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Forbes
24-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
A Quiet War Is Targeting America's Nonprofits—Most Don't See It Coming
Public funding is being weaponized—and the civic backbone of the country is under attack. The Trump administration is triggering a systemic unraveling of nonprofit America. Federal grants ... More have been frozen. Education, healthcare, public broadcasting, the. arts, and global diplomacy programs are all taking direct hits…all while foundations can't keep up with the wave of emergency appeals. The Stakes President Trump's second term is triggering a systemic unraveling of nonprofit America. Federal grants have been frozen. Education, healthcare, public broadcasting, the arts, and global diplomacy programs are all taking direct hits. Foundations can't keep up with the wave of emergency appeals—and many nonprofits are running out of lifelines. With government dollars now used as leverage, the institutions that have long held civil society together are being quietly dismantled. This piece breaks down the damage, exposes the political intent, and lays out five ways the sector can fight back before it's too Trump's Return Is Disrupting the Nonprofit Economy It didn't start with a budget cut. It started with a message: you no longer matter. And for nonprofits across America, that message is now being delivered in silence, shortfalls, and shutdowns.A Tale of Two Crises: Red Cross and Emerson Collective Overwhelmed In early June, the American Red Cross announced it would scale back regional emergency response teams—despite record flooding and wildfires. The reason: a $120 million shortfall tied to rescinded FEMA reimbursements. 'We're flying blind,' said one regional executive. Simultaneously, the Emerson Collective was inundated by emergency appeals—from food security nonprofits in Arkansas to refugee resettlement efforts in Queens. 'Many partners are in existential danger—not from mismanagement, but from political abandonment,' read an internal memo. These aren't isolated events. They are warning flares from a collapsing Federal Grant Freeze That Sparked Collapse On January 23, 2025, President Trump ordered the Office of Management and Budget to freeze all new and pending federal grants. It affected everything from education to public health, the EPA, and even foreign aid. It was framed as a routine 'review,' but insiders made the real agenda clear: halting 'radical leftwing' spending. Within weeks, $6.8 billion in K–12 education funds vanished—including for afterschool, summer, and English learner programs. Thousands of school districts and nonprofit partners were left scrambling. On January 23, 2025, President Trump ordered the Office of Management and Budget to freeze all new ... More and pending fedral grants. It affected everything from education to public health, the EPA, and even foreign aid. (Photo by) Existential Questions for a Sector Under Siege This isn't just a funding crunch. It's an ideological shift. The nonprofit sector now faces questions that go beyond survival:Public Broadcasting and Journalism Slashed Soon after the grant freeze, the administration rescinded $1.1 billion in Corporation for Public Broadcasting funds, cutting support for NPR and PBS. Executive Order 14290 made the cut explicit—and permanent. NPR's Editor-in-Chief resigned. Local affiliates from Detroit to Northern California warned of permanent station closures. Dozens of rural and Indigenous-serving PBS affiliates risk going dark. The result? The collapse of a civic storytelling ecosystem. Arts and Culture Defunded The National Endowment for the Arts was similarly gutted. In New York, Roundabout Theatre Company lost funding for national tours and educational outreach. Other institutions serving youth, rural, and BIPOC communities were also affected, many of them losing the only public arts support they've ever had. 'It's not just lights out onstage,' said one nonprofit leader. 'It's a blackout for creativity, culture, and access.' Arts and culture organizations such as the Roundabout Theater Company—largest nonprofit Broadway ... More theater company—have lost funding that is critical for maintaining services for the public (Photo by) Local Nonprofits Shift to Survival Mode Across the country, smaller nonprofits have gone from planning to panic. The Meriden Boys & Girls Club in Connecticut cut afterschool transportation for 180 students. In D.C., La Clínica del Pueblo—long a lifeline for immigrant and uninsured communities—lost Title X and Ryan White HIV-prevention grants. 'We're rationing public health,' a clinic official said. 'There is no backup.'Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, and Fulbright Crippled The retreat isn't limited to domestic programs. USAID funding across Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia was frozen or canceled, crippling public health and human rights work. The Fulbright Program, a pillar of American diplomacy, canceled over 600 international exchanges. 'We're not just retreating from diplomacy—we're burning bridges built over decades,' said one administrator. Philanthropy Buckles Under the Weight With public dollars vanishing, foundations are being pushed beyond their capacity. Emerson Collective, Tides Foundation, MacArthur, Surdna, Open Society, and Robert Wood Johnson all reported historic spikes in emergency requests. In some cases, demand tripled overnight. Even elite universities—Howard, Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, University of Michigan—and community colleges in Texas, Georgia, and Ohio saw research and workforce training programs halted due to lost federal funding. 'We're no longer choosing who to fund,' said one program officer. 