Bridging the Sector – March 13, 2025
This weekly newsletter is your connection to vital information and resources for navigating local, state, and federal government developments that affect the Northeast Florida nonprofit sector. By curating resources from trusted organizations, you’ll be connected to the reliable information you need to make informed decisions for your organization and the communities you serve.
| Calls to Action: |
| Executive Actions Impact Survey: In the early days of his administration, President Trump issued dozens of Executive Orders with wide-ranging effects. Florida Nonprofit Alliance (FNA) and the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida invite nonprofits to share the impacts of these executive actions on their work. COMPLETE SURVEY | COJ Efficiency Discussion: Update & Planning | March 17, 12-1PM Join us for a convening of local leaders as we discuss ongoing budgetary efficiency conversations at the City of Jacksonville. This virtual meeting is free and open to Nonprofit Center members. REGISTER HERE |
| Federal Resources |
| Nonprofit Quarterly | Resiliency Strategies for Nonprofits in Times of Political and Financial Instability Nonprofits can—and should—apply proven resiliency strategies to navigate an increasingly volatile environment. Recent crises have sharpened these strategies, demonstrating how nonprofits can sustain operations, innovate under pressure, and withstand existential threats. READ HERE |
| NASFAA | Executive Order Threatens to End Student Loan Relief for Workers at Certain Nonprofits President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order directing the Department of Education (ED) to make changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and rescind eligibility from organizations engaged in “illegal activities.” READ HERE | National Council of Nonprofits | General FAQs on Executive Actions Impacting Nonprofits After collecting pressing concerns of nonprofits across the country in webinars and through their survey on the observed and expected impacts of the recent executive orders and actions, NCN has compiled a document with frequently asked questions that they will be updating consistently. READ HERE |
| Center for Effective Philanthropy | How U.S. Nonprofit Leaders are Experiencing the Political Context This Research Snapshot examines how nonprofits are experiencing the rapid shifts in policy and the current U.S. political climate under a new presidential administration. Drawing on responses from 585 nonprofit leaders collected from February 3 to 21, 2025, the report highlights nonprofit leaders’ most pressing concerns with the political climate and what they would find most helpful from their foundation funders. READ HERE |
| State Resources |
| Nonprofits & ICE Guidance This guidance is intended to provide basic information regarding the rights and obligations of nonprofit organizations in the event an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent comes to your place of business. Much of this guidance reflects rights grounded in the United States Constitution, and in particular judicial decisions interpreting the Fourth Amendment, which are largely settled and unlikely to change significantly. This memorandum is meant to provide general information only, not legal advice. If you have any questions about this guide, or if your organization is contacted by any law enforcement officer, please contact an attorney. ACCESS HERE | Florida Policy Institute | Floridians in Every County Rely on Safety Net Programs That Are at Risk in Federal Budget Negotiations This tool shows how many residents in each of Florida’s counties benefit from Marketplace Advance Premium Tax Credits (sometimes called Obamacare), SNAP, Medicaid, and free- and reduced-price school meals. All four of these vital programs are at risk for cuts, which would have wide-reaching impacts in communities across the Sunshine State. READ HERE |
| Florida Nonprofit Alliance | March Policy Call – March 27, 4PM FNA’s lobbyists will be on hand to share how the beginning of session is going, updates on FNA priority legislation, what we know about the state budget, and more. ACCESS HERE |
| Local Resources |
| City Council Meeting: DOGE efforts on a local level | March 18, 12PM Council Member Ron Salem will hold a noticed meeting on Tuesday, March 18th 2025 from 12:30 – 1:45 pm in the Lynwood Roberts Room, located at 117 West Duval Street, 1st floor, City Hall St. James Building. The purpose of this meeting is to continue to discuss DOGE efforts on a local level. All interested parties are invited to attend. Please arrive no later than 11:30AM to secure a seat. CLICK HERE |
| Resources for Funders |
| Grantmakers for Effective Organizations | Advocacy as a Strategy: How Funders Can Drive Change One way funders extend their impact is through advocacy. By amplifying community voices, addressing systemic barriers, and supporting policies that enable change, funders help create conditions for long-term progress. Yet, many hesitate, often confusing advocacy with lobbying. In reality, advocacy is much broader—it includes convening grantees, meeting with policymakers, raising awareness, and shaping public discourse. When used strategically, advocacy strengthens the very systems that influence people’s lives, ensuring that community-driven solutions can take root and thrive. READ MORE |
| Additional Resources |
| Candid | Nonprofit survival strategies: Strengthening mutual support, ruthless prioritization U.S. nonprofits are struggling to navigate this period of uncertainty and instability, facing heightened federal scrutiny to threats to their funding. Some organizations may go offline unexpectedly—because they’ve lost staff, data, funding, or other resources. How can the sector work to create stability and continuity? Here are some ideas on nonprofit survival strategies. READ HERE | Nonprofit Finance Fund | Nonprofit Budgeting Scenario Planning Tool Building realistic budgeting scenarios helps management and leadership quantify the “what-ifs” when responding to unpredictable situations, giving organizations a chance to be thoughtful about big decisions that may need to be made quickly and under pressure. This budgeting scenario tool can help your organization consider up to two scenarios beyond your current budget. READ HERE |
| Center for Community Investment | Clearing the Table to Move Forward: A System Tool for Strategy Triage As leaders, we’re often caught between two pulls: the need to respond to immediate demands and the responsibility to hold steady to our long-term commitments. But in times of significant change, creating space isn’t about stepping back—it’s about making room for clarity and care so we can move forward with integrity. The Strategy Triage Tool helps clients navigate the unprecedented challenges of carrying out their work given the uncertainty and disruption. READ HERE |
| Nonprofit Center Events & Resources |
| The Nonprofit Center is committed to developing and delivering programming and resources that help organizations strengthen their infrastructure and sustain their impact. To see a full list of our programs and resources visit our website at www.nonprofitctr.org. CEO Confidential | March 20, 9AM Sector Connect | March 26, 11AM Board Roles & Responsibilities | April 2, 12PM Resources for Scenario Planning & Disaster Preparedness Nonprofit Center Advocacy Center |