On this page, you will find information on Grantmaking, the Foreign Agents Registration Act, and the Partner Vetting System.
The rights of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) to free speech, association and assembly often come under pressure or even direct attack as a result of over-reaching laws and regulations. The problem is exacerbated by donors and enforcement agencies that shift risk downstream onto NPOs. For example, counterterrorism clauses or certifications that NPOs must sign as part of the grant agreement and USAID’s problematic Partner Vetting System may be inconsistent with humanitarian principles or privacy standards. In addition, since investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election raised the profile of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), , which requires registration and disclosure by those acting “for or on behalf of” foreign governments and entities, have led to overly broad application of the law to fundamental civil society relationships . Information and analysis in this section calls attention to threats to the rights of nonprofit organizations and efforts to address them.
Featured Resources
Dutch Government Cuts Funding to NGO Despite Investigation Clearing it of Terror Ties
Following intense political pressure from the Israeli government and allied organizations, the Dutch government has decided to cut funding to a Palestinian NGO that aids farmers in areas targeted for Israeli settlement expansion, the Union
What Donors Should Know Following the Dutch Government’s Decision to Cut Funding for UAWC
On Jan. 5, 2022, the Dutch Foreign Ministry published a letter to the Dutch Parliament announcing that it was cutting its financial support for the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC), a leading Palestinian civil
Israel’s Attack on Palestinian NGOs is a Threat to Civil Society Everywhere
By Kay Guinane Over the last two decades humanitarian actors have experienced increasing legal restrictions on their operations and physical attacks on personnel and facilities. This long-standing problem is a manifestation of the larger trend
100+ Global Donors Pen Letter to ‘Stand With’ Palestinian Rights Groups Outlawed by Israel – Common Dreams
November 17, 2021 C&SN Founder and Senior Advisor Kay Guinane is quoted in the story, arguing that Israel's designations "mark a crescendo, not an opening salvo, in the Israeli government's long-standing campaign to suppress Palestinian
Briefing & Panel Discussion: C&SN’s Report on Lawfare
https://youtu.be/0CS_-wDLkns Description: On Thursday November 18, at 10 am eastern, C&SN hosted a presentation of our recent report: The Alarming Rise of Lawfare to Suppress Civil Society – the Case of Palestine and Israel. A
C&SN Urges State Department to View Israel’s Allegations Against NGOs with Extreme Scrutiny
November 1, 2021 On October 29, the Charity & Security Network sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the State Department to apply extreme scrutiny to any evidence brought forward by the