Executive Orders affecting nonprofits

Updated March 27, 2025
** = new updates

After his inauguration, President Trump signed dozens of Executive Orders (EOs) covering a broad range of issues, many of which could impact the nonprofit community.

Some of the EOs won’t take effect immediately, and many are expected to be immediately challenged in court.

Related: What is an Executive Order? (American Bar Association)

Related: FAQ on Executive Orders Impacting Nonprofits (National Council of Nonprofits)

Survey: Help MCN track the impact of recent federal decisions like Executive Orders on Minnesota nonprofits. Take our Survey.


Thanks to National Council of Nonprofits, here’s what we know so far about those EOs that will directly or peripherally impact the charitable nonprofit sector.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Nonprofit Impact: Federal government DEI programs and trainings, often provided by or in partnership with nonprofits, will be eliminated. In addition, President Trump has signed EOs extending “anti-DEI” efforts to the private sector.

Resource: Multi-State Guidance Concerning Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Employment Initiatives (Massachusetts and Illinois Offices of the Attorney General)

Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Workforce Optimization
  • Assigned agency leads must prepare for “large-scale reductions in force,” prioritizing any initiatives, operations, or components that include diversity, equity, and inclusion or other functions “not mandated by statute or other law.”
  • Full Executive Order.
**Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity
  • Requires every federal grant or contract to agree it is compliant with “anti-discrimination” laws and does not operate any programs promoting DEI that violate “anti-discrimination” laws.
  • Directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to review all processes, directives, and guidance, and remove all references to DEIA “under whatever name they appear” and terminate all mandates, requirements, programs, and activities.
  • Requires agencies and the Attorney General take appropriate action to advance “anti-DEI” in the private sector.
  • Requires the Attorney General and agencies to provide recommendations for enforcing “anti-DEI” and end DEI in the private sector.
  • Requires a report by the Attorney General and agencies to identify up to 9 potential investigations of corporations, large nonprofits or associations, or foundations with assets of $500 million or more or state and local bar and medical associations and higher education institutions with endowments of $1 billion or more.
  • Requires guidance for all education agencies and higher education institutions that receive federal funds or federal student loan assistance.
  • Rescinds EO 11246 which required government contracts to include antidiscrimination provisions and affirmative action requirements.
  • Full Executive Order.
  • Related Actions:
Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions
**Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing
  • Directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to coordinate with all federal agencies to terminate all DEI programs in federal agencies, including equity related grants, and equity action plans.
  • Full Executive Order.
  • Related Actions:
    • OPM requests that any federal employee report any “change of contract description or personnel description since November 5, 2024 to obscure the connection between the contract and DEIA or similar ideologies.
    • On 2/5 – OPM issued a memo instructing federal agencies to eliminate DEIA offices, policies, programs, and practices. They are to “retain the minimum number of employees necessary to ensure agency compliance with applicable disability and accessibility laws.” (OPM Memo – Further Guidance Regarding Ending DEIA Offices, Programs and Initiatives)
    • On 2/21, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the termination of equity-related contracts or grants as potentially unconstitutional.
    • **On 3/14, an appellate court removed the injunction and permitted the government to administer the policy while the litigation continues.
  • Directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to coordinate with all federal agencies to terminate all DEI programs in federal agencies, including equity related grants, and equity action plans.

Federal Government

Nonprofit Impact: Nonprofits partnering with federal government agencies or receiving federal funding, especially through government grants and contracts, may experience longer wait times and slower processing, loss of points of contacts or difficulty reaching them, and increased strain on relationships.

Nonprofits should advocate for and talk to government partners about government grants and contracting reform and provide specific examples of how processes and reporting requirements
could be streamlined.

Nonprofits will no longer have direct White House connections through the Office of Faith-Based and
Neighborhood Partnerships.

