The problem with nonprofits filling the government's gaps
- President Donald Trump gutted federal support for health, education, science, and cultural programs between 2017 and 2021 across the United States.
- This cutback followed a pattern of Congressional and judicial inaction, allowing the reduction despite its impact on national health and cultural infrastructure.
- In response, nonprofits led by experts like Shaw, co-founder of PlanPerfect and former Chicago Botanic Garden CEO, have worked to fill gaps using strategic planning and artificial intelligence.
- Though nonprofits often support vulnerable populations and drive positive change, reliance on them risks weakening the American social contract by shifting accountability from public to private hands.
- This dynamic suggests a potential erosion of civic trust and inconsistent services, which contrasts with the Declaration of Independence’s principles of equal rights and government responsibility.
23 Articles
23 Articles
Trump’s downsizing isn’t cruelty — it’s the last hope for solvency
For more than a century, one trend has defined American politics: the relentless expansion of federal power. The Founders built a limited framework of law and order to protect liberty and promote a flourishing society. That framework has morphed into a sprawling leviathan that reaches into nearly every aspect of American life. Each crisis, often of the government’s own making, brings the same answer: more bureaucracy, more spending, more control…


Port: Trump’s methods matter
MINOT — Even if you like President Donald Trump’s policy goals, such as slashing the size of the federal government, his methods leave much to be desired. That was my takeaway from our recent interview with U.S. Rep. Julie Fedorchak. "We found out about it in the newspaper, and we’ve been trying to get to the bottom of it, and I’m not sure that we have yet," Fedorchak told us on the Plain Talk podcast. She was referring to cuts at the Center for…
Fear and Loathing in the Nonprofit Sector
(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images.)This article is brought to you by American Purpose, the magazine and community founded by Francis Fukuyama in 2020, which is proudly part of the Persuasion family.I have worked in the nonprofit sector for nearly 40 years. During that time, I have experienced several economic downturns that made it extremely challenging to fundraise. The aftermath of 9/11 dramatically affected the discourse and put anything tha…
Nonprofits may fill in the gap left by federal abandonment. But that isn’t desirable - West Hawaii Today
It has been a painful few months watching federal support for health and human services, museums, libraries, public broadcasting, science, education, diplomacy and environmental protection be intentionally and indiscriminately gutted by President Donald Trump. What’s more troubling is that neither Congress nor the courts have meaningfully stopped him.

The problem with nonprofits filling the government's gaps
It has been a painful few months watching federal sup-port for health and human services, museums, libraries, public broadcasting, science, education, diplomacy and environmental protection be indiscriminately gutted by President Donald Trump. What's more troubling is that neither Congress nor…
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