Nonprofit Resources of the Week curates timely articles, tools, and commentary to help nonprofit organizations, their leaders, and their advisors stay informed about legal developments, sector trends, and emerging issues affecting the nonprofit and philanthropic ecosystem, including those related to equity, climate change, and resilience. The series also seeks to share tools, perspectives, and sources of inspiration that support more effective, thoughtful, and sustainable nonprofit leadership, and that help those working for and with nonprofits carry out their roles with greater confidence, efficiency, and purpose.

Notable Nonprofit Posts, Articles, & Other Resources:

Trump’s secret war against vital nonprofits (Rachel Rossi, Democracy Docket)

Republican claims of ‘terrorism’ leave everyone unsafe, Muslim leader warns (Anna Betts, Guardian) [Ed. The “Muslim leader” referenced in the headline is the Deputy Director of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), an organization declared by the governors of Texas and Florida to be a foreign terrorist organization and one Marco Rubio appears to be targeting on the federal level likely because of its advocacy for Palestinian people – notwithstanding the nonprofit’s First Amendment rights.]

NRA sues the charitable version of itself, alleging a factional ‘beef’ (Richard Luscombe, Guardian) [Ed. There are special circumstances in this conflict between affiliated 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations, but still, it illustrates some of the risks involved that may benefit from more careful planning at the start.]

Corporation for Public Broadcasting votes itself out of existence (David Bauder, AP) [Ed. From the article: ““CPB’s final act would be to protect the integrity of the public media system and the democratic values by dissolving, rather than allowing the organization to remain defunded and vulnerable to additional attacks,” said Patricia Harrison, the organization’s president and CEO.”]

Can the Fight Against AI Revitalize the US Labor Movement? (Ted Siefer, NPQ)

Musk lawsuit over OpenAI for-profit conversion can go to trial, US judge says (Guardian)

For Every $100 Foundations Give, Only 19 Cents Go to Volunteer Support (Jan Masaoka, NPQ)

Some Early January Thoughts on the FPLG Blog for 2026 (Linda Rosenthal, For Purpose Law Group)

Nonprofits Don’t Win Alone (Anna Hernandez, Walter & Elise Haas Fund)

Tracking the Lawsuits Against Trump’s Agenda (Alex Lemonides, Seamus Hughes, Mattathias Schwartz, Lazaro Gamio and Camille Baker, NY Times)

Significant Events:

• “There’s a lot we don’t know about the shooting of Renee Nicole Good, who was killed yesterday by federal immigration agents deployed to Minnesota. But in the chaotic aftermath of the shooting, one thing became immediately clear: The Trump administration was lying about what happened. … DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and the White House adviser Stephen Miller also described the incident as “domestic terrorism,” while President Donald Trump posted on his social network that Good “ran over the ICE Officer.” … The vehicle appears to be driving away from the armed federal agents, not toward them, and no one was run over. And there is no evidence that terrorism of any kind was involved.” Atlantic [Ed. It’s worth noting the following statement from Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) Superintendent Drew Evans: “[T]he FBI informed the BCA that … the investigation would now be led solely by the FBI, and the BCA would no longer have access to the case materials, scene evidence or investigative interviews necessary to complete a thorough and independent investigation.”]
• “President Trump announced that U.S. forces had carried out “a large scale strike against Venezuela” and were taking President Nicolás Maduro and his wife to New York [to stand trial on drug and weapons charges]. … President Trump said the United States would “run the country until such time that we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.” … Mr. Trump spoke at length about American oil companies remaking the country’s energy infrastructure. Venezuela holds roughly 17 percent of the world’s oil reserves.” NY Times [Ed. See also the NY Times Editorial Board Opinion: Trump’s Attack on Venezuela Is Illegal and Unwise.]
• “The White House has framed the Maduro operation as part of an updated Monroe Doctrine, or as President Trump describes it, the “Donroe Doctrine.” A globe carved into spheres of influence — with the United States dominating the Western Hemisphere and China asserting primacy across the Asia-Pacific — and where might makes right, regardless of shared rules, could benefit Beijing in a number of ways.” NY Times

Equity and Justice Related Articles & Resources:

Judge blocks Trump administration from purging DEI-related terms from Head Start grant applications (Moriah Balingit, AP)

The plaintiff organizations representing Head Start providers and parents said in a court filing last month that officials told a Head Start director in Wisconsin to axe the terms “race,” “belonging” and “pregnant people” from her grant application. They later sent a list with nearly 200 words the department discouraged her from using in her application, including “Black,” “Native American,” “disability” and “women.”

Trump administration agrees to drop anti-DEI criteria for stalled health research grants (Jacob Fischler, Government Executive)

Working Families bet on 2026 as the right time for a third US party after a wave of wins (Rachel Leingang, Guardian) [Ed. Maurice Mitchell, national director of the Working Families party, wrote a great article for The Nonprofit Quarterly in 2022 – Building Resilient Organizations: Toward Joy and Durable Power in a Time of Crisis – and briefly served on the NPQ board during a transition period. He’s done incredible work with the Working Families party and is someone to watch in 2026 (and beyond).]

Climate Change Articles & Resources:

Trump quits pivotal 1992 climate treaty, in massive hit to global warming effort (Sara Schonhardt, Politico)

Water – at the center of the climate crisis (UN)

How Fossil Fuels and Global Extreme Weather Increase Americans’ Food Prices (Jasia Smith, Kalina Gibson, Margaret Cooney, Center for American Progress)

Good Vibes:

Into the Woods (SF Playhouse)

Do not put your faith in a cape and a hood, they will not protect you the way that they should. And take extra care with strangers, even flowers have their dangers, and though scary is exciting, nice is different than good.

Stranger Things Cast: Acceptance Speech | 23rd Annual SAG Awards | TNT [Ed. From 2017, but just as relevant today.]

As we act in the continuing narrative of Stranger Things, we… will repel bullies, we will shelter freaks and outcasts, those who have no home, we will get past the lies, we will hunt monsters, and when we are at a loss amidst the hypocrisy and the casual violence of certain individuals and institutions, we will, as per chief Jim Hopper, punch some people in the face when they seek to destroy the weak, the disenfranchised, and we will do it all with soul, with heart, and with joy. We thank you for this responsibility.