The Department of Nonprofit Efficiency
D.O.N.E
Protecting U.S. nonprofit organizations
from federal funding risk, retaliation, and more.
Changes at the Federal level mean nonprofits and foundations across America are reworking their programs and communications to ensure they avoid being targeted for DEI-related funding reductions and more.
While the Department of Government Efficiency is sending crack teams to dismantle vital public services overnight, we’re D.O.N.E., and ready to fight fire with finesse.
We’re a team of legal and strategic communications professionals, we surge a rapid, full-spectrum response to defend your interests. Where there is misinformation, confusion, and chaos, we bring precision, strategy, and a battle-tested approach to:

Legal & Grant Compliance

Board & Leadership Strategy

Crisis Communications & PR

Social Media

Narrative Strategy & Storytelling

Staff Training & Capacity Building
we’re D.O.N.E talking:

When Words Go Missing, Nonprofits Go Between the Lines
Michael Braithwaite is D.O.N.E Talking —
The New York Times’ ‘banned words list’ presents a staggering challenge to nonprofits and foundations across the United States. Over 200 terms that have become fundamental to social impact work have suddenly been flagged for federal agencies to “limit or avoid,” and the list reads like a direct attack on the vocabulary of social progress. Because it is. What now?
Let’s GET This D.O.N.E
Our rapid response process is built for speed, precision, and real results that manage risk today:
Initial consultation
We start with an intensive consultation between your leadership, our strategic experts, and our lawyer. You lay out everything: the landscape, the risks, the internal dynamics, the external pressures. From there, we map out an action plan with clear next steps; a direct assessment of what you need to do to survive and thrive.
Comprehensive audit
Our team turns over every stone to uncover vulnerabilities, reviewing the following in light of recent best practices:
- Your website, programmatic language, and internal documents
- Public social media posts, blog content, personal tweets, and social media from key staff (especially leadership).
- Executive Director’s LinkedIn history—because, yes, that matters
- Board member statements and public affiliations
- Internal strategic frameworks and values
- Anything that could be compromised, misinterpreted, or weaponized against the organization
- Grant agreements and materials to ensure legal compliance and alignment with language being used across the organization
- We will identify high-risk staff or messaging and provide compassionate decision-making support to mitigate risks without destroying morale.
Comprehensive Plan
Once the audit is complete, we deliver a full strategic report outlining:
- A legal review of grant agreements examining requirements, modification processes, termination options, and compliance verification
- A clear and concise assessment of what’s working, what’s dangerous, and what needs immediate attention
- A risk assessment for funding, including state and federal considerations
- Case studies of similar organizations and how they navigated these issues
- A presentation for your board to manage their fears, pushback, and worst instincts
Our goal is to make you whole. We help future-proof your organization for the next four years and beyond by ensuring there’s alignment between your values, your practices, your policies, and your external narrative and organizational voice.
Implementation
This is where we get to work. We don’t just hand you a report and walk away—we are prepared to execute:
- Crisis communications: Press releases, talking points, and media training
- Messaging refinement: Maintaining the essence of DEI work without saying DEI, strategic narrative shifts, language washing
- Legal compliance strategies: Ensuring grant agreements and organizational materials meet new and evolving regulatory requirements
- Board and donor engagement: Reports that make the case without setting off alarms
- Public-facing storytelling: Your work, framed in ways that resonate within legal alignment with the right audiences
We will position you for funding, impact, long-term staff retention, and growth—without unnecessary controversy.
A Report
Once the dust has settled, we leave you with a roadmap to keep your organization strong moving forward.
✔️ A strategic report for your board, tailored for clarity and action
✔️ SWOT analysis of your messaging and communications strategy
✔️ Grant agreement and compliance review with actionable recommendations
✔️ Refined key messages & elevator pitches that align with your mission and goals
✔️ Social media recommendations to keep your online presence airtight
✔️ Stakeholder engagement strategies for donors, partners, and community groups
✔️ Internal process improvements to streamline workflows and prevent future crises
✔️ Comparative landscape analysis of how your messaging stacks up against your peers
We also offer ongoing advisory support and targeted workshops and training for staff, board, and leadership if you want us in your corner long-term.
Your nonprofit can’t afford to freeze up and your community can’t afford to lose you in this fight. Let’s talk.
We’re D.O.N.E
Years of experience in law, risk mitigation, crisis and strategic communications.
Recent news
Inside the Explosive Meeting Where Trump Officials Clashed with Elon Musk — The New York Times, Mar 7
The Trump administration cancels $400 million in grants to Columbia University — The New York Times, Mar 7
Marshals escort DOGE officials into African aid agency — The New York Times, Mar 7
Challenging Times: How U.S. Nonprofit Leaders are Experiencing the Political Context — The Center for Effective Philanthropy, Mar 6
More about the Federal Funding Cuts Tracker Project — Abigail Andre, Mar 5
Trigger words in Federal Grant Writing in the Trump Administration — Grant Writing and Funding, Mar 4
Trump’s DEI Order Takes Aim at the Biggest Foundations. Here are the 346 that could face a probe — The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Feb 27
Deletion Is Propaganda–Government via keyword is not “efficiency.” It is an abuse of power — The Atlantic, February 28
On X, Conservative Activists Find a Direct Pipeline to Musk’s Team — New York Times, February 27
Nonprofits Sue Over Trump’s “Anti-Equity” Orders — Nonprofit Quarterly, Feb 25
Major Lawsuits Against Trump And Musk: Judge Halts Trump’s DEI Contract Ban—For Now — Feb 21, Forbes
DEI Executive Orders and Related Litigation — National Law Review, Feb 20
Nonprofits Self-Censoring in Wake of Trump Actions — Nonprofit Quarterly, Feb 14
Get In Touch
Get In Touch
