Philanthropy Today

In the latest reversal on diversity, equity, and inclusion, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan’s philanthropy, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, has pulled the plug on its DEI efforts. The backtracking comes five years after CZI committed half a billion dollars to such efforts, and a month after Zuckerberg assured employees his philanthropy was committed to diversity. It also follows the path of Zuckerberg’s Meta, which has changed course on DEI efforts in the wake of the Trump administration’s efforts to stop diversity programming. Marc Malandro, CZI’s chief operating officer, told employees that the changes were in response to “the shifting regulatory and legal landscape.” (Guardian)

• Background from the Chronicle on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Now that President Trump has installed himself as the chairman of the Kennedy Center, he faces a challenge raising private funds for the organization’s endowment. David Rubenstein, who has given more than $100 million over the years to the institution, has said he will honor all his pledges, even though Trump ousted him from his role as chairman of the organization’s board. And some fundraising experts suggested Trump’s success raising money for his campaigns bodes well. Still, others said donors could be turned off. “The center is now a division of the White House,” said E. Andrew Taylor, a scholar at American University. “This might make donors think twice about contributing to the federal government.” (New York Times)

More on the Trump Administration, the Kennedy Center, and the Arts

• Trump’s Revenge Now Includes His Takeover of the Kennedy Center (New York Times)
• The Week Trump Mounted an Unprecedented Takeover of the Kennedy Center (Wall Street Journal)
• Hundreds of Artists Call on N.E.A. to Roll Back Trump’s Restrictions (New York Times)
• Trump Is Reshaping the Federal Government’s Relationship to the Arts — and Massachusetts Artists Are Already Feeling the Effects (Boston Globe)
• Opinion: Yes, Donald Trump Could Destroy the Kennedy Center. Or Worse. (Washington Post)

More on the Federal Government and Nonprofits

• Education Dept. Gives Schools Two Weeks to Eliminate Race-Based Programs (New York Times)
• JFK Library Closes Indefinitely, Then Reopens, Amid Chaos From Federal Cuts (Washington Post)
• U.S. Catholic Bishops Sue Trump Administration for Halt in Funding for Refugee Settlement (Associated Press)
  
  • Background from the Chronicle: How Will Philanthropy Respond to Trump’s Deportation Policies?
• Environmentalists Sue to Block Trump’s Offshore Drilling Plans (New York Times)

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