The Federation of State Humanities Councils’ new podcast, Humanities =, features interviews with professionals and community members who use the humanities to celebrate local history, bring communities together, foster civic health, and more.

The show highlights the impact and vitality of humanities councils’ work throughout the country. In recent episodes, they’ve featured stories from Vermont Humanities and their outdoor poetry program, Humanities Nebraska and their child literacy program, Mississippi Humanities’ prison book club program, and more.

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The Templeton Ideas Podcast interviewed Jason Marsh, executive director of the Greater Good Science Center at University of California, Berkeley.

Greater Good is committed to sharing science-based insights with educators, parents, and other professionals to foster meaningful lives and a thriving society. In recent years, Greater Good has received grants from the John Templeton Foundation to engage and promote virtues such as intellectual humility and love.

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At their best, holidays fill us with hope, wonder, generosity, love, and joy. But what is joy, really, and can we experience it even when life is turbulent and tough going? To learn more, check out Alene Dawson’s Templeton Ideas essay Unwrapping the Science of Joy.

Dig deeper into the 2025 State of the Nonprofit Sector Survey results with our online, dynamic Survey Analyzer. This Analyzer allows you to see a filtered view of the data from select survey questions.

Choose your own adventure! You can filter the data from our 2,206 national respondents by sector, geography, and budget size to see data that is most relevant to you.

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The Department of Education (Department) has agreed to deliver long-delayed student debt relief for borrowers enrolled in income-driven repayment plans (IDR) and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program under a recent lawsuit, separate from the lawsuit above, and associated joint status report.

The agreement requires the Department to cancel student debt for eligible borrowers, issue refunds for payments made after reaching forgiveness, and process buyback applications for both repayment programs.

This settlement directly affects PSLF participants by continuing to process applications, expanding access for eligible employers, including nonprofits, and improving oversight through six months of mandated reporting on progress made. Notably, the Department must treat the official loan discharge date as the date the borrower first became eligible to ensure that the forgiveness is not treated as taxable income.

H.R. 1, the major tax reconciliation bill enacted into law this summer, introduced new enforcement provisions affecting the employee retention tax credit (ERTC). Earlier this month, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued guidance to address the limitation on credits and refunds for ERTC claimed for the third and fourth quarters of 2021 filed after Jan. 31, 2024. One provision prevents the IRS from allowing or refunding ERTCs after July 4, 2025, for the third and fourth quarters of 2021 if those claims were filed after Jan. 31, 2024, even if the taxpayer otherwise met eligibility requirements.

However, if taxpayers filed after Jan. 31, 2024, but received an ERTC credit or refund before July 4, 2025, the rules do not apply to the claim. If an ERTC claimed on a return is disallowed under the rules, taxpayers will receive Letter 105-C, Claim Disallowed and can appeal to the IRS Independent Office of Appeals. The taxpayer would need to believe the refund claim reporting ERC eligibility was timely filed on or before Jan. 31, 2024, and the IRS improperly disallowed it under section 70605(d) of H.R.1.

What the New Final Rule on Public Service Loan Forgiveness Means for Nonprofits

On August 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing revisions to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. The NPRM was issued in response to a March 2025 Executive Order instructing ED to revise eligibility criteria to exclude organizations with a “substantially illegal purpose” from qualifying as eligible employers under the program. Independent Sector submitted formal comments opposing the proposed rule on the grounds that the statute establishing PSLF clearly defines all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations as qualifying employers, and that ED lacks statutory authority to narrow that definition.

Despite widespread opposition from nonprofit, labor, and public-sector stakeholders, ED finalized the rule on October 30, 2025, with an effective date of July 1, 2026. The final rule grants ED new authority to exclude certain nonprofit employers it deems to have a “substantial illegal purpose,” raising significant questions about the scope of ED’s discretion, the rule’s legality, and its potential impact on nonprofit employees who rely on PSLF.

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As federal scrutiny intensifies, philanthropists, foundations, charitable intermediaries, nonprofit executives, board members, legal counsel, grantees and donors must be prepared for a new wave of IRS criminal investigations that could reshape the compliance landscape.

Recent developments within IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) signal a new era of scrutiny for nonprofit organizations. With reports of increased enforcement and a growing list of tax-exempt entities under review, nonprofits must act swiftly to assess their compliance posture and mitigate risk.

Join BakerHostetler attorneys for a timely and practical webinar exploring:

IRS-CI’s evolving approach to nonprofit investigations

Legal risks tied to political activity, improper donations and grant-making

How federal prosecutors may use subpoenas, search warrants and donor interviews

The role of corporate compliance programs in mitigating criminal exposure

What nonprofits and their donors should do now to prepare for potential investigations or prosecution

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Truist Foundation "supports communities by investing in innovative nonprofits that work with adults and align with our key areas of focus: building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses."

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"We believe those most impacted by inequity and injustice are in the best position to develop solutions. Our intent is to achieve a better future for all by providing support to community-based, grassroots organizations confronting social and environmental injustice. We are inspired by Civil Rights icon John Lewis’ admonition, “Speak up, speak out, get in the way. Get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”

The National Grassroots Organizing Program (NGO) offers unrestricted, general operating support grants of up to $30,000 per year, with an average grant size of $20,000 per year, to small (budgets under $350,000), constituent-led grassroots organizations throughout the United States and its territories."

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Episode: Leading through Whiplash: How to Stay Grounded in Uncertain Times (with Alex Love)

"Whiplash. That’s how it feels to lead a nonprofit right now. One moment, you’re planning the next bold initiative rooted in equity, community, and care. The next, a policy shifts or a grant disappears, and you’re left spinning.

In this episode, host Glennda Testone sits down with executive coach and DEI consultant Alex Love to talk about how nonprofit leaders can find steadiness in a moment that feels anything but steady. It’s not just about managing staff or programs — it’s about caring for your people, yourself, and the mission, all while navigating fear, uncertainty, and change.

Alex knows what it’s like to weather massive shifts, both personally and professionally. From growing up in a richly diverse military town to leading DEI initiatives in high-pressure media environments, Alex brings lived experience, clarity, and compassion to this conversation.

We are reminded that while leaders often feel they must hold it all together, it’s okay to name what’s hard. In fact, acknowledging the hard stuff—openly and with vulnerability—may be one of the most important things a leader can do right now.

This episode is a balm for nonprofit leaders who feel isolated or overwhelmed. With grace and humor, Alex offers tangible ways to create space for your team to process big emotions, stay connected to the mission, and move forward with integrity.

As Alex puts it: “We are in this together. We are gonna figure it out. And we’re gonna do what we can where we are.”

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