Government Affairs Digest: What Nonprofits Need to Know (Part 7)
March 12, 2025 - This content will be updated as developments unfold.
Latest Developments:
The USDA Cuts Funding: On Monday, March 10, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced cuts of over $1 billion in funding for two key programs aimed at supporting schools and food banks. The $660 million Local Food for Schools program, which helps schools buy food from local farms, and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program, which would have funded $500 million to support food banks, are both being discontinued for 2025. This move comes amid ongoing trade tensions and economic difficulties faced by U.S. farmers and food organizations.
Nonprofits Continue to Respond: Numerous groups have filed lawsuits over funding freezes and sudden changes to regulations.
Judge orders Trump administration to speed payment of USAID and State Dept. debts | AP News
Environmental NGO sues Trump's EPA, Citibank over funding freeze | Reuters
Obama's top Supreme Court lawyer files lawsuit over Trump funding freeze | Reuters
Potential Government Shutdown: On Tuesday, March 11th, the House passed a bill to fund the government through September 30 and avert a shutdown at the end of the week. The bill passed the House 217-213, with only one Democrat voting in favor. The Senate has until the end of the day Friday, March 14th, to vote on the CR (Continuing Resolution). Senate Republicans control 53 seats and would need at least eight Democratic votes to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster and pass the CR.
Read: Potential government shutdown approaches as March 14 deadline looms. Here's what to know. - CBS News
Read: The Uphill Battle: Nonprofits Fighting to Keep Our Neighbors Housed - SaportaReport
For our DC-based clients: The CR passed by the House would lead to an immediate $1B cut to the FY25 DC budget, including significant cuts to DC public schools, MPD, Fire and Emergency Medical Services, WMATA, DHS, and more.
Read: DC braces for $1 billion budget cut after House ignores spending bill plea
Action: The Senate could vote on the bill as soon as Wednesday night. Call the Senate today and every day until the vote using this script and list of priority legislators.
Further Reading:
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Actions to Take:
Having Difficult Conversations: Tools for Talking about Tough Topics with Your Team or Board
Active listening keeps both the speaker and listener fully engaged by fostering understanding, response, and retention. You can employ these techniques to communicate effectively about any topic, but especially when navigating challenging issues.
Active Listening in Action
Observe: Pay attention to body language & behavior.
Engage: Use visual cues (nodding, eye contact) & ask clarifying questions.
Minimize Distractions: Silence notifications & avoid interruptions.
Stay Open-Minded: Focus on making the speaker feel heard, not on judging or responding.
Verify Understanding: Reflect and confirm key takeaways.
Be Ready: Keep your active listening skills sharp for all coaching moments.
The 6 Core Active Listening Techniques
Pay Attention – Give full focus to the speaker.
Withhold Judgment – Listen without jumping to conclusions.
Reflect – Repeat and paraphrase to ensure understanding.
Clarify – Ask questions to deepen comprehension.
Summarize – Restate key points for alignment.
Share – Offer thoughtful insights when appropriate.
Work to build a listening culture that is followed by action. Strong active listening builds trust, fosters open communication, and creates a supportive coaching environment for nonprofit leaders and their teams.
*Summarized from Communicating in a Crisis: What, When, and How - Center for Creative Leadership
Resources:
The Legal Landscape and Path Ahead for Nonprofits and Philanthropy
National Council of Nonprofits
Monday, March 17 at 3:00 pm Eastern
Uncharted: Navigating the New Federal Landscape
The Southern Economic Advancement Project’s monthly webinar series
Thursday, March 20th at 1pm EST
Speakers include Bernie Kluger, Former Senior Advisor for Management at USDA
Updated Resources from National Council of Nonprofits
