Collaborating for Change

For many, the beginning of the year 2025 marked profound change and uncertainty. Unfortunately, this period has upset and damaged millions of Americans, as evident by the recent No Kings protests where millions joined together to advocate for the protection of their people.  

Often, nonprofits take on the roles of protecting certain populations, whether it be for those affected by climate change, lack of education, domestic violence, or human trafficking. Today, however, this period of change and uncertainty limits the resources and abilities of nonprofits to carry out their purpose. Like those who participated in the No Kings protest, nonprofits based in America must also work together to raise awareness for their cause and ensure the safety of their communities. 

Nonprofits, whether they be institutions of higher education or small organizations that support a variety of causes, have been threatened by cuts in federal funding. Supports of these reductions claim that nonprofits contribute to government waste and are corrupted by left-wing causes (Bryant, 2025). Recent actions taken by the Trump administration include issuing an executive order asserting direct political control over grant funding and proposing base non-defense discretionary budget at 22.6% below current-year spending (Ruhnke, 2025).  

The result of these funding reductions, cancellations, and freezes is the suspension of programs and firing of staff designed to help people. A report by the Urban Institute found that “nonprofits that reported experiencing government funding disruptions had a less positive staffing outlook in the first four to six months of 2025 compared with 2024 and were more likely to report decreasing their total number of programs, program locations, and people served” (Tomasko et al. 2025).  

While more threats are being made to nonprofits, many of these are either not yet in effect or are being challenged in court. However, not all challenges have been successful, and many need support. For more information on executive orders affecting nonprofits, click here. 

News outlets have described these efforts nonprofits have taken in response to dangers and critiques posed by the United States’s current administration. These dangers are especially relevant to left-leaning organizations. As Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, explains:  

“When the White House or other government agencies, like the IRS, target non-profits for political reasons, it forces these orgs to spend their resources – staff focus, time, money – responding to attacks, instead of working towards their missions, and it threatens all the work they do.” 

Attacks for other reasons exist, such as controversies surrounding illegitimate nonprofits that have used their funds and resources for harmful, selfish reasons. As such, public distrust is understandable. However, there are steps you can take to verify a nonprofit’s legitimacy. Some ways to start include using the search tool on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website (available here), or reading the organization’s own website for financial transparencies, impact reports, and contact information.   

Because Organization, for example, takes careful measures to report accurate statistics of their impact, ranging from reported forms of trafficking, services provided and referred, contact methods, and demographics of survivors. Regardless of where a case may fall in these categories, Because makes every effort to ensure that every need is met.  

To protect the missions of nonprofits, they—we—must collaborate. Below are some methods of collaboration to take, though the list is not complete and welcomes creative additions.  

• Conducting outreach events with institutions that are pillars of their communities 

  • Educational programming with crucial, permanent parts of the community (for example, schools or law enforcement) creates a durable network of informed allies that positions communities to combat and avoid human trafficking 

• Having survivors work and directly communicate with trauma-informed caregivers and/or other survivors to best appreciate their sensitives  

  • Ensuring that survivors are always safe and as stress-free as possible while navigating the path back to comfortable lives 

• Joint briefings and livestreams on social media to educate and advocate  

  • Prioritize information about resources for at-risk populations, their caregivers, and the public in general 

  • Publicly demand for policymakers and/or courts to protect victims and survivors and hold perpetrators accountable 

• Outreach and running educational prevention programming  

  • Speakers and other outreach programs at schools  

  • Collaborating with local businesses, legislators, and other organizations 

• Communicating with hospitals and other medical professionals 

  • Provide medical treatment, therapy and/or counseling, and other forms of restorative care for survivors 

    
    

Anyone, anywhere, can help further the good work nonprofits are proven to pursue. One upcoming and easily accessible example is a virtual Walk/Run event, organized by Because, to advocate for the protection of victims of human trafficking.  

By donating $35, $45, or $55 and walking or running a 5K, 10K, or 15K, participants can help Because raise funds for survivor safe housing and support. The event lasts from October 26 to November 9, 2025. To register and learn more, click here.  

Walk or run with us—because survivors deserve more. 

References 

Bryant, E. (2025, June 10). Trump’s war on nonprofits will make us all less safe. Vera Institute of Justice. https://www.vera.org/news/trumps-war-on-nonprofits-will-make-us-all-less-safe 

Leingang, R., Noor, D., & Speri, A. (2025, October 17). US non-profits ‘lock arms’ amid Trump’s menacing of George Soros: ‘We will not be intimidated.’ The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/17/george-soros-trump-non-profits 

Ruhnke, A. (2025, October 7). Tracking federal actions impacting the nonprofit sector. Grant Station. https://grantstation.com/gs-insights/tracking-federal-actions-impacting-nonprofit-sector 

Tomasko, L., Martin, H., Fallon, K., Kim, M., Faulk, L., & Boris, E. T. (2025). How Government Funding Disruptions Affected Nonprofits in Early 2025. Urban Institute. https://www.urban.org/research/publication/how-government-funding-disruptions-affected-nonprofits-early-2025#:~:text=A%20third%20of%20nonprofits%20reported%20experiencing%20at%20least%20one%20type,or%20a%20stop%20work%20order). 

Wise, A., Duster, C., & Bowman, E. (2025, October 19). 3 takeaways from Saturday’s No Kings nationwide protests. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2025/10/19/nx-s1-5579042/no-kings-protests-takeaways