211 Virginia is a vital service leveraged by millions of people across North America. Every day, clients contact 211 to access free and confidential crisis and emergency counseling, disaster assistance, food, health care and insurance assistance, stable housing and utilities payment assistance, employment services, veteran services and childcare and family services.

211 Week is happening this week from February 10 – 14. The week will kick off with an event from 211 Virginia’s leadership team with the State of 211 Virginia. Throughout the week 211 Virginia will be sharing about their new website, directory of resources, and community partners.

Learn more and register: https://211vauniversity.mailchimpsites.com/211week

Resources for supporting clients and community members with immigration in today’s climate.

1 – Legal Aid Justice Center and it is a rapid response toolkit to help prepare for an immigration emergency. The page has resources that will allow you to prevent and be prepared for immigration emergencies such as raids, ICE visits to homes, detention, or risk of deportation.
 

2 – The Immigration Legal Resource Center has red cards. Red cards help people assert their rights and defend themselves in many situations, such as when ICE agents go to a home. The Immigration Legal Resource Center will print red cards at no cost for nonprofits and they are struggling to keep up with demand so you can download the template and print them in house. One side lists constitutional rights and the other side are statements in English that you can hand to law enforcement regarding 4th and 5th amendment rights.

3 – Resource Sheet from the Washington Lawyers’ Committee.

4 – The Immigration Rapid Response Hotline where you can report the presence of ICE and or call if ICE is at your door.  The service is available in Northern Virginia and Charlottesville.

 

Last week, the Center for Nonprofit Excellence shared updates on the federal grants and loans freeze and we also shared some resources to stay abreast of developments as they are happening including those provided by the National Council for Nonprofits (NCN) on this webpage.

I also shared a number of actions you can take now to be prepared, from assessing your financial position to scenario planning to board and donor engagement. If you missed this information, you can see it posted here. In addition, you can certainly lift up your story to your local, state, and federal legislators. In my experience, they appreciate the opportunity to engage with you, their constituents, and to learn more about the challenges you are facing.

Update on Federal Funding Freeze

On Monday, February 3^rd, a temporary restraining order (TRO) was issued in response to the lawsuit that the National Council of Nonprofits et al raised against the Office of Budget and Management (OMB). The Nonprofit Quarterly provides more about this update here.

NCN is providing a free public webinar regarding Executive Actions and their Impact on Charitable Nonprofits this Friday, 2/7/25, at 3pm EST.  CNE members can sign up for this webinar by registering here.

Making Space

Author Glenn Singleton recently posted that we are in a “state of brace.”  The mental imagery that this phrase evokes is exactly how I have felt the past couple of weeks and I imagine I am not alone. We cannot operate effectively in a continuous “state of brace” unless we consider how we make space for ourselves in this challenging time.

So how do we make space when we can’t necessarily step away from the work? We might pause to stretch, go for a walk, or make time to connect at the proverbial water cooler. What is important is that we intentionally pause, especially when we are at our busiest. Supporting each other is critical at all times, and especially as we experience these challenging times together. Sometimes rest is knowing when to lean on one another and we hope you will reach out to us when you need our support.

In partnership,

Mariane Asad Doyle, Ph. D.

Colleagues and Friends,

We are all receiving so much information so quickly that it is challenging to process it all. As a member of the National Council of Nonprofits (NCN), CNE has been closely following updates, and I wanted to share key information with you.

Federal Grant and Loan Freeze

Thanks to NCN’s strong advocacy alongside partner organizations, they have successfully secured a temporary stay on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)’s response to recent executive orders, which included pausing all federal grants and loans. This stay blocks the freeze until February 3rd at 5 PM EST.

For more details, NCN has created a webpage to support nonprofits, including a summary chart of recent executive orders with analysis and related actions.

Call to Action

To better understand the real-world impact of these executive orders and the federal funding freeze, NCN has set up a feedback form for nonprofits to share how their missions and the people they serve are affected. If your organization is impacted, please fill out this brief impact form at NCN, then share this link with other nonprofits in your network.

Be Prepared

1. Assess Your Financials
   • Run cash flow and forecasting models with and without federal funds for short- and long-term planning.
   • Start with three- and six-month projections, then expand to long-term scenarios in case the freeze is extended.
2. Scenario Planning with Leadership
   • Determine if you need to adjust deliverables or shift timelines.
   • Identify what must happen immediately, in three months, in six months, and beyond.
3. Engage Your Board
   • Keep your board informed and involved in decision-making, ensuring they understand the factors influencing your next steps.
4. Communicate with Private Donors
   • Update your funders on the situation, its impact, and how your organization is adapting.
   • Clearly outline immediate and long-term needs based on your updated action plan.
5. Take a Breath
   • This is another moment of uncertainty, not long after a global pandemic.
   • Prioritize self-care—as we learned during the pandemic, resilience starts with making space to breathe amid the urgency.

Stay Informed

Watch for our statewide newsletter next week, where we’ll share updates, resources, and upcoming webinars or forums related to this issue.

Advocate

Now is the time to reach out to elected officials and share how this federal funding freeze is impacting your organization and those you support. Consider asking:

• What plans are in place to support nonprofits serving vulnerable Virginians?
• How is constituent feedback being collected regarding the effects of this grant freeze?

Thank you for all that you do to support Virginia’s nonprofits and the communities we serve. I’ll continue to share updates on LinkedIn and through our newsletter next week.

With appreciation,

Mariane Asad Doyle, Ph. D.