In recent months, we’ve been told to “stick to business” in what we say publicly. But the truth is simple: There is too much going on in the world that is horrifying and heartbreaking. And what’s happening in our country affects the communities our nonprofit partners serve every day. Silence doesn’t serve anyone.
We stand with our neighbors, we stand with the rule of law and we stand with democracy through access to voting. We stand with the Constitution.
We believe in justice, honesty, truth and transparency. It’s part of why we chose the name Fairlight when we started this firm.
We believe ALL people deserve dignity, kindness, respect, and a sense of safety. And we believe in science.
And we’re speaking now because our clients are facing challenges we can’t ignore.
The Pressure to Change Words — and What It Means
Across the nonprofit sector, organizations are navigating new pressure around the language they use to describe their work. We’re hearing stories like:
- Donors worried that using “DEI-related” terminology could put them at risk of audits or threaten their nonprofit status.
- Organizations serving specific communities are being told to remove “banned” words from grant applications — even when those words reflect their core mission.
- A maternal-health nonprofit asked to take the word “women” out of all materials — a costly and perplexing mandate.
- An organization that serves disabled people felt compelled to strip “equity” and “equality” from marketing and web content, despite fighting for both every day.
- A federal-agency speaker declining to engage with an organization because the website sounded “too DEI-focused.”
We’re also seeing fiscal sponsors analyze which projects could lose funding based solely on the populations they serve — and in some cases, suggest renaming programs to avoid appearing racially or ethnically specific. Even if that’s a core part of their mission.
But removing accurate language comes at a cost: communities already facing barriers may struggle even more to find services, support, and resources.
More Risks Nonprofits Face on the Front Lines
These pressures extend far beyond semantics.
A colleague who supports nonprofits in advocacy work shared that many organizations fear new legislation that restricts voting access, which disproportionately affects minorities, poor communities and women. Legal remedies exist, but they take time.
Others are wrestling with what data to collect about those they serve. For example:
Should foster-youth programs record citizenship status if that data could later be misused?
These challenges are real, and they are growing. Nonprofits are being asked to operate with less clarity, less stability, and greater risk — at the very moment their communities need them most.
Our Commitment: To Stand with Those Who Stand for Others
In moments like these, we remember Margaret Mead’s famous reminder:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
To us, that is the perfect definition of a nonprofit.
So we remain committed to supporting organizations of every size, every mission, and every community. And there are lots of people and causes that need support right now.
Each of us has the power to act — even when it feels daunting.
Our values guide our business, our partnerships, and our lives.
What you do every day matters. Together, we can build the world we want to live in.
Fairlight Advisors
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