October 21, 2025
Dear Readers,
A heartfelt hello! I’m back from paternity leave and ready, though a bit daunted, to rejoin my colleagues in covering our crucial sector in a time of unprecedented threats.
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has escalated attacks on nonprofits whose missions run afoul of the administration’s ideological goals. At stake is not only the survival of these crucial nonprofits—from watchdog groups to human rights advocates to organizations fighting for racial and gender justice—but the ability of any of us in the sector to exercise our constitutional right to free expression.
Meanwhile, federal funding to even the most politically innocuous nonprofits continues to be slashed, as demonstrated by a recent report by the Urban Institute that found that fully one-third of US nonprofits saw funding disruptions so far in 2025.
But just as we document the adversity facing our sector, we also seek to lift up and convey to you readers the many brave acts of resistance and organization taking place. Just a few weeks ago, more than 3,000 nonprofits signed an open letter condemning a recent White House memorandum that purports to counter “domestic terrorism and organized political violence” by targeting progressive nonprofits. Over 100 progressive philanthropies, meanwhile, have joined forces to resist attacks on nonprofits. And the National Council of Nonprofits has launched its Nonprofit Resilience Fund to support the health and safety of the whole sector.
This week’s Leadership newsletter highlights some of our recent reporting on how we can continue to build solidarity, power, and new visions for the sector. As always, we love hearing back from you. Email me at [email protected].
Isaiah Thompson
Leadership Editor
