Last week, the IRS joined two Texas churches and the National Religious Broadcasters in seeking court approval of a settlement that would effectively declare the Johnson Amendment unconstitutional—threatening the longstanding rule that 501(c)(3)s must remain nonpartisan.
If enforced, this change would jeopardize 501(c)(3)s' ability to bring people to put down their politics and collaboratively solve community problems.
What You Can Do! Sign the joint lettertoday, urging the Administration to protect nonprofit nonpartisanship. Deadline: August 8, 2025
On July 24, 2025, the Administration signed the H.R. 4 Rescissions Act, canceling $9 billion in federal funding, including:
USAID and global health programs
PBS and NPR
(Note: $400M for PEPFAR was spared.)
A second round of proposed cuts is in development—potentially targeting Department of Education programs. These budget moves may undermine bipartisan cooperation needed to pass federal appropriations, increasing the risk of a government shutdown when FY26 begins October 1.
New Federal Rules Exclude Some Immigrants
Federal agencies have started reinterpreting which public programs count as “federal public benefits,” limiting access for many lawfully present immigrants.
What’s changing:
The U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) now classifies 13 additional programs as restricted.
USDA has narrowed food aid eligibility, depending on each state’s discretion.
However, a recent Executive Order (March 7, 2025) has raised red flags: it directs the Dept. of Education to redefine what qualifies as a PSLF-eligible employer. The concern? Groups with “substantial illegal purpose” could be excluded, including those aiding immigrants, engaging in protest, or other vaguely defined “disorderly conduct.”
What You Can Do: Build Your Advocacy Skills with PANO
Join PANO on August 19 for Advocacy 101: What 501(c)(3)s CAN Do - a hands-on workshop focused on the practical steps nonprofits can take to effectively engage with local, state, and federal officials.
This interactive session will walk you through how to begin building a case for legislative support in real time, and participants will receive:
An Advocacy Toolkit with step-by-step guidance for making your case.
District-specific information on all 253 state and 19 federal legislators—to help you tailor your outreach more effectively.
A Lobbying Tracker to simplify reporting and stay compliant with lobbying regulations.
Whether you're new to advocacy or ready to sharpen your skills, this session offers the tools and support to make your voice heard.
JUST RELEASED: 2025 Economic Impact of PA's Nonprofit Report
ICYMI (in case you missed it), PANO released our long-awaited 2025 Economic Impact of PA's Nonprofit Report on July 10 - and the data tell a powerful story. In 2022 alone, PA nonprofits:
contributed $139.8B to the Commonwealth's economy.
employed 817,300 people - 15.7% of PA's private sector jobs (more than construction or manufacturing).
We're not just serving the common good, we're driving economic growth, job creation, and community resilience. So, what can you do with this info?
Join PANO in State College at this year's Collaborative Conference for a 10-minute Taproot Talk with our Executive Director, Anne Gingerich, all about how to leverage critical datapoints in the report in your everyday work.
Because this year’s conference is taking place in a moment that is both complex and filled with possibility, sessions are designed to meet this moment not just in their content, but also in how they’re delivered. Each session will be supported by a synthesizer. Formats include:
Workshops – designed not just to inform, but to help attendees connect to each other and leave with practical tools you can apply to your work immediately.
Facilitated Peer Discussions – designed to provide some context around the topic chosen, with questions and prompts to generate stories and ideas from those on the ground doing the work.
Taproot Talks – designed to engage, inspire, and inform in 10 minutes or less, offering powerful, personal reflections or big ideas that ground us in what matters and express a big vision.
This is a moment that invites us to clarify how we work, who we work with, and what truly matters in each of our communities. Like the aspen grove, PA's nonprofit sector shares deep, often unseen roots. The 2025 Collaborative Conference is about tending to those roots. It’s a gathering during which we choose to connect more deeply with ourselves, with each other, and with what comes next. And we hope you'll be part of it.
PANO Warmly Welcomed by Philadelphia Nonprofit Leaders Group
On July 22, leaders from across Greater Philadelphia’s nonprofit sector gathered at WHYY headquarters for a focused day of strategy, learning, and collaboration. In response to shifting fiscal and policy conditions, the event was shaped by insights from the group’s biweekly meetings and a recent Needs Assessment.
During a panel moderated by PANO Executive Director Anne Gingerich, she noted that the group reflects statewide and national trends: as trust in public institutions erodes, nonprofits are turning toward each other: building trust locally, sharing knowledge, and working together to shift harmful narratives.
Q: We’re hearing more about nonprofit staff forming unions. What do we need to know—and how should we respond if this happens in our organization?
