Back in November, I wrote that “the watchword of the opening months of the Trump administration will be disruption. And neither charitable nor humanitarian organizations are likely to escape the need to react to that disruption.” 

With the anticipated threats now a reality, here are some messaging guidelines for nonpolitical nonprofits confronting 2025’s extraordinary realities.

The pressure to speak out is being felt by humanitarian groups in the face of actions imperiling USAID and the World Food Programme. By groups working on disaster relief with plans for deep staff cuts and drastic changes at FEMA.  By health researchers confronting proposed massive cuts in NIH funding.   

We’ll use cutbacks threatening pediatric cancer research as a concrete example in this memo. But across the board, staying above the fray is becoming untenable for many nonpolitical nonprofits.  

Traditionally nonpolitical groups may decide extraordinary circumstances force them to adopt a new posture. But when that moment comes, they will have to find ways to speak out in a voice consistent with their identity.

That’s the biggest challenge: Finding a way to have a meaningful impact on the public dialogue without forfeiting the authority, standing and respect that make their decision to step forward meaningful in the first place.

Avoid out-of-character language like this: “With a devastating mixture of arrogance, incompetence, and cruelty, Donald Trump and Elon Musk have taken a sledgehammer to lifesaving research into pediatric cancer.”

Embrace straightforward language like this: “Unless these cutbacks are reversed, it will set back our lifesaving work for a generation. We can’t remain silent in the face of that life-threatening prospect.”

If you find yourself forced to enter political conversations you normally avoid, make sure you explain your decision to your audiences.   

Here’s the key: You have to simultaneously express a reluctant decision to act and confidence that you’ve made the right decision. You can’t be a joyful political warrior. But you also can’t seem unsure and ambivalent about speaking out.

Avoid equivocating language like this: “As you know, our organization has long shied away from getting involved in politics. To be honest, there is divided opinion about the right course on our Board and within our staff. But, on balance, we think it’s prudent to step forward and speak out.”

Embrace clear, emotionally engaging language like this: “We really have no choice. We have to speak out for the precious, innocent children who will needlessly lose their battle with cancer if vital research is derailed. And for the mothers and fathers who will be forced to endure the unimaginable pain of losing a child.”

To carry the day, we have to do two things:

The truth is the proposed NIH cuts will translate into a 15 to 20 percent decrease in funding for pediatric cancer research. And, as researchers have pointed out “this is an area where NIH investment has already fueled amazing results.”

That’s the argument we want to have, not an arcane debate about the right percentage of grants to devote to overhead.

And the 20% cut framing will be especially persuasive if backed up by emotionally powerful storytelling – like a parent watching hope slip away as vital research that could save her child’s life is sidelined.

We wrote earlier about explaining your decision to speak out to your audiences. The next step is to actively engage them. The strongest push back on reckless Trump initiatives comes when members of Congress hear from their own constituents personally alarmed by the impact of what Trump is doing.

Hopefully these ideas will help nonpolitical nonprofits meet the unique messaging challenges of these troubling times.