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
Politically Motivated Attack on Black Lives Matter: DOJ Asked to Conduct Criminal Investigation
The Zachor Legal Institute, a U.S.-based advocacy group that produces legal materials “made available for use by the entire Zionist umbrella of organizations,” sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) calling for a
New FARA Registration Request Raises Concerns for NPOs
The scope of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) appears to have been expanded once again as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently asked a U.S. nonprofit organization (NPO) to register under the Act
Senators Call for FARA Investigation of the NIAC
Concerns about politically motivated enforcement of the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) have once again been raised after three Senators sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) requesting an investigation of the National
You Might Be a Foreign Agent If ….
The examination of foreign influence on U.S. elections has put a heavy focus on the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA), the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA), an until-fairly-recently-somewhat-ignored law that requires those working for a
Surveillance of Civil Society is a Growing Problem
Headlines in recent weeks serve as reminders that the long-standing problem of government surveillance of civil society has not gone away. Instead it is growing into a threat to the privacy of communications of civil
Abstract: Development Needs Civil Society: The Implications of Civic Society for the Sustainable Development Goals
“Development Needs Civil Society: The Implications of Civic Society for the Sustainable Development Goals,” by the ACT Alliance and Institute for Development Studies, examines the consequences of closing civic space on civil society organizations (CSOs),