(Photo From Deposit Photos)
Nonprofit leaders are not letting their collective guard down after Earth Day came and went without the rumored executive orders from the White House to change how tax-exempt organizations operate.
Leaders had been expecting Executive Orders against environmental and climate organizations, nature groups and diversity, equity, and inclusion organizations, including those that also receive foreign funding, known as an equivalency determination. The topic “climate change” was also rumored to be removed as a charitable topic by the Internal Revenue Service.
Asked about the possible Executive Orders, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told a room full of reporters she needed to check with the policy team. An administration official later told the online media outlet Politico, “No such orders are being drafted or considered at this time.”
That flies in the face of President Donald J. Trump saying during a recent press opportunity at the White House that ethics watchdog organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics might be targeted. “It’s supposed to be a charitable organization,” Trump said about CREW. “The only charity they had is going after Donald Trump. So, we’re looking at that. We’re looking at a lot of things.”
Trump has referred to tax-exempt status as a benefit. “Tax exempt status, I mean, it’s a privilege. It’s really a privilege, and it’s been abused by a lot more than Harvard,” multiple news sources have quoted Trump as saying. “We’ll be making some statements. It’s a big deal.” Trump issued an executive order demanding Harvard University change operations or lose billions of dollars in federal grants and contracts. Harvard officials have declined and sued.
Nonprofit executives remain on alert. “We live to fight another day,” said one executive of the lack of an Executive Order.
“The president is seeking to win through intimidation and targeting what he can’t win fair and square in the public square or in court,” said Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, which has successfully sued the Trump Administration to unfreeze federal funds for nonprofits. “He wants to chill the work of civil society groups and nonprofits across the nation.”
“The important thing, really, is that what we see is that civil society is strong, and the American people are not tolerating this,” said Perryman. “The American people, I think, have shown they are up to the task, and they are not going to allow this administration’s intimidation to stop the work of civil society.”
An example of citizen action is the recent “50501” events across the nation – 50 protests, 50 states, one movement. There have been four events which have drawn millions of people to the streets to protest. “Unfortunately, this is something we have been anticipating. Like many Executive Orders we’ve seen, he’s using justice as a guise to enable his personal interpretation under law,” said Kay Evert, co-founder and executive director of NoVoiceUnheard, which launched the “50501” events. “None of us started because life was good and easy. We act with what’s available and find solutions to overcome the struggles we all so vigorously focus on.”
Nonprofits are working together attempting to blunt what is expected, even though the White House seemed to blink when the specter of attacking climate and environment nonprofits on Earth Day would not look good. The White House released a statement titled “On Earth Day, We Finally Have A President Who Follows Science.”
“We are waiting to see which orders come out when. There are rumors that there will be more than climate-related Executive Orders coming down,” said Rick Cohen, chief communications officer and chief operating officer of the National Council of Nonprofits. “We are preparing for a number of scenarios.”
Earthjustice has more than 200 full-time lawyers. A spokesperson for Earthjustice told The NonProfit Times, “We’ve been working to keep track of the ongoing developments about this. Right now, we have nothing to comment on until we see any actual Executive Order,” Miranda Fox, public affairs and communications strategist at Earthjustice, said via email.
“We’re not going to let the new Trump administration drag us back 55 years to a world of contaminated drinking water, smog-filled cities, and toxic waste in neighborhoods,” according to a statement on the Earthjustice website. “Earthjustice goes to court to fight for the wild spaces we love, the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the future of life itself.”
Leaders at the Natural Resources Defense Council are waiting for the possible Executive Orders and planning. “We have heard the rumors and seen the coverage, but until we see the EO, we don’t really know what we are reacting to. We will have a statement quickly after seeing the EO, but do not have anything to share on the record at the moment,” Josh Mogerman, senior director of media at the National Resources Defense Council said via email.
Several nonprofit officials contacted by The NonProfit Times spoke on background until the Executive Order or Executive Orders are announced or permanently squashed. “This is the most significant direct assault on the nonprofit sector we have ever seen,” said one executive.
The executives, several with knowledge of the some off the language in the anticipated executive orders and others speculating, said foundations with an international bent such as the Gates Foundation, started by technology entrepreneurs Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, and the Open Society Foundations, backed by investor and philanthropist George Soros, are expected to be targeted.
Just short of 400 (394) foundations have signed onto a statement on the protection of philanthropy. It reads: “Everyone — wherever we’re from or whatever our point of view — wants to live in a nation that upholds the fundamental rights and liberties we all deserve and need to thrive.
“As charitable giving organizations – private and family foundations, community foundations, corporate foundations, and more – we contribute to communities in every corner of America. Together, we support new parents and elders, veterans and school children, hospitals and libraries, churches and food kitchens, artists and researchers, throughout rural, suburban, and urban communities in every state and territory. Yet in this moment, we face the threat of governmental attacks on our ability to carry out this vital mission, when the communities, organizations, and individuals we support need it most.
“We don’t all share the same beliefs or priorities. Neither do our donors or the communities we serve. But as charitable giving institutions, we are united behind our First Amendment right to give as an expression of our own distinct values. Especially in this time of great need, we must have the freedom to direct our resources to a wide variety of important services, issues, and places, to improve lives today and build a stronger future for our country. The health and safety of the American people, our nation’s economic stability, and the vibrancy of our democracy depend on it.”
Officials can sign onto the statement here: https://cof.org/content/sign-help-protect-philanthropys-freedom-give
Additionally, New York state Attorney General Letitia James will be hosting a webinar for nonprofit leaders on Monday, April 28, at 2:00 pm ET. The hour-long webinar, “Helping nonprofits navigate evolving issues in the sector: Meeting the challenges of a changing landscape,” has more than 1,000 registrants already, according to New York-focused online publication The City.
The Council on Foundations, Independent Sector, the National Council of Nonprofits, and United Philanthropy Forum issued a joint statement on threats to civil society and the independence of the charitable sector. It reads: “On behalf of the charitable sector, we oppose the Trump administration’s stated intention to target Harvard University on ideological grounds — and we remind the Internal Revenue Service of its vital role as an independent agency, one that must carry out its responsibilities free from political pressure or influence.
“President Trump has suggested that Harvard University be stripped of its tax-exempt status, and the IRS is reportedly looking into doing so. While the immediate focus may appear to be a single academic institution, the implications of such threats and actions reach far beyond campus walls — striking at the very heart of American civil society.
“Since the nation’s founding, the United States has aspired to be a place where ideas and information can flourish free from government interference.
“This moment is about more than one institution. It is about how thought, knowledge and expression are essential to our freedom and to our national identity, and must be protected.
“Civil society — and the charitable nonprofit sector that gives it form and voice — must remain independent of government influence. A robust civil society cannot survive when political leaders decide which institutions deserve protections based on ideology or political convenience.
“Our democracy depends on a strong, vibrant and independent civil society. Undermining it — for any reason, by any leader — is a threat we cannot and will not ignore.”
An updated chart of previous executive orders can be found here … https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/files/media/documents/2025/chart-executive-orders.pdf
There have been more than 200 lawsuits versus the Trump administration since January 20. They are being tracked by Just Security and can be found here … https://www.justsecurity.org/107087/tracker-litigation-legal-challenges-trump-administration/
There have been at least 90 of court rulings that have paused some of the administration’s initiatives. A list can be found here … https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/us/trump-administration-lawsuits.html
