The Ripple Effect of Federal Actions — And What Funders Can Do
Actions by the federal government – from funding rollbacks, to militarized crackdowns, to the gutting of social services – are putting our communities at risk. As these ripple effects flow, nonprofits are once again on the front lines. And the pattern is clear: demand for nonprofit services increases in times of crisis, even while their capacity to deliver is threatened by external factors. They are often doing more, with less. In today’s reality:
ICE raids are being carried out in schools, workplaces, and churches–causing hundreds of thousands of people to be separated from their families, leading to surges in demand for immigrant and legal aid services
With cuts to SNAP, four million children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities who rely on food assistance will be cut off, which means demand for food banks and nutrition-related nonprofits will increase by 20-50%
The elimination of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting means millions of Americans, especially those in rural, Native and low-income communities, will lose access to a critical source of accurate reporting and emergency alerts, as dozens of community-based public broadcasters face potential shut-down.
This is just a snapshot of the data we compiled in our new resource, The Ripple Effect of Federal Actions, highlighting the latest information and insights about our current reality – and, more importantly, what funders can do about it.
Funders are uniquely positioned to act. By understanding the effects of federal actions, listening to nonprofits, giving multi-year unrestricted funding, and speaking up, funders can be powerful stewards in shaping a healthy and inclusive future for us all.
A very special thanks to our colleagues at National Council on Nonprofits and Nonprofit Finance Fund who contributed data and input on this guide, as they advocate tirelessly on behalf of the nonprofit sector.
Shaady Salehi is Co-Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Trust Based Philanthropy Project.
