America’s richest foundations team up against feared Trump assault

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🗞️ Driving the news: Some of the most influential philanthropic foundations in the United States — including the Ford Foundation, the Gates Foundation, and the Charles Koch Foundation — are quietly coordinating strategies to safeguard their tax-exempt status amid concerns over potential political targeting by a future Trump administration
• Their efforts reflect growing unease over alignment between Trump’s executive agenda and the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 blueprint, which outlines sweeping conservative reforms

🔭 The context: Project 2025 calls for reasserting presidential control over the federal bureaucracy and scrutinizing entities perceived as advancing progressive causes, including universities, law firms, and nonprofits
• Though Trump has publicly distanced himself from the project, many of his recent executive orders and policy positions align with its recommendations
• Foundations fear being drawn into broader ideological battles, especially as recent political actions have already led to intensified oversight of academic and civil society institutions

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Philanthropic foundations are vital to global sustainability efforts — funding climate research, social equity programs, and clean energy innovation
• Undermining their independence or tax-exempt status could severely curtail civil society’s capacity to address environmental challenges and advance long-term resilience initiatives
• It also risks chilling philanthropic support for contested or forward-looking climate agendas

⏭️ What's next: Foundation leaders are considering coordinated legal strategies and public advocacy to preempt regulatory attacks
• Some are pursuing early engagement with legal counsel to prepare for litigation or policy pushback
• A broader alignment among civil society actors may emerge

💬 One quote: “There’s a real fear that philanthropy could be the next target — regardless of political leaning,” — a senior executive at a major foundation involved in the discussions

📈 One stat: More than half of Trump’s executive orders to date align with recommendations from Project 2025, according to policy trackers

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