Author name: TNN

By Dr. Kevin Dean, President & CEOTennessee Nonprofit Network The past few weeks have felt like a relentless, almost surreal, assault on the nonprofit sector. A paused federal grant, the ensuing legal battles, demands for ideological conformity from government grantees and contractors (a chilling echo of McCarthyism), a flurry of executive orders that seem designed […]

by Dr. Kevin Dean, President & CEOTennessee Nonprofit Network It feels imperative, in this moment, to name a truth, a truth that echoes in the hushed conversations, the strained smiles, and the late-night emails that have become the soundtrack of my life these past weeks: I am not okay. We, the nonprofit community, the tireless

THIS WEEK’S RUNDOWN: On Tuesday, the House Insurance Subcommittee advanced HB 18 which would temporarily expand Medicaid for individuals who have incomes that are too high to qualify for TennCare, but too low to receive subsidies on the health insurance marketplace. NEXT WEEK’S CALENDAR: Monday: Tuesday: Wednesday: Legislative Calendar

2/11/2025An Open Letter to National Foundations and Nonprofit Organizations,From Dr. Kevin Dean, President & CEO, Tennessee Nonprofit Network The ground has shifted. The already complex and challenging landscape of the nonprofit sector has been dramatically altered by recent events. Executive orders, federal grant pause litigation, ICE raids, erasure of LGBTQ rights, the DEI backlash, and

Monday night, Governor Bill Lee delivered his seventh State of the State address to a joint session of the House and Senate. The $59.5 billion FY2026 budget proposal is higher than last year’s proposed $53 billion budget and will now go to the legislature for final consideration. Last year’s legislature-approved budget came in at $60.5

Get ready to be inspired! We’re thrilled to announce the incredible lineup of speakers for the Nonprofit Storytelling Summit on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (EDT) at Bridgewater Place in beautiful Knoxville, Tennessee. Hosted by the Tennessee Nonprofit Network, this summit is a must-attend event for anyone passionate about the

Hello nonprofit friends, These are your legislative updates for Tennessee for Friday, February 7th. Download the updates here. Download the legislative calendar here. THIS WEEK’S RUNDOWN: On Tuesday, the House Population Health Subcommittee and the House Health Committee both met for the first time this year. The subcommittee now includes the topics of intellectual & developmental

The Tennessee legislature is now in session. We have identified 87 bills that may be of interest. The bill filing deadline in both the House and Senate is February 6. Last week saw the conclusion of the special session on the Governor’s education freedom scholarships program, Hurricane Helene relief and immigration enforcement. The House will

WE DID IT! The nonprofit sector has come together around the country to fight against the federal grant pause. The Trump Administration has officially rescinded the federal funding freeze for nonprofits. The rescission of the order renders all prior actions, including the initial order, the freeze on funding, and the subsequent stay, null and void.

Nonprofit and philanthropy friends, Before we begin, a fact check: federal funding has not been cut to nonprofits. There is a federal funding freeze that goes into effect today at 5pm. The consequences of this are still massive, but please note that all federal funding to nonprofits has not been cut. Though we should expect