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies
  • States that “[i]t is the policy of the Administration to stop funding NGOs that undermine the national interest.”
  • Does not define “nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).
  • Directs the heads of executive departments and agencies to “review all funding that agencies provide to NGOs.”
  • Requires agencies to “align future funding decisions with the interests of the United States and with the goals and priorities of my Administration, as expressed in executive actions; as otherwise determined in the judgment of the heads of agencies; and on the basis of applicable authorizing statutes, regulations, and terms.”
  • Full Presidential Action.
Hiring Freeze
  • Implements federal hiring freeze.
  • Full Executive Order.
  • Related Actions:
    • OPM instructed all federal departments and agencies that no vacant positions existing at 11:59 A.M. on January 20, 2025 may be filled and no new positions may be created, except in limited circumstances. Some exemptions are provided.
Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Deregulatory Initiative
  • Directs the heads of federal agencies to coordinate with their DOGE Team Leads and the OMB Director to review all regulations within their jurisdiction for “consistency with law and Administration policy.”
  • Requires federal agencies identify regulation categories such as those that “implicate matters of social, political, or economic significance that are not authorized by clear statutory authority.”
  • Directs OIRA’s Administrator to develop a Unified Regulator Agenda that will modify or rescind those regulations.
  • Full Executive Order.
Ensuring Accountability for all Agencies
  • Requires all federal agencies to submit proposed and final regulations to the Executive Office for review before they are published in the Federal Register.
  • Sets Rules of Conduct Guiding Federal Employees’ Interpretation of Law and that “[t]he President and the Attorney General’s opinions on questions of law are controlling on all employees in the conduct of their official duties.”
  • Full Executive Order.
Radical Transparency About Wasteful Spending
  • Requires the heads of federal agencies to make as many details as possible of “every terminated program, cancelled contract, terminated grant, or any other discontinued obligation of Federal funds” public. Federal agencies must comply with “applicable laws, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the underlying contract, grant, or other award.”
  • Full Executive Order.
Regulatory Freeze Pending Review
Return to In-Person Work
  • Directs full-time, in-person work.
  • Full Executive Action.
  • Related Actions:
    • OPM instructed all federal agencies by 5pm 1/24 to revise telework policies to require eligible employees to work full time in person.
    • Federal agencies are instructed to prepare to implement and submit their plans to OMB and OPM for review and approval by 5pm 2/7.
    • Federal employees have until 2/6 to share whether they will stay in their current role or resign under a deferred resignation program. Those who resign can work through 9/30 or earlier. (OPM Memo Regarding Deferred Resignation Program 01-28-2025)
    • On 2/10, a District Court judge issued a temporary restraining order against the deferred resignation program. That same judge allowed the program to proceed 2/13, and the Office of Personnel Management stated that the program closed on 7pm 2/12.
Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions
  • Removes pay transparency and equity requirements for federal workers.
  • Rescinds previous Biden Executive Order requiring executive employees to commit to an ethics code and not accept gifts from lobbyists.
  • Rescinds previous Biden Executive Order establishing the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.
  • Full Executive Order.
Restoring Accountability to Policy-Influencing Positions Within the Federal Workforce
  • Changes human resources policies and allows for easier termination.
  • Creates a new category to exempt federal employees in “policy-determining, policy-making, or policy advocating” position from accessing tools to appeal termination. Positions federal agencies can consider include those with duties such as “substantive participation and discretionary authority in agency grantmaking.”
  • Full Executive Order.
  • Related Actions:
    • OPM instructed federal agencies to designate and submit a point of contact by 1/29, and agencies have until 4/20 to submit interim recommendations
    • The National Treasury Employees Union filed a lawsuit on 1/20.
    • On 2/14, a class action lawsuit on behalf of terminated probationary federal employees was filed with the Office of Special Counsel.
    • On 2/27, a federal judge ordered OPM to rescind memos that directed agencies to fire probationary employees.
**Establishing and Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency”
  • Establishes the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to implement the DOGE Agenda, modernize federal technology and software and provide access to all unclassified agency records, software systems, and IT systems.
  • Full Executive Order.
  • Related Actions:
    • DOGE is staffed and has offices in the White House. Each federal agency is charged with creating a DOGE of at least 4 staff.
    • Three federal lawsuits have been filed to challenge this EO. A fourth lawsuit seeks all records from OMB related to DOGE.
    • On 2/21, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking DOGE team access to the Treasury.
    • On 2/21, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Department of Education and OPM from sharing sensitive information with the DOGE team.
    • **On 3/10, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction to require DOGE to produce documents on a rolling basis, issued a preservation order of records, and found that DOGE is likely covered by FOIA.
Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Cost Efficiency Initiative
  • Requires each agency to build a centralized technological systems to record payments issued by covered contacts and grants.
  • Requires a brief, written justification for each payment to be posted publicly, as permitted by law.
  • Requires a mechanism to pause and rapidly review any payment.
  • Requires review of all existing covered contracts and grants and, where appropriate, termination or modification to reduce overall spending or reallocation to promote efficiency and advance policies.
  • Prioritizes review of covered contracts and grants to educational institutions and foreign entities for waste, fraud, and abuse within 30 days.
  • Requires new guidance for new contracts or modifying existing contracts.
  • Full Executive Order.
**Memorandum on Ensuring the Enforcement of Federal Rule of Civic Procedure 65(c)
**Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy
  • **Eliminates to the maximum extent possible the: Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, United States Agency for Global Media, Woodrow Wilson International center for Scholars in the Smithsonian Institution, Institute of Museum and Library Services, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, and Minority Business Development Agency.
  • Full Presidential Action.
**Eliminating Waste and Saving Taxpayer Dollars by Consolidating Procurement
  • **Consolidate all domestic federal procurement into the General Services Administration (GSA).
  • **Require all agencies to submit proposals for GSA to conduct domestic procurement within 60 days.
  • Full Executive Order.
**Stopping Waste, Fraud, and Abuse by Eliminating Information Silos
  • **Directs Agency Heads to authorize and facilitate intra- and inter- agency sharing and consolidation of unclassified agency records.
  • Requires Agency Heads to ensure the Federal Government “has unfettered access to comprehensive data from all State programs that receive Federal funding.”
  • Full Executive Order.
**Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities

