Gov. Affairs | Issue 23 | November 20, 2025
Updated November 20, 2025 - This content will be updated as developments unfold.
Latest Developments:
Government Shutdown
The federal government reopened on November 15th after 43 days of shutdown - the longest in U.S. history. Nonprofits face ongoing impacts: grant/contract approvals are delayed, funding delivery is back-logged, and the stop-gap funding resolution only runs through Jan 30, 2026, which means continued uncertainty ahead. For now, organizations should expect slow reimbursement restart, update compliance/reporting, document shutdown impacts, refresh budgets, and communicate proactively with stakeholders. Perhaps most importantly, don’t forget about your people strategy: staff morale, psychological safety, retention, and leadership support, especially after a period of disruption.
Read: The longest government shutdown in U.S. history is over. Here's what you need to know (NPR)
The Government Shutdown’s Impact Will Continue for Nonprofits (The Nonprofit Alliance)
US Government – Back in Business (For Now): How Nonprofits Can Navigate the Post-Shutdown Window (HBK)
After the Shutdown: Centering People Strategy in a Time of Uncertainty (OneDigital)
SNAP Updates
SNAP benefits have been restored through at least September 2026 with legislation that ends the recent shutdown and reimburses states for expenditures made during the funding gap. Non-profit food banks and hunger relief agencies remain under strain: even with SNAP restored, the backlog of need from the pause in benefits and the pressure on nonprofits to fill gaps is significant.
Read: SNAP Crisis Exposes Limits of Philanthropy’s Safety Net (Chronicle of Philanthropy)
From Growers to Grocers: How SNAP Supports the Food Distribution System (GPBI)
How the Shutdown Leaves Nonprofits Holding the Fork (Independent Sector)
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
On November 3, 2025 the National Council of Nonprofits announced that it, along with a coalition of more than a dozen cities, labor unions and nonprofit organizations, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education and its newly-proposed rule for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.
The coalition alleges that the new regulation violates the law, specifically the Higher Education Act (which Congress passed), by allowing the Secretary of Education to exclude government and 501(c)(3) nonprofit employers from PSLF eligibility simply based on their alignment (or non-alignment) with the current administration’s policy priorities.
Read: Nonprofits, Cities, and Workers Unite to Stop Assault on Public Service Loan Forgiveness (Council of Nonprofits)
New Student Loan Forgiveness Rule Threatens Nonprofits, Sparks Two Lawsuits (Nonprofit Quarterly)
What the New Final Rule on Public Service Loan Forgiveness Means for Nonprofits (Independent Sector)
Good News:
From Vu Le: Good news roundup: Things to make you feel hopeful this week
We loved this story from CBS Evening News about a 6-year-old who took it upon herself to raise funds for a lab studying her favorite animal (the axolotl), when their funding was cut.
Georgia Head Start programs get $8 million lifeline to stay open during shutdown (AJC)
Resources + Other News:
What to Do When the President Calls You ‘Corrupt’ (Chronicle of Philanthropy)
Regulatory Compliance: A Nonprofit Organization's First Line of Defense (Nonprofit Alliance)
Meeting “Flood the Zone” with “Rule-of-Law Shock and Awe” (Nonprofit Quarterly)
With IRS Weaponization on the Way, Funders Now Face a Choice (Inside Philanthropy)
The Trump Administration Is Coming for Nonprofits. They're Getting Ready (WIRED)
Trump’s Data Cuts Could Leave Nonprofits ‘Flying Blind’ (Chronicle of Philanthropy)
How Governors and Mayors Can Protect Nonprofits from Trump's NSPM-7 (ACLU)
WATCH: Trump’s war on nonprofits: A conversation with Marguerite Casey Foundation president Carmen Rojas (The Ink)
