Nonprofit funding under threat by actions from the Trump Administration

 Reporting in Crain's Chicago Business, "Nonprofits turn to donors after shock of Trump federal grant freeze," reminds me of my writings about incorporating into organizational planning scenarios for exogenous changes in conditions.  From the article:

The Trump administration’s freeze on federal grants sent a shudder through nonprofits. Now the sector will look to donors and foundations to help shore up finances in the short term as they face an uncertain future.

“Trump's directives are a) reminder to all nonprofits not to be overly reliant on any single funder — be that the government or a big donor — because just as you're receiving that money, that money can suddenly go away,” says Bill Stanczykiewicz, director of The Fund Raising School at Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Stanczykiewicz says nonprofits should now be reaching out to donors to remind them of the financial uncertainty they face, “explain to them what the situation is and why it's important to help now.”

Chicago-area nonprofits are already heeding that advice. WBEZ, an affiliate of NPR, sent out an email to subscribers explaining its financial precarity. P33, the civic-corporate partnership aimed at boosting the city's tech fortunes, made a similar plea in a recent email.

That writing was spurred by parks specifically, and how during federal shutdowns, national parks close, and these parks are often fundamental economic drivers for local communities.  The National Park Service does have a system where localities can pay for parks to be open during shutdowns, but you have to be prepared in order to do so.

Similarly, in recessions, state governments will close parks or rest stops, and the local community often doesn't have plans in place to be able to address the action in a timely fashion.

Local and state government planning doesn't like to make recommendations to higher ups.  In other words, when I said during my Baltimore County bike planning gig that we needed to make recommendations about state policy, my boss demurred, because "we don't have authority over them."  My counter was, if they don't hear what the problems are, they won't respond.

So I recommend local parks plans have recommendations for state, federal and other parks within their jurisdiction, if only to put these recommendations on record, and to represent the interests of local residents.  Similarly, parking plans for jurisdictions should acknowledge private parking resources, and recreation plans should at least survey and touch on the element of private sector provision of facilities and programs.

The Trump Administration takes this to a whole new level.  First, it isn't afraid to try illegal actions, like the recent funding freeze ("What does Trump's federal funding freeze mean for people who get aid?," CBS), later countermanded by the Courts--the Executive Branch doesn't have this authority.  Second, the House and Senate, Republican-controlled, are not likely to criticize the moves, even though such moves may significantly harm large segments of their constituencies--for example, Medicaid, the low income health insurance program, ended up being frozen as well.

(I'm on Medicaid so I have been paying attention.  And I have no agency, as Utah's elected Republicans are not likely to step up.  The only reason Utah, a very red state, participates in the program which grew out of Obamacare, is because there was a voter referendum.  Otherwise, the state government wouldn't have pursued.  They understand the importance, but health care conflicts with the Republican go it alone zeal-ology. "Medicaid Funding Freeze Would Hurt Trump’s Own Voters," US News).

Another example is US Agency for International Development, which funds aid projects overseas.  The Trump Administration is trying to dissolve the agency, lay off its staff, and stop the grants, even though these actions require Congress approval.

Also see "WA Head Start programs shaken in aftermath of Trump funding freeze," Seattle Times. From the article:

As of Monday, about a quarter of Head Start grant recipients in Washington were locked out of a system they use to collect federal payments in the wake of the Trump administration’s brief but chaotic freeze on federal grants last week. As of early Wednesday morning, one program, on the Olympic Peninsula, still could not access the system, said Joel Ryan, executive director of the Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP, during a virtual news conference U.S. Sen Patty Murray held with other Washington officials. Shortly after the news conference ended, Ryan received word that the Olympic Peninsula program could reenter the payment system.

This is but one example of many from across the country.

Local government funding rescissions for nonprofits can be a threat too.  It's happened in Oakland, California as a result of budget gaps ("Oakland nonprofits lose critical funding amid city’s budget woes: ‘We are blindsided’," San Francisco Chronicle).

The changing of Brand America from positive to negative.  During the first Trump Administration, I commented to Simon Anholt, co-author of the book Brand America, which when written he opined it was the strongest brand in the world, that now the brand is:

Can't do.  Won't do.  You do.  Fuck you.

The book was updated in 2010, Brand America: The Making, Unmaking and Remaking of the Greatest National Image of All Time.

It's due for another update, with the focus on "Breaking Brand America."