Leading Boldly
Resources to Support You in the Wake of Executive Actions Impacting Our Sector & Our Communities
Timeline of Developments
- On May 2, the White House unveiled the president’s 2026 budget plan, which includes significant cuts to essential programs. Under the plan, the Housing and Urban Development Department would receive a $33.6 billion cut, the Health and Human Services Department would receive $33.3 trillion less, and the Education Department’s spending would be reduced by $12 billion. Read More.
- On April 25, DOGE ordered the AmeriCorps agency to terminate more than $400 million in grant funding, impacting over 1,000 nonprofit and community organizations and prematurely ending the service of over 32,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers. Michigan will lose over 1,200 AmeriCorps members, leaving local communities and neighbors without vital support. America’s Service Commissions is sharing a statement in response to the AmeriCorps agency staff reductions and AmeriCorps’ National Civilian Community Corps demobilization. Read more.
- On April 23, Trump signed several executive orders, targeting universities that he views as liberal adversaries to his political agenda. One order called for harder enforcement of a federal law requiring colleges to disclose their financial ties with foreign sources, while another called for a shakeup of the accrediting bodies that decide whether colleges can accept federal financial aid awarded to students. Trump also ordered the Education Department to root out efforts to ensure equity in discipline in the nation’s K-12 schools. Read more.
- On April 21, Harvard University announced it filed suit to halt a federal freeze on more than $2.2 billion in grants after the institution said it would defy the Trump administration’s demands to limit activism on campus. In an April 11 letter to Harvard, the Trump administration had called for broad government and leadership reforms at the university and changes to its admissions policies. It also demanded the university audit views of diversity on campus and stop recognizing some student clubs. Read more.
Previous Legal Updates & News
- Ongoing: EEOC Guidance on DEI Executive Order: "Illegal DEIA" Still Undefined • United Philanthropy Forum
- March 20: Executive Order instructing the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education • The White House
- March 18: DEI in Flux: Fourth Circuit's Decision Resuscitates DEI Executive Orders • Holland & Knight
- February 25: Federal Funding Freeze Litigation News • National Council of Nonprofits
- January 27: Federal Funding Freeze Original Memo • Office of Management and Budget