'We're choosing who we let die.' Interestingly, not all funding news is bleak. In mid-July, Forbes reported that Bill Gates, Charles Koch, and three other billionaires have pledged $1 billion toward economic mobility programs, including tech training and AI-related workforce initiatives. While welcome, this level of private giving only reinforces the deeper truth: philanthropy is being asked to patch holes that were never supposed to exist. And too many communities are falling through. In the wake of dramatic government cuts to nonprofits, Bill Gates, and other billionaires, have ... More pledged $1 billion towards economic mobility programs, including tech training and AI-related workforce initiatives as well as research. (Photo by Dave Thompson - WPA Pool /Getty Images) A Systemic Dismantling—By Design This isn't budget tightening. It's strategic disinvestment. A May 2025 Urban Institute report found that nearly 1 in 3 federally funded nonprofits had already laid off staff or shut down services. The Foundation Center reported that even the top 100 funders could only replace 28% of lost public investment. And it's accelerating. A June DOJ memo floated additional cuts to nonprofits deemed 'ideologically biased'—a clear signal that civil rights, reproductive health, and legal advocacy organizations are next in line. How Nonprofits Can Respond: Five Strategic Imperatives 1. Get Louder, Not Quieter Silence won't protect you. In fact, it's a liability. Nonprofits must function as storytellers, truth-tellers, and public advocates. Expand media strategy. Activate supporters. Speak up before others rewrite your story. This isn't just about being seen—it's about being trusted. 2. Don't Just Diversify Funding—Insulate It Funding diversity is no longer enough. Nonprofits must build insulation from political volatility. That means cultivating unrestricted gifts, long-term philanthropic partners, earned income, and community-aligned donors. Build reserves. Think like an institution, not a startup. 3. Invest in Institutional Power Stop playing small. Nonprofits are essential infrastructure. Strengthen boards. Grow policy capacity. Upgrade tech. Train future leaders. Organizations that endure won't be the loudest—they'll be the most prepared. 4. Reclaim the Middle Polarization is a trap. Nonprofits must reclaim their role as civic connectors—trusted, nonpartisan conveners who serve all communities. This is not about neutrality. It's about moral clarity and public trust. 5. Radical Transparency Is Protection In an era of politicized audits and online disinformation, transparency is armor. Publicly share your funding, partners, governance, and outcomes. Make it harder for bad actors to distort your mission—and easier for allies to defend it. What's at Stake—and What Must Happen Now This is no longer about nonprofit viability. It's about the unraveling of the public good. When government abandons its role in education, health, journalism, diplomacy, and the arts, the institutions that sustain civic life begin to vanish. Foundations cannot replace public infrastructure. Nor should they be asked to. What's needed is not just more giving—but more organizing. Not just more funders—but more resistance. Not just survival—but a defense of civil society itself. Support the nonprofits under siege. Contact your representative. Don't wait until they're gone.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Liberal billionaire Laurene Powell Jobs hosts activists, media execs for 2024 election failure summit: report
Laurene Powell Jobs, the billionaire owner of The Atlantic, hosted "activists and left-leaning media members" last week to discuss "how the left's well-funded digital media ecosystem failed in the 2024 election," according to a new report. "After months of licking their wounds and reflecting on how they lost the internet, Democratic strategists and politically-aligned digital creators are privately planning their next steps," Semafor's Max Tani wrote, citing "three people with knowledge of the event." Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple visionary Steve Jobs and one of the wealthiest people on earth, owns the Emerson Collective, which purchased a majority of The Atlantic in 2017. Last year, The New York Times reported that she is one of former Vice President Kamala Harris' "most essential confidantes." Kamala Harris' Billionaire Friend Laurene Powell Jobs Owns Liberal Mag Behind 'Widely Disputed' Trump Report Tara McGowan, whose Courier Newsroom has long been tied to a multibillion-dollar left-wing dark money operation and often runs "news stories" that appear to be little more than Democratic Party talking points, briefed participants. So did executives at Crooked Media, a company founded by former Obama administration staffers, according to Semafor. "The summit was also an opportunity to connect several of the party's prominent financial supporters with some of the liberal media organizations that are positioning themselves as vessels to help liberals regain digital ground they've lost to the right in recent years," Tani wrote. Read On The Fox News App State and Local Political Affairs for Emerson Collective director Ben Wessel, Catalis executive Laura Quinn and Soros Fund Management investor Michael Del Nin were also reportedly in attendance. "Democrats have been on a monthslong party-wide effort to figure out how to regain credibility in digital, or at least develop their own network of friendly pundits and creators outside legacy media who can effectively deliver their message," Tani wrote. "In the months since the election, Democrats have been beating themselves up over how they went from online dominance in the Obama era to playing catch-up; the online right is resurgent, especially in the podcast space, where many Americans now get their information and news," he added. "The initial shock of the presidential loss has been heightened by other frustrations among Democrats at their party's superficially slow and unsatisfying response to Trump and Musk's shock-and awe-changes to the federal government." Liberal, Dark-money-funded