Immigration

Nonprofit Impact: Nonprofits working with immigrant populations, providing legal assistance or training, or delivering humanitarian or other direct aid, may see the need for services increase, may lose funding, and could be targeted by law enforcement. Human services and social services could also be targeted.

Protecting the American People Against Invasion
  • Directs relevant federal agencies to take action to remove undocumented immigrants from the country.
  • Requires the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security to review all federal contracts, grants, and other agreements providing funding to nongovernmental organizations supporting or providing services to “illegal aliens” for conformity, waste, fraud, abuse, and compliance with immigration laws and pauses funding.
  • Terminates agreements determined to be in violation and initiates clawback or recoupment.
  • Directs the creation of statewide Homeland Security Taskforces and detention centers.
  • Requires the identification of all “unregistered illegal aliens”.
  • Directs relevant agencies to take action to block federal funding to sanctuary cities.
  • Requires all federal agencies to ensure undocumented immigrants do not receive any public benefits.
  • Full Executive Order.
  • Related Actions:
    • On 2/5 – DOJ issued a memo requiring all departments to “identify all contracts, grants, or other agreements with organizations that support or provide services to removable or illegal aliens.” The memo also states that sanctuary jurisdictions should not receive access to federal grants administered by DOJ. (DOJ Memo – Sanctuary Jurisdiction Directives)
Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program
Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship
  • Challenges birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment when the person’s mother was unlawfully in the US and the father was not a US citizen or permanent resident or the mother’s presence was lawful but temporary and the father was not a US citizen or permanent resident.
  • Full Executive Order.
  • Related Actions:
    • Three federal judges in Maryland, New Hampshire, and Washington State have issued preliminary injunctions to stop this EO from going into effect while litigation is ongoing. The cases are expected to be appealed. Three other federal lawsuits, including one filed by 18 state Attorneys General, have also been filed.
Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders
  • Directs federal departments and agencies to identify federally funded programs that “illegal aliens” can access, including cash and non-cash public benefits and ensure payments to states and localities do not subsidize or promote “illegal immigration” or “abet so-called ‘sanctuary’ policies.”
  • Requires enhanced eligibility verification systems to exclude any “ineligible alien.”
  • Requires the OMB and other assigned staff to identify all sources of federal funding for “illegal aliens,” recommend other actions, and refer “improper receipt or use of Federal benefit” to DOJ and DHS within 30 days.
  • Full Executive Order.
**Restoring Public Service Loan Forgiveness

LGBTQ+

Nonprofit Impact: Charitable nonprofits serving LGBTQ+ communities, and providing gender-affirming care and other services, may experience loss of federal funding, increase in demand for services, and strained relationships with government partners.

Initial Recessions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions
  • Revokes previous executive order (EO 13988) preventing and combating discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.
  • Full Executive Order.
**Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government
  • Requires the United States to recognize only two sexes, male and female.
  • Directs the Executive Branch to enforce all sexprotective laws under the lens of two sexes.
  • Directs government-issued identification documents to only recognize two sexes.
  • Prohibits federal funds to be used to promote gender ideology.
  • Requires all agencies to remove all references that promote gender ideology.
  • Full Executive Order.
  • Related Actions:
    • Federal agencies have been directed to remove all statements, policies, regulations, forms, communications, or other internal and external messages related to LGBTQ+ equity or work with LGBTQ+ people and communities.
    • Agencies have been directed to change any forms that require an individual’s sex to list only male or female. They are prohibited from requesting gender identity.
    • Agencies have been directed to rescind any guidance related to LGBTQ+ equity, and to terminate any contracts related to LGBTQ+ equity.
    • On 2/19, the Legal Defense Fund and Lambda Legal filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of the National Urban League, National Fair Housing Alliance, and AIDS Foundation of Chicago challenging this and two other executive orders.
    • On 2/19, HHS released guidance to recognize only two sexes.
    • **On 3/6, The ACLU filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of arts and theater organizations challenging an NEA grant requirement to certify that “federal funds shall not be used to promote gender ideology.”

