthropy should adopt Walker’s pluralism playbook.