Before I begin, an important caveat. The Collective Impact Forum – like many of our members – is a nonprofit organization that does not endorse candidates for office or engage in any partisan political activities. Nonpartisanship, however, does not deny us the ability to express our beliefs and feelings about the implications of an election. We also have the right to criticize the positions, statements, personnel nominations, and policies proposed by any elected official.
The results of this election were devastating for me and many colleagues, given our commitment to justice, fairness, equity, freedom, and democracy. The incoming President has made clear in his rhetoric, policy proposals, personnel, and defense of insurrection that these core American values and many vulnerable populations will be under threat. I’ve spent the weeks since the election meeting with colleagues across the country as we work through our stages of grief about the results and fear about what may be coming. Following are my reflections on where we are and recommendations for how we move forward.
1. Reject the “landslide” narrative, it was a virtual tie won on the margin.
America is polarized with the voting electorate almost evenly divided. The President-elect received 49.9% of the vote, just below a majority, and only 1.5% more than the 48.4% who voted for Vice President Harris. Yes, it was a big electoral college victory, but maps of land that don’t correct for density of people distort the picture. In total, 75 million people voted against the President-elect (and another 85 million did not even vote). The election was won based on small margins in swing states (Wisconsin, where I live, was decided by 30,000 votes out of 3.5 million) and in 5 of the 7 swing states a Democratic candidate for either Governor or Senator won. The nation is essentially evenly divided and the electorate broke slightly but consistently one way at the end. It is sad to me that a majority of white Americans still vote against a fairer, more equitable multicultural democracy, but I believe more Americans overall support these values and that this coalition can grow ideally beyond party lines.
2. The coalition that elected the incoming President is not a monolith.
Voters for the President-elect are not all alike. I experienced this firsthand canvassing in Wisconsin. Just as Vice President Harris’s coalition ranged from Bernie Sanders to Liz Cheney, Trump voters ranged from die-hard enthusiasts and white nationalists to people with various beliefs and grievances who did not embrace the entire tone or agenda of the campaign. Globally there has been an anti-incumbency trend across ideological lines following the pandemic and its socio-economic impacts that America followed. This is not a permanent coalition with a consistent ideological commitment, and some if not many of these voters are just unhappy with the status quo and persuadable on the issues and solutions many of us work on.
3. Focus on engagement not blame.
After the election, there was a race for hot takes from exit polls about how different groups voted and why. Some even used that data to blame various groups, messages, or policies for the election result, even suggesting the interests of some groups should be thrown “under the bus.” This is unacceptable. Much of the analysis so far is over-analysis of incomplete data to reinforce pundits’ previous beliefs and biases (the political scientists John Sides, Michael Tesler, and Lynn Vavreck have done excellent analyses of all the voting data in past elections and will likely do so again this year but it will take time. See Identity Crisis and The Bitter End). Yes, there are shifts in populations to be explored and strategies and messages that need to be re-thought, but we should focus on learning how to better engage and persuade, not to blame populations or sacrifice their interests because of an election decided so closely. Our nation is about liberty and justice for all. Solidarity is the way forward, not more division.
4. Our work is supported by overwhelming majorities.
While our nation is divided about politics, we are not as divided about issues. Solid majorities want safer, healthier communities with better schools, more affordable housing, mental health supports, more economic opportunity, and quality affordable childcare. Don’t be defensive in this environment about promoting or advocating for the importance of your work and the solutions you are building. In fact, the progress you make on moving outcomes and solving problems can convince people who feel antipathy toward the status quo and distrust of government and nonprofits that success is possible. Lead, organize, advocate, and communicate from the strength of your progress and success.
5. Don’t surrender racial equity and inclusion.
If you are committed to a multicultural democracy where everyone has the opportunity to belong and thrive, it is time to double down. Do not practice what has been called “anticipatory obedience” or “the chilling effect” by backing away from your commitment out of fear about what may come. We have already seen many corporations surrender commitments out of fear of losing customers or the support of the incoming administration. This is inexcusable cowardice and demonstrates that their commitment to all of their employees and customers was never authentic. We cannot waiver on a commitment that is both morally and practically right. The nation is continuing to become more diverse with each new generation. It is understandable that some organizations or networks may have to navigate how they communicate and enact their commitments due to state laws or local opposition, but that is not the same as surrendering those commitments. We also do need to build better on-ramps that help people better understand and join these commitments. While we may use different approaches, we must continue to advocate for and protect policies and systems changes that redress disparities in participation, opportunities, and outcomes in support of fairness and justice for everyone.
6. Protect, Resist, Build, Bridge:
I am adapting this list from one I heard back in 2017 from either Angela Glover Blackwell or Michael McAfee at a PolicyLink event. It has been my mantra with colleagues and clients since the election, and a framework that might help you clarify your thinking about your work in the coming years:
- Protect: We need to protect the most vulnerable in our society. We know that immigrants, trans adults and children, women in need of abortion care, and many others may be targeted by policies, policing, and discrimination. We also know that white nationalists and other hate groups will likely feel emboldened to enter the public square again. We need to be connected to vulnerable populations in our community with empathy and solidarity. We must advocate to our city, county, and state leaders to protect these populations; support and partner with organizations that are led by, serve, or defend them; and join the front lines of protest and advocacy when they are threatened. We must have solidarity across populations taking Martin Niemöller’s poem to heart: “First they came for the Socialists and I did not speak out because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a Trade Unionist…” ‘
- Resist: We need to be prepared to resist the policies, orders, rules, personnel appointments, funding decisions, and rhetorical attacks that will harm the populations and communities we serve. We must especially be vigilant and ready to resist any attacks on democracy and civil society itself – our rights to speak out, advocate, protest, and vote. Resistance will take many forms and will occur on many fronts from protests to direct advocacy. Don’t wait until your organization or community is threatened or it will be too late. Again, solidarity is essential.