Environment

Nonprofit Impact: Nonprofits receiving or expecting funding from Elective Pay (sometimes known as “Direct Pay”), Inflation Reduction Act, or other Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act programs may have the programs and funds terminated.

Charitable nonprofits may also be contacted to comment on their experience before, during, and after
natural disasters.

Council to Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency
  • Creates a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Review Council that shall meet regularly and “solicit information and ideas from a broad range of stakeholders, including… nonprofit organizations.” This Council will give the President a report on FEMA’s response to natural disasters since 2020 that evaluates whether the agency can serve its functions. The first public meeting will be held 90 days from Jan. 24, 2025.
  • Full Executive Order.
  • Related Actions:
Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions
  • Revokes previous executive order (EO 14052) to implement the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
  • Full Executive Order.
  • Related Actions:
    • Federal agencies are directed to immediately pause the disbursement of funds appropriated through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-169) or the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58).
    • Agencies have three months to report to the White House on whether the paused funds align with the President’s stated policy objectives. If the funds do not align, funds will not be distributed. This will be challenged in court.
**Unleashing American Energy
  • Expands energy exploration on Federal lands and waters, eliminates electric vehicle (EV) mandate, terminates Green New Deal.
  • Full Executive Order.
  • Related Actions:
    • On 2/25, the EPA announced $60 million worth of cuts to 20 grants.
    • **On 3/13, Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, National Council of Nonprofits, Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District, and Green Infrastructure Center filed a lawsuit challenging the Administration’s freeze on funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

Census

Nonprofit Impact: Lays the groundwork for legislation and other actions to exclude noncitizens from future Censuses. The National Council of Nonprofits submitted an amicus brief when this issue was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court for the 2020 Census.

**Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions
  • Rescinds previous Biden Executive Order that required all persons, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, to be counted in the Census.
  • Rescinds previous Biden Executive Order directing federal agencies to provide access to voter information.
  • Full Executive Order.
  • Related Actions:

Civic Engagement

Nonprofit Impact: Restricts voting access and nonprofit advocacy rights.

**Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections
  • **Requires the mail voter registration form to require proof of citizenship.
  • **Requires recording of the type of document an applicant uses as proof of citizenship.
  • **Requires identification of “unqualified voters registered in the States”.
  • **Requires information on foreign nationals who have registered or have voted.
  • **Requires assessment of citizenship prior to providing voter registration forms for public assistance programs.
  • **Prioritizes enforcement against noncitizens registering to vote.
  • **Removes federal funds to states that do not comply.
  • **Changes voting standards, guidelines, administration, and electronic systems.
  • **Conditions funding for the states on “uniform and nondiscriminatory standards…that define what constitutes a vote and what will be counted as a vote.”
  • **Prioritizes enforcement against foreign nationals from contributing or donating in elections.
  • **Prioritizes enforcement of a federal statute that prohibits nonprofits and businesses to use federal funds to influence federal funding decisions.
  • Full Executive Order.

House of Worship / Faith-Based Groups

Nonprofit Impact: Houses of worship and faith-based groups and community organizations may be now eligible to receive or access federal grants, contracts, programs, and other federal funding opportunities.

Establishment of the White House Faith Office
  • Establishes the White House Faith Office to “empower faith-based entities, community organizations, and houses of worship to serve families and communities.”
  • Replaces the former White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.
  • Charges the White House Faith Office to make recommendations; convene meetings; advise on the implementation of policy; showcase innovative initiatives; coordinate and support on training and education; consult on volunteerism, charitable giving, and payroll deductions; identify and promote grant opportunities; identify concerns; and make proposals to reduce burdens on the free exercise of religion.
  • Clarifies that the “executive branch wants faith-based entities, community organizations, and houses of worship, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to compete on a level playing field for grants, contracts, programs, and other Federal funding opportunities.”
  • Full Executive Order.

Other

Nonprofit Impact: Nonprofits working on specific issues and from various subsectors seen as and providing information contrary to the Administration may be targeted.

Arts and culture nonprofits, museums, and libraries will no longer be “integrated into strategies, policies, and programs that advance the economic development, well-being, and resilience of all communities”, among other things, by the Trump Administration.

Nonprofits that provide foreign assistance may be targeted.

Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship
  • Claims combatting “misinformation”, “disinformation”, and “malinformation” are infringements on First Amendment freedom of speech.
  • Full Executive Order.
**Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid
Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions
  • Rescinds previous Order promoting the arts, humanities, and museum and library services.
  • Full Executive Order.