A: You’re not alone in asking. Nonprofit employees across the country—from social service agencies to museums and advocacy groups—are organizing to collectively improve workplace conditions. For many nonprofit leaders, this can feel unfamiliar or even alarming. But it doesn’t have to be. Understanding unionization—and how to respond with respect and clarity—can help your organization navigate change while staying grounded in your mission and values.
Our long-standing series of legal webinars with Don Kramer of Nonprofit Issues will address this issue on August 13, 1:30-3:00 PM, with Is there a Union in Your Nonprofit's Future?. Special guests Melissa Gerber Weiler, Founder & Principal of CollectivePromise and former CEO of AccessMatters.org, and Patricia McCausland, Special Counsel, Duane Morris LLP, will lead this conversation, exploring things like:
How to advance values-based changes while aligning with mission and improving staff retention.
The advantages of working with your employees to achieve the organization's goals.
Challenges of working with unions and counsel more accustomed to the for-profit environment.
Keeping the board informed and providing management training and engagement throughout the process.
Dealing with unforeseen circumstances in the first year and beyond.
Whether you’re in the early stages of these conversations or just want to be prepared, this webinar is a chance to learn from experienced legal and nonprofit professionals. Register here!
UX for Impact: How Nonprofits Can Improve their Digital Presence with a Simple UX Audit Wednesday, August 6 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | FREE Affiliate Partner Webinar (Tech Impact) Learn More | Register Now
How to Find Your Audiences on Social Media When Social Media Keeps Changing Wednesday, August 13 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | FREE Affiliate Partner Webinar (Tech Impact) Learn More | Register Now
Legal Webinar: Is There a Union in Your Nonprofit's Future? Wednesday, August 13 | 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM | Webinar (Nonprofit Issues) | $45 per personfor PANO Members; $100 per personforNot-Yet Members Learn More|Register Now
Fundraising with Confidence: Navigating PA's Charitable Gaming Laws Tuesday, August 19 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Live Webinar + Q&A | $15 per person for PANO Members; $30 per person for Not-Yet Members Learn More|Register Now
Communications during Uncertain Times: A Practical Guide for Nonprofits Wednesday, August 20 | 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM | Online Workshop (anat.) | $45 per person for PANO Members; $100 per person for Not-Yet Members Learn More|Register Now
Smarter Content, Less Effort: Using Generative AI for Nonprofit Websites Wednesday, August 20 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | FREE Affiliate Partner Webinar (Tech Impact) Learn More | Register Now
Café PANO: Utilizing Technology to Increase Efficiency, Promote Visibility, & Reduce Manual Effort Wednesday, August 27 | 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM | Virtual Gathering (PANO Members) | Free for PANO Members to Attend! Learn More | Register Now
2025 Board Chair & CEO Leadership Series Thursday, August 28, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, IN-PERSON, New Castle County, DE | Friday, September 12, & Tuesday, September 30, two-hour VIRTUAL sessions | Hosted by PANO's sister association, Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement (DANA) | $1,000 per organization (board chair + CEO) Learn More | Register Now
Legal Webinar: Mergers, Acquisitions, and Dissolutions Wednesday, September 10 | 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM | Webinar (Nonprofit Issues) | $45 per person for PANO Members; $100 per person for Not-Yet Members Learn More | Register Now
Tech Forward: The Annual Nonprofit Technology Conference September 8-10 | Nashville, TN | Hosted by PANO Member Benefit Partner Tech Impact | Regular Registration: $750 (now-August 17, 2025) or Late Registration: $950 (August 18-September 7, 2025) Learn More|Register Now
Café PANO: Building Community, One Cup at a Time Tuesday, September 16 | 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Virtual Gathering (PANO Members) | Free for PANO Members to Attend! Learn More | Register Now
Annual Collaborative Conference: Meeting the Moment - Rooted Together September 25-26 | State College, PA | Registration Rates Vary Learn More | Registration Opens August 1
The Ultimate Grant Proposal Blueprint: Your Step-by-Step Roadmap to an A+ Proposal Enroll ANY TIME! | 8-session self-paced online course (GrantsMagic U) | $147 for PANO Members, $197 for Not-Yet Members Learn More |Register Now
Did you know? There are currently nearly 30 Educational Resource Packets available through the Standards for Excellence 2.0. With the rollout of Standards 3.0, there will soon be 49! Many of the updated and brand-new packets will be available in our online store starting in August, with the remainder to be added by the end of September. All will be named with the ending “3.0”. Check out a list of the Ed Packets and their tables of contents here.