- Build: Our work is solving problems and building solutions. Demonstrating progress on population outcomes will build hope and belief in change. If people see affordable housing options increase, kids doing better in schools, more quality affordable childcare, or better health outcomes, that can challenge the distrust and cynicism many feel about conditions in our communities and nation. Importantly, to the extent that local, state, or federal government have contributed to our success, we must also communicate that so people can see that government can be a force for good. And we need to have solutions ready so that when the winds shift and there is new opportunity to grow solutions, we are ready.
- Bridge. The coalition that elected the President-elect is not monolithic, and while some supporters are vocally racist, homophobic, transphobic, and misogynistic, not all share this bigotry and hate. The way we win on our values, principles, and issues is by engaging and persuading people to join us rather than by lecturing, shaming, and alienating them. Many people feel left behind, and they have been given easy answers about who to blame and worry that engaging across differences is a pass-fail exercise that will shame them if they say the wrong thing or don’t understand issues well. Bridge building meets people where they are, listens to their stories with empathy, shares our stories, allows learning from mistakes, and finds common building blocks to move forward. This is not everyone’s work. There is an emotional burden to this work that not everyone is wired for or has the capacity to do. But those of us who can bridge need to do so as the route to a more just and equitable society is to increase the number of people who believe and share in its promise.
Storycorps’ One Small Step and Kin Universe are examples of relationship building to build bridges. Some books I have found helpful to understand divisions and how we might bridge them include Ezra Klein’s Why We’re Polarized, Anand Giridharadas’s The Persuaders, Brenè Brown’s Dare to Lead, Heather McGee’s The Sum of Us, and Arlie Russell Hochschild’s Strangers in Their Own Land and new book Stolen Pride.
7. Remember Congress controls spending, not the President.
While the President-elect and his advisors at the nongovernmental Department of Government Efficiency will make headlines calling to defund agencies and cut the federal budget, Congress controls the purse strings. With slim majorities in both chambers and many members’ acquiescent to the President, we should expect many proposals for major cuts. However, Representatives and Senators often talk big about cuts in the abstract, but then preserve spending that goes to their districts and states. If 3 Republican House members and/or 4 Republican Senators oppose a cut, it won’t happen (and if the filibuster is preserved in the Senate, they will need 6 Democrats, too). We saw this challenge recently with the federal budget vote in December when 38 Republicans opposed the spending package endorsed by the incoming President and Speaker. Be proactive about advocating to preserve or even increase funding that supports your local public and nonprofit partners and make sure your Senators and Representatives, particularly Republicans, know what is at stake back home for the positive impacts you are making.
8. Don’t be afraid of advocacy.
One “chilling effect” we often observe among nonprofits is fear of advocacy. Too many organizations are ignorant of the rules and believe themselves far more restricted than they are. Nonprofits may not endorse or oppose a candidate running for office or provide any resources, including in-kind resources, to a campaign. However, organizations may educate elected officials about issues and solutions, share the impact government policies or funding have had or may have on their organizations and communities, recommend policies and systems changes that will support their work, and advocate and even lobby for or against policies, rules, and funding.
Generally speaking – and I would suggest getting legal counsel if you are pursuing greater advocacy – the IRS considers lobbying to be asking an elected official to vote for or against a piece of legislation or encouraging grassroots supporters to ask an elected official to vote for or against a piece of legislation. Meeting with elected officials to educate them is not lobbying unless you are asking them to vote a certain way on legislation. The IRS rule is that a substantial part of your activities cannot be influencing legislation (how much is substantial is determined by a formula that means, for example, a $500,000 organization can spend $100,000; a $1 Million organization can spend $175,000; a $2 Million organization can spend $250,000, etc.). The Collective Impact Forum hosted a webinar last year on advocacy dos and don’ts that explains more.
There are cases where funding that an organization receives restricts it from certain advocacy and lobbying activities. It is often the case in this circumstance that (a) those restrictions only apply to staff time and resources directly supported by the funder (i.e., if a staff person is 100% funded by the grant, they are completely restricted; if a staff member is 50% funded by the grant, they may engage in those activities during the 50% of time not funded by the grant); and (b) they typically do not restrict educational activities as mentioned above. Also remember that you have personal agency outside of your role and organization. You have a right to support campaigns, protest, and advocate as a private citizen. If you are the Executive Director or CEO of an organizations you may have to take steps to ensure a clear distinction between your private activities and your public role, but you have the same rights as anyone else.
9. Some tools that may help planning and managing amid uncertainty.
During the pandemic I shared a few tools that may now be helpful again. The first is scenario planning for groups planning longer term who believe that major forces in our politics or culture could derail progress. If you are facing more immediate challenges or a crisis, the Center for Community Investment’s excellent strategy triage tool can help you consider what you maintain, where you increase effort, what you pause, and what you leave behind. Both of these can help you re-think your present and future course amid uncertainty.
10. Take care of ourselves and each other:
This is going to be a long four years and many of us feel exhausted already. We need to care for ourselves and each other. It is not sustainable to live in Protect and Resist 24/7 for four years. We can’t join every fight and we can’t sit out every fight. We need to be aware that people will be in different spaces at different times, and must balance to sustain. It is important to create space for people, be empathetic, and recognize that not everyone can do all the work all the time. A colleague recently suggested using the Serenity Prayer to guide our work – accepting what we cannot change, having the courage to change the things we can, and knowing the difference between the two so we spend our passion and energy where we can have the most impact.
While many of us feel exhausted, depressed, and fearful about the current state of our nation, we also need to get ready to step up and lead forward. Our work ahead will be protecting, resisting, building, and bridging, and we need to approach this work with both realism about our present circumstance and hope that solutions and change are possible.
