Across the region, our neighbors are struggling with spiking costs of living and facing mounting uncertainty around job security, housing stability, childcare and educational access. At the same time, our nonprofit partners are stretched thinner than ever, with increasing uncertainty around the stability of federal and state funding while balancing the increased need for their critical services.  

Over the past several weeks, we’ve been meeting this moment by holding calls with hundreds of our nonprofit partners, corporate funders, elected officials and other civic leaders who have shared their concerns and told us what’s at stake in real time - and what kind of support they need to ensure services and stability are available to individuals and families right here at home.   

The weekly call is designed as a forum for United Way to raise awareness of the impacts of a rapidly changing federal landscape to government, business and nonprofit leaders. So far, we’ve heard from U.S. Representatives Jake Auchincloss and Ayanna Pressley and State Senator Sal DiDomencio, along with nonprofit partners such as the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) and the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.  

That was the message from Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, (D) MA-7, who joined our weekly conversation with non-profit partners to discuss how Massachusetts is responding to the rapidly-changing federal policies impacting our communities. 

“We must continue to hold firm to our values that our freedoms, our destinies and our safety is tied to one another,” said Pressley. “So, whether we're talking about our LGBTQ neighbors, whether we're talking about our immigrant neighbors, whether we're talking about federal workers, childcare workers, researchers, everyone who calls this Commonwealth home, we have got to continue to hold firm to and practice our values.” 

Congressman Jake Auchincloss told the non-profit leaders that their work was more important than ever. “Organizations like you are vital to support our constituents during this time,” said Auchincloss, who represents the Massachusetts 4^th District. “Don’t feel distracted or demoralized during these executive orders. Pick the wins that relate to both sides.”   

Over the past month, United Way of Massachusetts Bay has heard from many of our nonprofit partners about what they are seeing on the ground as we navigate new policies and regulatory changes — and how these developments are impacting individuals, organizations, and communities.    

Over 250 people have joined the virtual calls in the last four weeks with questions on housing, privacy issues, immigration and enforcement, state and federal funding concerns and the executive actions that may impact federal agencies such as Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Department of Education, and others as well as concerns about the temporary protected status  of individuals. Each call is followed by a weekly bulletin with a summary of the swiftly changing political landscape and need-to-know federal changes affecting communities.  

Doug Howgate, President of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation said his organization is assessing the federal changes though lenses of differences in ideology, or different approaches to policy from the ways Massachusetts has historically approached issues, the practical impacts of the federal changes and the impacts of how the changes are being implemented.  

“Lack of clarity around various executive actions, uncertainty while legal challenges are pursued and the potential for Congressional inaction on required public finance bills can create process-related impacts on state programs and key economic sectors,” Howgate said. 

Noting that one in four state dollars come from the federal government, Howgate said the impact of significant changes or cuts to federal funds can impact programs like Medicaid, low-income heating assistance, housing stabilization funds and childcare block grants. 

According to the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, the FY 2025 signed state budget relies on $14.4 billion in direct federal grants & reimbursements. This is second-largest source of revenue for the Commonwealth next to the income tax. 

Liz Sweet, executive director at the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) highlighted how rapid changes in the immigration space are impacting people, community-based organizations, businesses and our economy.  She highlighted that in 2021, immigrants comprised 29% of the workforce in Greater Boston, and that immigrants and refugees living in Massachusetts pay $10.6 billion per year in federal and $4.5 billion per year in state and local taxes. 

Federal changes expected to impact Massachusetts include so-called sanctuary cities’ eligiility for federal funding, expansion of expedited removal of immigrants who have been in the US for less than two years, rescinding birthright citizenship and rescinding temporary protected status for refugees from Venezuela and Haiti, which could impact up to 10,000 residents in the Commonwealth. 

The impact of these changes, Sweet said, is “widespread panic” among immigrant communities.  “People are missing medical appointments, are afraid to go to the grocery store, and keeping their children home from school,” Sweet said.  She urged attendees to engage in “Know Your Rights” training opportunities to help raise awareness with accurate information. 

State Senator Sal DiDomenico, representing the Middlesex and Suffolk Districts, encouraged nonprofit partners to reach out to their elected leaders with three top priorities for their organization--giving those lawmakers a focus for their advocacy. Then, make sure those elected leaders are held accountable for following through.  

“In my district, many kids have stayed home from school,” he said. “Many of the parents have not gone to ESL classes, have not gone to services. Parents have gotten calls from their kids during the day asking to come home because they were afraid they weren’t going to be coming home at night. It’s a real thing.  We are preparing for the worst, but we also know there’s a lot of rhetoric and grandstanding. We are trying to figure out what’s real,” he added.  

Pressley echoed the remarks of panelists over this month by saying hope is not lost and urged attendees to choose hope over cynicism. 

 “I’ve always maintained that every great movement has three components: imagination, strategy and stamina. We're going to need to give ourselves permission to continue to imagine and radically dream about that better, other world that we know is possible.” 

United Way of Massachusetts Bay is a non-partisan organization whose mission is to build more equitable communities. We want to hear from you!  Please help us lift the impacts you are seeing in your organizations and/or communities by emailing Will Lehrer at wlehrer@supportunitedway.org.