Among the first actions President Donald Trump took upon assuming office in 2025 was a series of executive orders and memoranda targeting what his administration claimed was the “illegal” practice of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEI, or DEIA)—not just across the federal government but within the private sector, including or especially the nonprofit sector. But executive orders and presidential memoranda are not laws—and DEI remains a legal practice. And while some organizations have walked back or self-censored at least language around practices aimed at increasing inclusion, many others—including nonprofits whose very missions incorporate DEI—have stood up for their values, even funding the continued fight for health equity. Some now face realized and potential attacks from the Trump administration, its allies in Congress, and a myriad of state laws going after nonprofits practicing DEI and other equity measures.

Recently, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) made additional funding available to help nonprofits advancing health equity in the United States not just defend against attacks from the White House and Congress, but also to challenge these punitive policies in court. (NPQ has received funding from RWJF.)

“Part of it is to provide [those nonprofits] timely legal analysis and education so that they can navigate the current environment as best as possible,” explained Giridhar Mallya, senior policy director at RWJF. “The second part is supporting groups that are actually challenging policies that we’re seeing, both from the federal government and state government.”

“Doing both those things simultaneously is really important because one is about navigating the current environment as it is, and the other is about trying to shape and shift the environment in a way that’s more positive for health and racial equity work,” Mallya told NPQ.

Among RWJF’s grantees working on the legal front are the Democracy Forward Foundation, which has been a leader in challenging the Trump administration in court; the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. At the same time, RWJF is also supporting organizations, like ChangeLab Solutions, that advocate for equity in health-related laws and policies.

Read the full article about funding health equity by Isaiah Thompson at Nonprofit Quarterly.