Nonprofit Leadership
Leading with Purpose. Innovating with Equity.
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** The Past Is Prologue
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January 20, 2026
Dear Readers,
Today marks one year since Donald Trump was sworn into office for the second time. Since then, the nonprofit sector has faced funding freezes, defunding threats, and escalating attempts to silence dissent and criminalize advocacy.
But here’s what authoritarians have always underestimated: the power of people who refuse to stand down. The sector’s response has shown that organized commitment to justice doesn’t break under pressure. How we resource this work—and the people doing it—will shape out capacity for the inevitable fights ahead.
In this issue, we’re introducing a new column from Protect Democracy, In Defense of Civil Society ([link removed]) , which reflects on this difficult year and charts a path forward. We’re also sharing articles that address sustaining frontline work—because defending democracy requires more than courage. It demands sustainable infrastructure, resources that honor the full humanity of those doing the work, and a commitment to collective care that extends far beyond crisis response.
In solidarity,
Coty Poynter
Managing Editor
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** Must-Read Articles
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Holding the Line: Civil Society and the First Year of the Trump Administration
by Ellinor Heywood and Genevieve Nadeau
“Nonprofits and other parts of civil society haven’t just been casualties of this agenda. We’ve been targets.”
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Three Emerging Strategies for Renewing Democracy
by Josh Lerner
“No single innovation will address the root causes of democratic backsliding on its own.…The only solution is many solutions, connected together.”
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S.O.S.—Nonprofits Need Funding for “Staff Operating Support”
by Rusty Stahl
“The second Trump administration is definitely not ignoring the power of the nonprofit workforce.”
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The Danger ICE Poses to the Disabled Community
by Alison Stine
“It has been estimated that half of the people killed by law enforcement officers are disabled.”
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Not One Drop: How an Arizona Community Came Together to Fight a Data Center
by Maria Renée
“[Amazon’s involvement] raised serious concerns due to the clear connection between AWS and…ICE’s growing forces of surveillance, deportation, and incarceration.”
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** Check out our upcoming webinars.
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Nonprofit Leadership offers timely civic news, equity-centered insights, and innovative frameworks for leaders building a just and thriving civil society. This newsletter delivers field wisdom, leadership strategies, and practical tools to help you lead with intention and create sustainable impact in your organization and community.
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