Greetings readers,

Sometimes, knowing what’s coming makes it easier to swallow a bitter pill. Sometimes, it doesn’t. 

Yesterday’s inauguration of Donald Trump as president marks the formal beginning of what will surely be a difficult, even perilous era for our sector—especially as many within it are struggling under the current pressures of dipping donations, philanthropic pullback, high turnover, widespread burnout, and economic uncertainty, among others. 

Compounding those challenges are all the threats that lie ahead, especially under an administration whose stated policy agenda is antagonistic, if not diametrically opposed, to many of our missions—which may result in increased need for the very services being threatened in one way or another.

But our work—that is, the work of all of us in the nonprofit and civil sectors—must continue. Our commitment at NPQ is to provide you, the practitioners and leaders of our sector, with the critical coverage and information you need to make sense of these turbulent waters. 

This week’s Leadership newsletter is just a sample of the coverage we will continue to deliver. Our goal is to empower you to make the best decisions you can, however difficult, to sustain the critical work of your organizations. 

First, Brian Joseph writes about Elon Musk’s lawsuit against Media Matters, a nonprofit media watchdog that has reported, among other things, on the prevalence of hate speech on Musk’s social media platform, X. Then, Zane McNeill explores how defenders of LGBTQ+ rights might learn from the example of Hungary. Next, Amy Marquis discusses how nonprofits can navigate a crisis, and NPQ board member Gene Takagi shares an invaluable guide to nonprofit legal compliance in a time when even a nonprofit’s tax-exempt status could arbitrarily come under threat.   

Finally, we invite you to attend our upcoming webinar, “Advocacy in a Second Trump Administration: A Practical Guide for Leaders on Defending Progress and Advancing Justice” on February 20 at 2:00 pm ET.

As always, the Leadership desk loves to hear from you—the door is always open to pitches. Email [email protected].