Civic society’s need to level up its skills
It's a whole new world for science, nonprofits, and universities.
Large segments of nonpartisan civic society are being dragged into politics against their will. They aren’t prepared for it.
Here’s a look at how some of the most significant verticals in the civic sector --science, universities, and nonprofits--are muddling through.
Science
The biomedical research community is a target of political attack from the Trump administration. The president's $1.8 billion cut to scientific research funding has diminished hopes for government-led breakthroughs in areas like cancer and Alzheimer’s research.
Researchers are used to bureaucracy, not bare-knuckle politics. When the funding cuts came, there was barely an effort to fight back. Where is the national campaign to restore funding for life-saving medical research? Social media statements are not a campaign.
As Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo put it, “The world of biomedical research has close to no experience operating in a political context—and especially in the context of mass politics...The White House has relied on researchers’ unfamiliarity with political fights, using their sole reliance on bureaucratic channels of funding and review — which the universities and the federal government set up together going on a century ago — against them."
Marshall notes that if/when the general public finds out about what's happening to cancer and Alzheimer’s research, “[T]hey get mad. That, quite simply, is political power for good." But the scientific community, at least so far, isn't leveraging its power.
Universities
Universities find themselves in a similar position. They're used to behind-the-scenes lobbying within the halls of legislatures, not high-stakes political showdowns under the klieg light of TV cameras.
In 2023, Congressional Republicans summoned the presidents of Harvard, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania to testify about antisemitism on their campuses. When asked by Rep. Elise Stefanik whether calling for the genocide of Jews constitutes harassment or bullying, each gave some version of, it depends.
It was a classic P.R. disaster —legally cautious, but politically tone-deaf. Democrats were just as appalled as Republicans. What was needed was a simple, unequivocal “yes" to the question. The Harvard Crimson reported the university sidelined its political and communications teams when prepping its president Claudine Gay to testify. The fallout was swift. Penn President Liz Magill resigned under pressure; Harvard’s Gay was forced out just weeks later.
Nonprofits
Trump's "big, beautiful bill" that passed the House earlier this month —and is now in the Senate—includes higher taxes for some nonprofits, making it potentially more difficult to operate. Another provision in the bill allows the Treasury secretary (thus the President) to designate any nonprofit as a “terrorist-supporting organization” he doesn't like and revoke its tax-exempt status.
Setting aside any logic or justification for targeting nonprofit sector– there isn't any – this is a raw political move that is part of the Trump Administration's larger plan, I think, to dismantle progressive infrastructure in the U.S. The nonprofit sector has been caught flat-footed. The Chronicle of Philanthropy reported:
Foundations left themselves vulnerable by failing to invest in advocacy and building relationships with lawmakers, says Steve Taylor, a long-time lobbyist and senior adviser to the Charitable Independence Initiative. Taylor says it’s notable that two of the top targets identified by influential analyst Scott Hodge as ripe for taxation — nonprofit hospitals and credit unions — are nowhere to be found in the new tax bill.
“That is a huge indication of their relative political strength,” Taylor says.
Foundations dithered, he says, fearing backlash from Trump or wary of crossing lines that limit political activity.
“No one wanted to step into this hot political environment of the past decade,” Taylor says. “It’s understandable, but it was a mistake. We’re paying the price with this bill.”
Not news: everything is political now
Even the weather service has become political. Navigating this new world requires more than good intentions or technical expertise. It takes political skill: knowing whom to talk to, what levers to pull, how to communicate effectively, and how to organize meaningful opposition and champion meaningful support.
After its congressional hearing, Harvard seems to have learned its lesson. The university is now taking a more assertive stance—pushing back against the Trump administration not only in court, but in the media and political spheres. It’s no longer letting its opponents define the narrative.
I get that civic society is worried about the people it employs, its programs, and overall financial health. But what serves all of these interests the most is to be prepared for the rough-and-tumble of politics. Hire the political strategist, lobbyist, and media people now -and consult Bolder Advocacy—so you’re not flailing about if you become the next Trump Administration target. This is a whole new world. Ignoring or not playing in the sandbox I’m afraid is no longer an option.