Protecting Nonprofits

Beginning in 2018, a handful of groups with a self-professed political agenda have impeded the valuable work of nonprofit organizations through lawsuits, deplatforming campaigns and challenges to organizations’ tax-exempt status. Ostensibly, these groups say their actions are aimed at strengthening security. Instead, their actions impede the nonprofits’ work. At the center of these campaigns is disinformation about the work and reputations of nonprofits, disguised as “research,” which is used to exploit legitimate counter-terrorism laws and whistleblower provisions.

This is the latest chapter in the use of disinformation to delegitimize charitable work. For several years, Charity & Security Network has been aware that disinformation on nonprofits has been given an audience on Capitol Hill, and that this sham “research” has even made its way into commercial tools commonly used by financial institutions to screen customers and potential customers against sanctions lists.

In this section you will find information on False Claims Act lawsuits, Deplatforming, Charitable Status, Grantmaking, the Foreign Agents Registration Act, and the Partner Vetting System.