2019 began in the middle of the longest government shutdown in history, the ramifications of which were felt within the nonprofit sector for months thereafter. Youth advocates continued to demonstrate their power and influence, with Greta Thunberg and many other young people gaining national attention and recognition for their climate activism. We witnessed nonprofits struggle in their attempts to handle tainted or controversial donors such as Jeffrey Epstein and the Sackler family. And President Donald Trump hit a few roadblocks, including his admission that he misused charitable assets (and the subsequent Trump Foundation settlement and dissolution), and his recent impeachment by the House.
Here is a list of our 10 significant news events of 2019 affecting the nonprofit sector in the United States and a few links regarding each:
1. Government shutdown
- Nonprofits Step In to Fill Gaps During Government Shutdown[Chronicle of Philanthropy]
- Nonprofits Aim to Recover After Shutdown Disaster[Independent Sector]
2. Continued migrant family separation and detention of children
- Hungry, Scared and Sick: Inside the Migrant Detention Center in Clint, Tex.[The New York Times]
- Letters from immigration detention centers, ‘break my heart every time I open an envelope,’ volunteers say[The San Diego Union-Tribune]
3. Youth activism in climate change
- In the Largest Climate Mobilization Ever, Young People Call for Urgency(非营利性Quarterly]
- Time Person of the Year 2019: Greta Thunberg[Time]
4. The most diverse class of lawmakers sworn into Congress
5. Gun violence continues
- There have been more mass shootings than days this year[CBS News]
- Nonprofits at the Eye of the Gun Storm See a More Level Field(非营利性Quarterly]
6. Repeal of the parking tax/ Simplification of private foundation net investment income excise tax
- Two Year-End Tax Law Changes(非营利性Law Blog]
- Transportation Benefits Tax Axed From House Bill[The Nonprofit Times]
7. College admissions scandal
- Actresses, Business Leaders and Other Wealthy Parents Charged in U.S. College Entry Fraud[The New York Times]
- College Admissions Scandal Highlights an Overwhelmed IRS, Nonprofit Experts Say[Chronicle of Philanthropy]
8. Trump Foundation settlement
- AG James Secures Court Order Against Donald J. Trump, Trump Children, And Trump Foundation
- Trump Pays $2 Million Fine; Foundation Assets Liquidated, Distributed[The Nonprofit Times]
9. Tainted donations
- Epstein’s donations to universities reveal a painful truth about philanthropy[The Washington Post]
- Jeffrey Epstein’s Charity: An Image Boost Built on Deception[The New York Times]
- The Met museum to reject donations from Sackler family over opioid crisis[The Guardian]
10. The U.S. House impeaches President Donald Trump
- Can a 501c3 Advocate for Impeachment of a Federal Office Holder?(非营利性Quarterly]
- Charity Advocacy and Impeachment: Opportunities and Risks[Adler & Colvin]