Speaking of Standards for Excellence 3.0, a new version of the Self-Assessment Checklist is now available in our online store as a free download. This tool helps organizations measure their adherence to the benchmarks in the Standards, offering a series of questions about governance and management practices.
COMING SOON - New & Improved Implementation Series
A new and improved Standards for Excellence Implementation Series is coming to a computer near you on September 17. Registration will open in August. This three-day interactive Zoom training takes a deeper look at the Standards. It's designed for anyone interested in learning about:
Best practices in nonprofit management;
Standards Accreditation at any level;
Standards Licensed Consultants;
Standards Peer Reviewers; and
PANO's Standards for Excellence Committee.
And it's required for those who:
Are new to the Standards and going through Accreditation renewal
The Standards for Excellence® are packed with valuable tools - but figuring out where to start can be a challenge. That's why we hosted a one-hour webinar last month, offering clear, simple guidance on how to make the most of this powerful resource, including:
What’s new in the latest version—and why it matters
How to actually use the Standards in your day-to-day work
How to navigate PANO’s website and download key documents
How to dig into an Educational Resource Packet, including the main content, attachments, and sample templates
Ready to move from intention to action? Download the recording today! ($10 per person for PANO Members | $20 per person for Not-Yet Members)
Building Movement Project (BMP) recently released two new resources, one with direct service orgs in mind and another for orgs navigating authoritarian conditions.
1) BMP's Security to Wellbeing Framework Practice Guide, a resource designed to support direct service orgs to not only meet immediate community needs, but also shift the systems that create those needs. Whether you're frontline staff, executive leadership, or a community member driving impact, this guide helps direct service orgs:
Understand what social change work is and how it intersects with service delivery
Guide internal conversations and alignment around addressing pressing social issues
Take stock of current efforts and explore new strategies that center the communities you serve
Build partnerships and relationships to strengthen your social change network
2) Solidarity Stances offers seven strategic stances that organizations and networks can use in times of heightened chaos and crisis to build deeper, more aligned forms of solidarity while taking into consideration their unique circumstances, constraints, and possibilities.
Funding Available to PANO Members for Capacity-Building Services
PANO has a small pool of funding available now through the end of 2025 to support capacity-building services for PANO Members to access through our Consultant Collaborative. If you're a PANO Member looking to engage a consultant for any number of mission-related projects, fill out our Request a Consultant form to get started!
Other than PANO Membership, eligibility requirements include organizations:
In need of capacity-building services (e.g., strategic planning, governance training, etc.);
Experiencing a significant change/crisis (in leadership, funding, etc.); and/or
Did you know you can find previously recorded webinars in our online store? The following have been added this summer, with lots more available from past years!
Just launched this month, July 2025, this brand new partnership brings FREE energy consulting to PANO members! Based in York, PA, Black & Duke Enterprises simplifies shopping for energy rates by taking on that task for your organization. Black & Duke has 30 years of experience in the energy industry and utilizes up to 20 reputable suppliers of natural gas and electric service to bid your contract and presents the rates back to you. Services include:
Putting your natural gas/electric contract(s) out to bid.
Ensuring that all quotes include the same parameters.
Presenting top bids back to you.
Handling of all contracts for your signature and filing with the utility provider.
Ongoing support for the remainder of your contract.
PANO Members, contact Michael Black, President/CEO, or Greg Duke, VP/COO, to request a quote.
Splashwire both simplifies and enhances how nonprofits use and experience the technology needed to collaborate internally to provide critical community services to those who need them. Splashwire consults with nonprofits to ensure that their technology aligns with strategy goals, provides scalable solutions (e.g., cloud services), and ensures top-notch security, including 24/7 support. The best part? PANO members receive a 10% discount on all services and products, including one-time hardware & software sales, recurring agreements, and professional services.
Earlier this month, Splashwire President & CEO Josh Hinkle shared insights on Navigating Today's IT Security Landscape in a free webinar that covered responsible AI, security best practices, and lowering cyber insurance costs.
PANO Members, log in to your PANO account and click Member Discount Codes and Information in the drop-down menu to find the access link where you can purchase your discounted description. Can't find it? PANO's Membership & Consultant Collaborative Manager, Stephanie Chapuis, can help!
Interested in joining but not sure if membership will fit in your budget right now? Reach out to PANO's Membership & Consultant Collaborative Manager, Stephanie Chapuis, at stephanie@pano.org to discuss options. We'll do our best to meet you where you are, and ensure your voice is included in the PANO community.
Special Thanks to the Following PANO Ambassador:
Learn more about PANO Ambassadorship and join the ranks today!