Courier Newsroom Targets Battleground States' Voters With Democratic Talking Points Billed As News The Atlantic did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Powell Jobs, who was married to Steve Jobs from 1991 until his death in 2011 and paid roughly $70 million for the most expensive home in San Francisco last year, opened her wallet to unsuccessfully help elect Harris while urging others to do the same. Fortune also put a recent spotlight on the close friendship between Powell Jobs and Harris last year with a piece that called the Atlantic honcho one of the vice president's "biggest bankrollers." Powell Jobs has openly donated to a plethora of high-profile Democrats over the years, including Chuck Schumer, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Barbara Boxer, Andrew Cuomo, Gavin Newsom, Beto O'Rourke, Kirsten Gillibrand, Tammy Duckworth, Dianne Feinstein, Elizabeth Warren, Kathleen Hochul, Cory Booker, Andrew Gillum, Adam Schiff and Nancy Pelosi, in addition to Harris, and groups such as Planned Parenthood, according to Open article source: Liberal billionaire Laurene Powell Jobs hosts activists, media execs for 2024 election failure summit: report
Fox News
17-02-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Liberal billionaire Laurene Powell Jobs hosts activists, media execs for 2024 election failure summit: report
Laurene Powell Jobs, the billionaire owner of The Atlantic, hosted "activists and left-leaning media members" last week to discuss "how the left's well-funded digital media ecosystem failed in the 2024 election," according to a new report. "After months of licking their wounds and reflecting on how they lost the internet, Democratic strategists and politically-aligned digital creators are privately planning their next steps," Semafor's Max Tani wrote, citing "three people with knowledge of the event." Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple visionary Steve Jobs and one of the wealthiest people on earth, owns the Emerson Collective, which purchased a majority of The Atlantic in 2017. Last year, The New York Times reported that she is one of former Vice President Kamala Harris' "most essential confidantes." Tara McGowan, whose Courier Newsroom has long been tied to a multibillion-dollar left-wing dark money operation and often runs "news stories" that appear to be little more than Democratic Party talking points, briefed participants. So did executives at Crooked Media, a company founded by former Obama administration staffers, according to Semafor. "The summit was also an opportunity to connect several of the party's prominent financial supporters with some of the liberal media organizations that are positioning themselves as vessels to help liberals regain digital ground they've lost to the right in recent years," Tani wrote. State and Local Political Affairs for Emerson Collective director Ben Wessel, Catalis executive Laura Quinn and Soros Fund Management investor Michael Del Nin were also reportedly in attendance. "Democrats have been on a monthslong party-wide effort to figure out how to regain credibility in digital, or at least develop their own network of friendly pundits and creators outside legacy media who can effectively deliver their message," Tani wrote. "In the months since the election, Democrats have been beating themselves up over how they went from online dominance in the Obama era to playing catch-up; the online right is resurgent, especially in the podcast space, where many Americans now get their information and news," he added. "The initial shock of the presidential loss has been heightened by other frustrations among Democrats at their party's superficially slow and unsatisfying response to Trump and Musk's shock-and awe-changes to the federal government." The Atlantic did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Powell Jobs, who was married to Steve Jobs from 1991 until his death in 2011 and paid roughly $70 million for the most expensive home in San Francisco last year, opened her wallet to unsuccessfully help elect Harris while urging others to do the same. Fortune also put a recent spotlight on the close friendship between Powell Jobs and Harris last year with a piece that called the Atlantic honcho one of the vice president's "biggest bankrollers." Powell Jobs has openly donated to a plethora of high-profile Democrats over the years, including Chuck Schumer, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Barbara Boxer, Andrew Cuomo, Gavin Newsom, Beto O'Rourke, Kirsten Gillibrand, Tammy Duckworth, Dianne Feinstein, Elizabeth Warren, Kathleen Hochul, Cory Booker, Andrew Gillum, Adam Schiff and Nancy Pelosi, in addition to Harris, and groups such as Planned Parenthood, according to Open Secrets.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Democrats, influencers huddle for a new new media strategy
After months of licking their wounds and reflecting on how they lost the internet, Democratic strategists and politically-aligned digital creators are privately planning their next steps. Last week, Democratic operatives gathered at the Wharf in Washington, DC, at the offices of Laurene Powell Jobs' investment company, Emerson Collective. According to three people with knowledge of the event, the activists and left-leaning media members were in town for a private meeting to discuss how the left's well-funded digital media ecosystem failed in the 2024 election. The conference featured hourlong seminars on how to improve short and long form video, which included briefings from Courier Newsroom's Tara McGowan and executives at Crooked Media, and how to better collaborate with influencers to push progressive messages out. The summit was also an opportunity to connect several of the party's prominent financial supporters with some of the liberal media organizations that are positioning themselves as vessels to help liberals regain digital ground they've lost to the