Nonprofit Resources of the Week – 1/17/26

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:

IRS Discusses Comments Received on Group Exemption Letter Program (Tax Notes)

Judge orders HHS to restore funding for children’s health programs as lawsuit continues (Ali Swenson, AP) [Ed. American Academy of Pediatrics was the plaintiff, represented by Democracy Forward, both nonprofits. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell said in her opinion: “This is a case about whether the federal government has exercised power in a manner designed to chill public health policy debate by retaliating against a leading and generally trusted pediatrician member professional organization focused on improving the health of children.”]

Social Justice Nonprofits Rethink Media Strategy During Trump 2.0 (Alex Daniels, Chronicle of Philanthropy)

Trump Lawsuits Seek to Muzzle Media, Posing Serious Threat to Free Press (Kathy Kiely and Lyrissa Barnett Lidsky, NPQ)

Practical Advice for Nonprofits and Donors After the Presidential Memorandum on “Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence” and Reported IRS Enforcement Changes (Covington & Burling LLP)

NSPM-7: New federal strategy for countering domestic terrorism and political violence adds enforcement risks (DLA Piper)

S.O.S.—Nonprofits Need Funding for “Staff Operating Support” (Rusty Stahl, NPQ)

Militant Pro-Israel Group Agrees to Halt Operations in New York (Liam Stack, NY Times)

With less charitable giving flowing directly to charities, a tax policy scholar suggests some policy fixes (Ray Madoff, Conversation)

Opinion: Maria Cantwell blitzes college football’s nonprofit status (George F. Will, Washington Post)

Significant Events:

“The U.S. attorney’s office in the District of Columbia has opened a criminal investigation into Jerome H. Powell, the Federal Reserve chair, over the central bank’s renovation of its Washington headquarters and whether Mr. Powell lied to Congress about the scope of the project, according to officials briefed on the situation. … The Fed chair warned that the investigation signaled a broader battle over the Fed’s independence. … “This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions — or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation.”” NY Times [Ed. See also “Every living former head of the Federal Reserve condemned an “unprecedented” attempt by the Trump administration to weaken the US central bank’s independence, after the Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation into its chair, Jerome Powell.” Guardian]
“Is the Iranian Regime About to Collapse? Five conditions determine whether revolutions succeed. For the first time since 1979, Iran meets nearly all of them. … economic strain, alienation and opposition among the elites, widespread popular anger at injustice, a convincing shared narrative of resistance, and favorable international relations ….” Atlantic
“[T]he data suggests that in the 13 appellate courts, there is increasingly such a thing as a Trump judge. The president’s appointees voted to allow his policies to take effect 133 times and voted against them only 12 times. Ninety-two percent of their total votes were in favor of the administration. That figure far outstrips support for Mr. Trump’s agenda from appeals court judges appointed by other Republican presidents [68%], and from Mr. Trump’s appointees to the district courts [55%].” NY Times

Equity and Justice Related Articles & Resources:

Trump Says Civil Rights Led to White People Being ‘Very Badly Treated’ (Erica L. Green, NY Times)

DOJ’s top civil rights prosecutors depart as office is cut out of key probes (Perry Stein, Washington Post)

How This Entrepreneur Aims To Redirect $1 Trillion In Philanthropy (Esha Chhabra, Forbes) [Ed. The article focuses on Edgar Villanueva, founder of the Decolonizing Wealth Project.]