Joint Statement on Threats to Civil Society and the Independence of the Charitable Sector.

Dear Colleagues,

As members of United Philanthropy Forum and the National Council of Nonprofits, AZ Impact for Good wholeheartedly endorse the joint statement below regarding the vital importance of a strong and independent civil society. This statement aligns with our organization's core values and public policy framework. We believe it is crucial to actively support and communicate the necessity of protecting the charitable sector from any undue influence, and we are committed to doing so with the urgency this matter requires. More information will be coming next week, but it is crucial our community knows that we stand by our partners and the commitment to protecting the charitable sector so that our vital work can continue uninhibited. 

Joint Statement by United Philanthropy Forum, Council on Foundations, Independent Sector, and National Council of Nonprofits on Threats to Civil Society and the Independence of the Charitable Sector

On behalf of the charitable sector, we oppose the Trump administration’s stated intention to target Harvard University on ideological grounds — and we remind the Internal Revenue Service of its vital role as an independent agency, one that must carry out its responsibilities free from political pressure or influence.

President Trump has suggested that Harvard University be stripped of its tax-exempt status, and the IRS is reportedly looking into doing so. While the immediate focus may appear to be a single academic institution, the implications of such threats and actions reach far beyond campus walls — striking at the very heart of American civil society.

Since the nation’s founding, the United States has aspired to be a place where ideas and information can flourish free from government interference.

This moment is about more than one institution. It is about how thought, knowledge and expression are essential to our freedom and to our national identity, and must be protected.

Civil society — and the charitable nonprofit sector that gives it form and voice — must remain independent of government influence. A robust civil society cannot survive when political leaders decide which institutions deserve protections based on ideology or political convenience.

Our democracy depends on a strong, vibrant and independent civil society. Undermining it — for any reason, by any leader — is a threat we cannot and will not ignore.