right in recent years. In the room were Ben Wessel, the director of State and Local Political Affairs for Emerson Collective and Laura Quinn, an executive with the liberal firm Catalist who often advises liberal donors on how to spend their money in progressive media. Michael Del Nin, Soros Fund Management's leading investor, was also in attendance to talk about strategies around acquiring media companies. Peter Murray also spoke to the group about strategic media opportunities; his organization, Accelerate Change, bought Now This from Vox in 2023, and pivoted it into a more explicitly partisan influencer-driven short-form video company. In the wake of their second loss to Donald Trump and the more explicit alignment between the president and the most popular podcasts in the country, Democrats have been on a monthslong party-wide effort to figure out how to regain credibility in digital, or at least develop their own network of friendly pundits and creators outside legacy media who can effectively deliver their message. The private event at the Wharf was one of several efforts in recent days to shore up Democrats' digital strategies post-inauguration. Earlier this week, dozens of lawmakers from the House and Senate Democratic caucuses participated in private briefings with Brian Tyler Cohen, a political influencer and the co-founder of Chorus, a Democratic digital group. The briefings laid out what Cohen described to Semafor as tips to help Democratic members better get their messages out on new media platforms. He presented the members with do's and don'ts for short-form video and text, encouraging them to vastly increase the frequency of their posts and not overly workshop their online content. To make his point, Cohen noted that Elon Musk had posted or retweeted hundreds of posts that week alone. Cohen pointed to positive examples of congressional Democratic content that had performed well and resonated, such as a recent post in which Sen. Tim Kaine pushed back on Trump's claims about how diversity efforts impacted air traffic safety. He also recommended a particular type of small microphone popular with online content creators that members and their staff should have for whenever they decide to post. In the months since the election, Cohen's group, Chorus, has repositioned itself and set up a digital quasi-assignment desk, where lawmakers on Capitol Hill and prominent Democrats elsewhere can connect directly on the backend with creators to facilitate one-on-one interviews or otherwise get their message out. Cohen told Semafor that after his briefing with Senate Democrats, several members, including Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, created new accounts on Threads and Bluesky and began connecting directly with nontraditional digital creators for livestreams and interviews intended to be cut into short-form video. 'A lot of these members of Congress understand the moment that we're in,' Cohen told Semafor. 'They're recognizing where we are and are very quick to embrace the fact that you have a solution to fixing it. We've had a number of electeds meet with creators. That's to their credit — they're kind of learning the lessons that this election cycle taught us.' In the months since the election, Democrats have been beating themselves up over how they went from online dominance in the Obama era to playing catch-up; the online right is resurgent, especially in the podcast space, where many Americans now get their information and news. The initial shock of the presidential loss has been heightened by other frustrations among Democrats at their party's superficially slow and unsatisfying response to Trump and Musk's shock-and awe-changes to the federal government. Embarrassing visuals of older lawmakers who seem unable to effectively take the fight to the new administration online have gone viral and prompted dismay from prominent members of the party. Rising cable television ratings on MSNBC — and increasing online web traffic and subscriber numbers among explicitly anti-Trump outlets — show there is clearly a growing interest in oppositional media. But it remains to be seen whether efforts by Democratic online partisans will be able to alter the playing field in a meaningful way. As Red Seat Ventures co-founder Chris Balfe told me in an interview this week, the online conservative media ecosystem is strong because it spent years developing an anti-establishment model sustained by strong audience interest, not propped up by one party as its political messaging arm. Some of the Democratic political operatives gathered at the Wharf are the same players who operated with large budgets to spend on digital newsrooms and creators during recent election cycles — without much clear return on their donors' big dollar investments. And the concepts the meeting addressed aren't necessarily new: Democrats explicitly reached out to influencers and creators as part of their 2024 strategy, at times to the frustration of legacy media. But if these efforts moved the needle, it clearly was not at the presidential level. Still, some national Democrats clearly understand that even if helping to prop up a media ecosystem like the one on the right will take time, they need to update their own communication styles in the meantime. In recent weeks, Democratic senators and prominent members of Congress have begun appearing on random niche Twitch gaming streams to criticize Musk and have been churning out multiple TikTok-friendly front-facing vertical videos a week about the new administration. The Democratic National Committee chair race included pledges from the various candidates about supporting explicitly Democratic partisan media, and included a candidate forum moderated by influencers at Chorus. Kamala Harris' former digital chief to Semafor last year that online messaging issues were symptomatic of a deeper cultural deficit that Democrats accrued in recent years.
