Beyond the Moment: How Nonprofits Can Leverage Civic Engagement

Within days of taking office in January, President Donald J. Trump kept his word and began to target diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives with a series of executive orders framing DEI as “illegal and immoral discrimination programs.”

Trump followed up with a memo from the Office of Management and Budget that ordered a temporary halt to all federal financial assistance related to nongovernmental organizations, among other institutions and initiatives. The freeze hit roughly 2,600 programs, and although it was rescinded the next day, it was enough to prompt widespread concern among nonprofits relying on federal grants, loans, and contracts.

In an interview with Chronicles of Philanthropy, Lauren Hughes, director of development for Better Tomorrow, echoed worries about the nonprofit sector: “When Trump announced the executive order, ordering the spending freeze, we were devastated.” Twenty-five percent of Better Tomorrow’s budget comes from federal sources.

When it comes to federal funding, Columbia University, under pressure from the Trump administration, has been prominently featured in recent news stories. First, for bowing to the demands of the administration, which threatened to revoke $400 million in federal funding until the administration’s requirements were met. Second, for not publicly defending Mahmoud Khalil, a U.S. resident, Palestinian activist, and Columbia University graduate student detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Khalil acted as a negotiator and spokesperson during protests at the university that advocated for Palestinian human rights and divestment from companies tied to Israeli occupation policies. The arrest of Mohsen K. Mahdawi, marks the ninth Columbia student targeted for deportation.

Some claim Trump is making an example of Columbia University, but nonprofit organizations outside the university sector are also bracing for the ripple effects of another potential funding freeze.

In the face of these political pressures and funding threats, nonprofit organizations are at a crossroads. Do we go quiet to preserve our footing, or do we use this moment to show up more fully for our communities? The answer may lie in civic engagement—but before we act, it is helpful to understand what civic engagement means: why it’s a viable tool for nonprofits, and why it’s urgently relevant now.

What Is Civic Engagement?

Civic engagement is any action you take to participate in and improve your community, influence public decisions, or shape a more inclusive society. Voting or protesting might come to mind, but it’s not the whole story. The Points of Light Civic Circle program, which organizes volunteers in tandem with nonprofits, organizations, and community leaders, has identified a total of nine distinct pathways for civic engagement.

Unlike traditional frameworks that may focus solely on voting or volunteering, the Civic Circle acknowledges a wide range of possibilities for people and nonprofits to shape society. This model expands thinking around traditional actions to include choosing where to work, exercising purchase power, becoming a social entrepreneur, committing yourself to public or military service, listening and learning, or donating. When you combine these elements, your civic power can be amplified.

“People are looking to align all the different aspects of their lives around who they are, what they stand for, and what they believe in,” former Points of Light Board Member Marty Rodgers wrote. “Whether it’s the rise of socially responsible investing, purchase power, advocacy, or where you choose to give your time, talent, and treasure, service today is about alignment of purpose across all dimensions of our lives.”

As useful as this model is for everyday people, it can be equally as helpful for nonprofits in finding ways to engage with their communities.

How to Engage Without Mission Creep

“I’m trying not to think about this time as a time to be combative, but as a time to be empowered. I can fight harder than some of these people can, and they need us to fight for them.”Today, nonprofits face mounting pressures to retreat, stay quiet, or to narrow their scope, but that trend is counter to what nonprofits are built for. Leaning into civic engagement is one of the most empowering ways to face unfolding threats. And the best part? Civic engagement is not mission creep—or losing focus—it’s mission support. When employed intentionally, it can deepen impact and protect the communities that nonprofits serve.

In fact, nonprofit professionals understand that choosing to devote your career to serving your community is, in itself, a form of civic engagement.

One organization that exemplifies this approach is the National Afterschool Association, a small but mighty nonprofit with a focus on supporting, connecting, and equipping professionals who work with and for afterschool children. CEO Gina Warner noted in an interview with NPQ that people drawn to working in the nonprofit field have something in common: most had a meaningful experience with an advocate in the field who inspired them to give back in the same way.

Civic action is about showing up for your community in ways that make an impact.

Warner leverages her role and the organization she leads to help those in the out-of-school programs to determine who the decision-makers are, how the system works, and where they can influence change.

“A lot of the work we do is under attack,” Warner told NPQ. “But I’m trying not to think about this time as a time to be combative, but as a time to be empowered. I can fight harder than some of these people can, and they need us to fight for them.”

Lean into Civic Engagement

Civic engagement does not have to require a full pivot. Most nonprofits are already doing this work in some form—they just may not be naming it.

For example, a local food bank might help people register to vote, while staying focused on hunger relief. This tactic is not a distraction from the organization’s core mission, it is reinforcing its mission. Whether it is helping community members understand their rights, organizing a coat drive, or joining a coalition to push for policy change, civic action is about showing up for your community in ways that make an impact.

Nonprofits can build deeper, longer-lasting relationships with their communities by developing engagement strategies that are active throughout the calendar year. A strong engagement plan should include moments for education, reflection, and feedback.

Here are seven ways nonprofits can lean into civic engagement without losing sight of their core missions:

1. Integrate civic action into existing programming

Try using the Civic Circle’s interactive diagram and video as a tool to assess how you are showing up in the community and where you have opportunities to engage more deeply.

2. Support advocacy without partisanship

Start by clarifying what 501c3 organizations can do legally as nonpartisan entities. For example, you might delve into issue-based advocacy or provide civic education.

3. Empower grassroots leadership

Tap into community members as trusted leaders, and center marginalized voices like those from BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ communities.

4. Volunteerism as a civic lever

Go beyond traditional volunteerism to support skills-based volunteering, virtual options, and community organizing.

5. Leverage digital engagement

Lean into online petitions, civic apps, and storytelling platforms to amplify voices.

6. Build resilience through cross-sector partnerships

Collaborate with local schools, museums, or health centers to deliver impact to a wider segment.

7. Create a year-round engagement plan

Start by mapping out your existing touchpoints with the community—programs, events, outreach, storytelling—and look for opportunities to weave in civic actions.

Civic engagement is all about building trust and collective capacity. By planning ahead and connecting the dots between mission and movement, nonprofits can make civic engagement more than a moment. It can become a mindset.

For More on This Topic: 

How Nonprofits Can Navigate Political Engagement and Maintain Public Trust

Nonprofits Face Backlash for “Controversial” Work, Report Warns

How to Do Community Engagement Right