Samwise Nonprofits and Charities Newsletter
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Southern Poverty Law Center Disputes DOJ Claims About Informant Program in Court Filings
The Southern Poverty Law Center asked a federal court to order Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to retract public statements that the Justice Department had no prior knowledge of the nonprofit’s confidential informant program. The SPLC, indicted April 21 on 11 counts of wire fraud, false statements, and money laundering conspiracy, filed court documents Tuesday detailing three instances in which it shared intelligence with federal authorities, including a 45-page alert sent to the FBI before the 2017 Charlottesville rally and information leading to the 2019 FBI arrest of a white supremacist planning a Las Vegas attack. The SPLC strongly denies all charges and says the prosecution is politically motivated.
Sources: ABC News (AP)
Treasury and IRS Announce Form 990 Revisions to Expand Nonprofit Funding Transparency
The Treasury Department and IRS announced plans to revise the nonprofit Form 990 to require more detailed disclosure of government contracts, grant funding, and fiscal sponsorship arrangements. The proposed changes would require 501(c)(3) organizations to identify sponsored projects, disclose who controls project funds, and specify how public money is used, addressing concerns that complex fiscal sponsorship structures can conceal fraud and misuse. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent cited recent congressional oversight into extremist networks funded through nonprofit intermediaries as motivation for the initiative. Treasury and the IRS will publish proposed regulations for public comment before any filing changes take effect, with no immediate changes to current requirements.
Sources: CPA Practice Advisor, U.S. Department of the Treasury
GiveWell Grants $9.6 Million to Against Malaria Foundation for DRC Net Distribution Campaign
GiveWell disbursed a $9.6 million grant to the Against Malaria Foundation to fund the distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets across the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ituri Province, a region with one of the country’s highest malaria mortality rates. The grant covers all distribution logistics—shipping, warehousing, community health worker training, and household delivery—for a campaign delivering 4.4 million nets already procured through a separate $96 million GiveWell grant in December 2024. GiveWell estimates the campaign will protect approximately 819,000 children under five and avert an estimated 5,700 additional deaths. Funding came from GiveWell’s All Grants Fund and Top Charities Fund.
Sources: GiveWell Blog
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Opens $1.5 Million Grant Program for Community Health Data Projects
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announced a new grant program inviting community-based organizations and research partnerships to apply for funding to strengthen locally generated health equity data. The “Local Data for Equitable Communities” program will award up to 30 grants of $50,000 each—a total of approximately $1.5 million—over an 18-month project period. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations working at the intersection of community data collection and health disparities, with projects expected to generate locally relevant evidence informing equitable public health decision-making. Letters of intent are due May 14, 2026. RWJF expects to fund approximately 30 projects under the initiative.
Sources: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Blackbaud Showcases AI-Powered Fundraising Suite at AFP ICON 2026 Conference in San Diego
Blackbaud, the presenting sponsor of the AFP ICON 2026 fundraising conference in San Diego, showcased AI-powered tools designed to help nonprofit development teams navigate rising operational complexity. The company highlighted features including AI-assisted donor prospect research, predictive giving models, and workflow automation built on nonprofit-specific training data. Blackbaud framed its approach as “responsible AI,” arguing that purpose-built sector tools outperform general-purpose AI applications for fundraising tasks. AFP ICON, which ran April 26–28 and drew more than 3,000 professionals, concluded its final session Tuesday. The conference also featured broader sessions on data-driven donor engagement and navigating uncertainty in the current federal funding environment.
Sources: PR Newswire (Blackbaud), AFP ICON
VIN Foundation Earns Tenth Consecutive Charity Navigator Four-Star and Candid Platinum Ratings
The VIN Foundation, a national nonprofit providing financial assistance and student debt resources to veterinary professionals, announced Tuesday it has maintained Charity Navigator’s four-star designation and Candid’s Platinum Seal of Transparency for the tenth consecutive year. Charity Navigator’s four-star rating—held by fewer than one in four of the 230,000-plus organizations it evaluates—assesses financial efficiency, leadership adaptability, culture, and measurable impact. Candid’s Platinum Seal requires maximum public disclosure of an organization’s finances, programs, and board demographics. The announcement comes as the sector faces heightened accountability demands following new Treasury proposals to expand Form 990 reporting requirements for all 501(c)(3) organizations.
Sources: PR Newswire (VIN Foundation)
Curated by JD · samwise.agency