Over 100 foundations, organizations and legal entities published an open letter on September 19th, entitled Statement on Political Violence and the Fundamental Freedom of Speech. In it, they set the tone for what is at stake today in our society and what they stand by, in the process generating hope, a bit of bravery, and solidarity.
This open letter is an indication that across a wide spectrum of organizations and philanthropic entities—serving many types of communities—leaders are strongly rejecting attempts to instrumentalize violence to create panic, further division, or shut down the democratic practice of free speech and philanthropic giving. This signals to the government that these organizations are united in their calls for unity, and signals to the sector that civil discourse and coordinated action across different communities are still valuable frameworks. Seeing these foundations acting on their belief in a better future for our country is a powerful reminder of solidarity built through communications.
What lessons can we draw from this collective example? As organizations working in the social change sector, it is essential to maintain nuance, aligned with an alert reading of the dynamics at play among a wide range of social spheres. The statement does just that, by:
- Carefully rejecting behavior that is noxious to philanthropic values and social change (“attacks for carrying out our mission”, “exploiting violence to mischaracterize our good work”, etc.).
- Using language that ensures that a wide range of audiences can see themselves in the message (“our country”, “our democracy”, “We support our neighbors when they are in need and remain committed to uniting across divides and partisanship.”)
- Grounding their communications in widely shared norms such as civil liberties and the Constitution. As we shared earlier this year, organizations can strengthen their positioning in this uncertain context by referencing, where relevant, collectively held beliefs about the power of the rule of law and civil liberties.
This approach to communications can work for nonprofits as well. Across the world, and in the US specifically, nongovernmental organizations, such as those in the philanthropic sector, are considered to make up the most ethical sector, and in 2025 these organizations were found to be more highly trusted than government or media. This speaks volumes about the power of nonprofits and other philanthropic entities to speak about the solutions we need today and for tomorrow.
If your organization is uncertain about when and how to communicate in these turbulent times, reach out for a private conversation.