WHAT WE’RE READING ELSEWHERE
Corporations and nonprofits are reacting anxiously to an executive order from President Donald Trump attacking diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. In addition to banning DEI work in federal agencies and among contractors, the order directs each federal agency to identify “‘up to nine potential civil compliance investigations’ that could include publicly traded corporations, nonprofits, and large foundations, among others.” Civil rights lawyers and experts on inclusion say programs “that give employment benefits, like jobs or promotions, to specific groups on the on the basis of their race” are most vulnerable, while safer programs likely include “unconscious bias training and fellowships or retreats that are dedicated to advancing employees of color, but are open to anyone’s participation.” (New York Times)
Nonprofits raced to help refugees settle in the U.S. in the final months before Trump’s inauguration. Anticipating that Trump would shut down or severely curtail the entry of refugees, agencies worked in coordination with federal officials and those who had volunteered to host newcomers as part of the U.S. Welcome Corps. About 30,000 refugees, who go through a lengthy process different from that for asylum seekers, arrived in the country in the last quarter of 2024, compared with 11,000 during the entire final year of Trump’s previous term. (Associated Press)
Billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s philanthropy is stepping in to help fund the United States’s annual contribution to the UN’s main climate body after President Donald Trump pulled out of the Paris climate agreement upon taking office this week. Unnamed other funders will join Bloomberg Philanthropies, which did not say how much it will contribute. Last year, the United States’s required contribution was $7.4 million. In a statement, Bloomberg, who is a UN special envoy on climate change, said he would work with state and local governments and businesses “to ensure that the U.S. stayed on track with its global climate obligations.” (Reuters)
A New York City nonprofit that provides a safe space for drug use faces an uncertain future as the new administration takes office. OnPoint NYC says it has reversed more than 1,700 overdoses since it launched in 2021. Still, researchers are split on the harm-reduction approach, and sites such as OnPoint exist in a legal gray area. It could now be at the mercy of a new corps of politicians and prosecutors ready to use the punitive tactics of the war on drugs. (Stat)
A tweak in 2023 to Google’s advertising rules has nonprofits struggling to be seen on the search engine and, in some cases, taking major hits on donations. When the search giant began allowing advertisers to use other organizations’ trademarks, citing its efforts to comply with EU law, smaller search engines flooded Google’s automated ad auctions, often outbidding charities, and then using those charities’ trademarks to draw traffic. These advertisers sometimes mislead users into thinking they will be directed to a charity’s website, when in fact a click takes users to that search engine. Meanwhile, some charities either deplete their ad budgets outbidding these search engines or give up trying. (New York Times)
GoFundMe appeals have raised huge sums for the victims of the Los Angeles fires, but the varying success of its many campaigns underlines the inequities of crowd-funded aid. Research has repeatedly shown that campaigns for people who are better off are more successful, thanks largely to their networks of people who can afford to make generous donations. Meanwhile, “the government and insurance companies are increasingly either unable or unwilling” to step into the assistance role played by these platforms during a crisis. (Guardian)
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Community Sustainability: The Partners for Places grant program, hosted by The Funders Network, aims to enhance local capacity to build equitable and sustainable communities in the United States and Canada. The grants support partnerships between a local government sustainability or water department, a frontline community partner, and a place-based funder for the planning and implementation of equitable climate action or green stormwater infrastructure projects that address frontline community priorities. Grants range from $45,000 to $100,000 for one-year projects and $75,000 to $150,000 for two-year projects; application deadline February 28.
Social Impact: Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation (DRK) is a global venture philanthropy firm supporting early-stage social impact organizations solving the world’s biggest social and environmental problems with bold, scalable approaches. Support is primarily provided in Africa, Europe, India, and the United States, although projects in Latin America and Israel may be considered in select situations. DRK seeks social entrepreneurs with dynamic products or services that have a proven ability to positively impact the lives of underserved people. Grants up to $300,000 over three years.
