Stay informed of the week’s notable events and shared resources with this curated list of Nonprofit Resources of the Week.
Notable Nonprofit Posts, Articles, & Other Resources:
Urgent Update: Federal Actions That Could Affect Your Nonprofit (TedBilich.com) [Ed. From the post: “This is a (hopefully) weekly summary of risks created by federal policy changes.” Ted is a nonprofit risk management expert and former professor at Georgetown and attorney at Jones Day.]
US-Funded NGOs May Be “Biggest Scam Ever”: Elon Musk’s Big Charge (Sandhya Ravishankar, NDTV World) [Ed. The threat of Musk to the nonprofit sector cannot be dismissed. “[Musk] then said several people are becoming “very wealthy” through these non-profit organisations. “Government-funded NGOs are a way to do things, that would be illegal if they were the government but are somehow made legal if it is sent to a so-called non-profit… people cash out these non-profits. They become very wealthy through non-profits. They pay themselves enormous sums.” … The ‘X’ boss, however, said not all money sent to NGOs was wasteful expenditure. “So there’s going to be some percent good that they add in there, but it might be 5 per cent or 10 per cent good, but 90-95 per cent not.””]
Nonprofits Feel ‘Defeated,’ Unsafe as Trump Rolls Out Policy Changes (Stephanie Beasley, Chronicle of Philanthropy)
When Journalism Becomes a Weapon: A Call for Ethical Reporting (Sara Hughes, NPQ) [Ed. The article referenced appears to have been de-emphasized by the publisher. While I did not feel it was as threatening as might first appear (the list of possible “targets” compiled was an easily obtainable list of the biggest foundations by asset size meeting the threshold described in the executive order), it was at best tone-deaf with poorly chosen “click bait” titles and accompanying social media posts at a time when many nonprofits are reasonably feeling very vulnerable, including to such big foundations electing a conservative funding strategy due to the executive order.]
New Poll: Voters Want Policymakers to Support Nonprofits in an Uncertain Time (Independent Sector)
Nonprofit Leaders Are Frightened – and for Good Reason (Dawn Wolfe, Inside Philanthropy)
“Your 2025 Budget Is Already Wrong” (Linda Rosenthal, For Purpose Law Group)
The ABA rejects efforts to undermine the courts and the legal profession (American Bar Association)
Why Are Nonprofits Experiencing An Insurance Crisis? And What Can The Nonprofit Sector Do About It? (Pamela Davis, Blue Avocado)
ActBlue, the Democratic Fund-Raising Powerhouse, Faces Internal Chaos (Reid J. Epstein and Shane Goldmacher, NY Times)
Significant Events:
- “President Donald Trump launched a trade war Tuesday against America’s three biggest trading partners, drawing immediate retaliation from Mexico, Canada and China and sending financial markets into a tailspin as the U.S. faced the threat of rekindled inflation and paralyzing uncertainty for business. … As he promised voters, the U.S. president is abandoning the free trade policies the United States pursued for decades after World War II.” AP [Ed. Ball’s in your court, Bezos/WashPo.]
- “The Supreme Court rejected President Trump’s emergency request to freeze nearly $2 billion in foreign aid on Wednesday morning, saying a lower court judge “should clarify what obligations the government must fulfill.” Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the three liberal justices in a 5-4 vote. The case focuses on the U.S. Agency for International Development and aid the administration halted on Mr. Trump’s first day in office.” NY Times
- “The axing of some 10,000 programs has consigned untold numbers of children and refugees to death, officials say. Documents and interviews reveal that the State Department appears to have made the cuts without the careful review it described in court. … Local authorities have already begun estimating a death toll in the hundreds of thousands.” Pro Publica
Equity and Justice Related Articles & Resources:
The GOP wants to treat American values as culture war issues. We shouldn’t take the bait. (Stacey Abrams, MSNBC)
Lawsuit Filed By 17 States Threatens Disability Protections, Advocates Say (Michelle Diament, Disability Scoop)
Migrants Prepare to Lose Their American Lives (Stephanie McCrummen, Atlantic)
Climate Change Articles & Resources:
‘Full on Fight Club’: How Trump Is Crushing U.S. Climate Policy (David GellesLisa Friedman and Brad Plumer, NY Times)
Trump orders swathes of US forests to be cut down for timber (Oliver Millman, Guardian) [Ed. 280 million acres (437,500 squre miles) open for tree cutting! More than 2.5 times the size of California! About 44 percent of all the land managed by the federal government. And the order appears to include instructions to find ways to bypass the Endangered Species Act through emergency consultations typically reserved for natural disasters requiring immediate attention. Enormous and tragic cost to the country’s future for short-term benefits to the timber industry and their shareholders.]
Trump Order Shifts the Financial Burden of Climate Change Onto Individuals (Abrahm Lustgarten, Pro Publica)
Good Vibes:
We’re all drawn to bad news. Here’s how to fight it. (Bryan Walsh, Vox) [Ed. This is the first edition of the Good News weeklly newsletter.]