Now is the Time
My brother called me recently with a thought on his mind. With the Trump Administration on the cusp of taking power, where should I put my resources to protect the things I care about? I am taking this as a prompt as well for a New Year’s resolution about where to put my energy to build the community we need to meet this moment and be prepared. I wanted to share these thoughts here because I think neither I nor my brother are alone in this.
I am starting with the first advice I give everyone exploring or going deeper in their philanthropy—HOW you give is as important as WHAT issues you give to:
Try to find organizations led by or deeply informed by the perspectives of those affected.
Use intermediaries—grant-making organizations (women’s funds, community foundations, giving collaboratives), or “hub” organizations that support connections between local groups, or provide shared infrastructure or resources—as these kinds of entities have a bigger picture view on issues and are working to strengthen the ecosystem of work on any given issue.
You might think about what kind of work inspires you most—direct service? Narrative change (i.e., changing culture)? Policy advocacy? Training next generation leaders?—and give to an organization that focuses in that arena (with the understanding that smaller, locally-led groups often do holistic work that touches on all of these).
Don’t worry about trying to fix everything. Choose your focus and stay with that. The goal is to give to/take action on something that is meaningful to you, as the more deeply connected you feel will, I hope, inspire you to give more money and time, and encourage others to give.
Finally, any organization you care about will benefit most from consistent, long-term support, so if you’re able to make a multi-year commitment to them, please do that!
Of course, there are large national organizations doing absolutely essential work, particularly on the policy front, that are worthy of support and often work on issues that cut across all those listed below. The ACLU is, in my opinion, the most crucial of these, and will undoubtedly play a leading role in holding the line against the Trump Administration in the courts. But knowing that they and other national, high-profile organizations have an easier time securing support than smaller groups, I suggest seeking out some of the smaller entities and/or funding intermediaries to resource groups at the local level to address issues and communities we know will need support and solidarity mightily in the years ahead.
Beyond giving, I am making a resolution to myself to identify—or organize—a regularly-meeting group of like-minded folks to be my hub for action-taking and solidarity. I want it to be local, so I can build/nurture in-person connections—and include people beyond my immediate network of friends, so I can open my circle wider. I want someone in that group who is tracking social media so that my aversion to digital life doesn’t impede my ability to know what’s going on in those channels, but focused on in-person direct action, whether showing up for marches or being a hands-on provider of mutual aid. Is it at my yoga studio? Through a synagogue or church? Reviving a mom’s group, or through my kids’ school? My guiding thought: “We are the ones we have been waiting for.” Good luck to us all.
One big caveat for this list: I’m entirely focused here on domestic issues. There are obviously numerous crises around the globe that warrant energy and attention—I’m not diving into those here.
Migrants and undocumented people:
United We Dream is a hub organization (“the largest immigrant youth-led network in the country”) for a network of 400 locally-led groups. It is also a powerful policy advocacy organization in its own right. Its core strategy is training a new generation of leaders, known as “Structure Organizing.”
New York Immigration Coalition - For 35 years, NYIC has supported immigrant communities in New York State in civic engagement (voting, language access), education (improving programs for ELLs), access to healthcare for immigrants, and narrative change work (recently, a brilliant media campaign called New York Proud). It also advocates for stronger civil rights protections for immigrants, and for immigration policy reform and an end to detention, deportation and mass incarceration. Many opportunities for volunteering in New York City and around the state.
Democracy and Human Rights:
The Center for Constitutional Rights is a renowned defender of social justice movement actors and does powerful work in training the next generation of legal advocates; their work against corporate capture is particularly compelling, as it is an area not addressed directly by many organizations.
Indivisible has become an amazing hub of organizing, connecting individuals into local groups and providing opportunities for action. They do both c(3) [citizen engagement] and c(4) [electoral] work to advance democracy. A good place to connect with community and take action.
Movement Voter Project supports grassroots organizing year-round to build electoral power in marginalized communities. A strategic curator, and a lean funder (100% of donations go to support groups on the ground, as their overhead is covered by a group of donors separate from their grantmaking), they are a great investment for building long-term change through voter engagement and mobilization (which needs to happen even outside of the electoral cycle!).
Reproductive Freedom:
Abortion Funds provide money to cover travel and other expenses (childcare, lodging) for people who need to get out of state care. You can provide support for the National Network of Abortion Funds or use their online tool to find a local fund in a particular state (your hometown?).
Independent clinics (those that are not run by Planned Parenthood or hospitals, and that are not private doctor’s offices) play a critical role in providing abortion care—2023 research revealed that 58% of all abortions are provided by independent clinics. For this reason, support for independent clinics is a valuable way to protect abortion access, particularly as whole states are now without clinics of any kind, putting an incredible burden of demand on still-existing clinics. The Abortion Care Network’s Keep Our Clinics Fund is a way to support local clinics, enabling “making necessary security improvements, replacing and updating medical equipment, covering legal costs to maintain compliance with politically-motivated regulations, clinic building maintenance and repair, and more.” You can also identify individual clinics by geography; here is a listing by state.
As to legal services for people trying to access care (and those most affected by restrictive legislation) I strongly recommend Pregnancy Justice. PJ has been on the forefront of understanding the link between punitive drug policy and reproductive freedom, and has been among the first to deeply examine fetal personhood, helping elucidate how it “has taken center stage, threatening to upend the civil and human rights of half of the American population.” Read their report here.
Narrative change around abortion is crucial: Shout Your Abortion does strong work in this area and also provides online resources for people in need of self-managed care.
Climate Change/Climate Justice:
The Chisholm Legacy Project (TCLP) is a hub for BIPOC-leaders and grassroots organizations in Black and Brown communities working toward climate justice and a Just Transition. Not only do they connect local organizations with resources, information and tools for their advocacy, they maintain a speakers bureau of BIPOC advocates on climate and environmental justice to ensure that the voices of the most affected by climate change can be heard. At this point, I think narrative change on climate is a critical level for longer-term policy change. I encourage everyone who cares about climate justice to learn about their founder, Jacqui Patterson, and support her work.
