Massachusetts AG’s office tells nonprofits to be ‘strategic’ around DEI amid Trump threats

The Massachusetts AG’s Office is urging nonprofits to continue to focus on DEI work despite “unlawful” funding cut threats from the Trump administration, recommending that organizations be “strategic” with their language.

Attorney General Andrea Campbell and her office have launched a webinar series geared towards nonprofits facing changes in federal policy and funding, kicking off with an initial forum on Tuesday.

Since President Trump took office in January,  the AG’s office has filed 32 lawsuits against the administration. Of those, at least 18 have been directly related to funding disruptions, said Katherine Dirks, chief state trial counsel.

“In all of them,” she said, “the role of our office is to do as much as we possibly can to check executive overreach.”

The AG’s office has tried to fight back against the Trump administration’s attempts to ban DEI at workplaces and educational institutions, including nonprofits. In February and March, Campbell issued guidance to businesses and schools to understand such policies.

Republicans argue that DEI programs “waste taxpayer dollars” and sow “harmful ideology,” while Democrats contend the initiatives are in response to systemic racism.

Angela Clark, the AG’s chief of organizational diversity, equity and inclusion, told nonprofits on Tuesday that they should continue to focus on “engaging in diversity, equity and inclusion work.”

A way to skirt around the threats, she said, is being “strategic with your federal grant language.”

“You should not expect to receive any federal grants if it specifically focuses on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility work,” Clark said. “We know that, but there are definitely ways to use other resources to do this work.”

“If you’re applying for a federal grant to train teachers,” she added, “it might not be the right moment to highlight the fact that you’re specifically focusing on diverse teaching recruitments.”

Clark also said nonprofits should consider diversifying their funding sources, such as pursuing local, state and private grants.

“We know there is some fear out there,” she said.

Harvard and MIT have responded to Trump’s threats, with the Cambridge institutions renaming and partially or fully dissolving their DEI offices.

The AG’s office received a 12%, or $9 million, budget increase for fiscal year 2026, bringing its total allocation to $83 million, to support its fight against the Trump administration.

“As the Trump Administration continuously attempts to illegally terminate federal funds and take other unlawful actions that impact the non-profit sector,” Campbell said in a statement, “organizations across the Commonwealth are faced with new challenges, questions, and uncertainty.”