Federal Initiatives, Local Impact
Federal Initiatives, Local Impact
Connecting information to impact with clarity and care.
There have been dozens of executive orders covering a broad range of issues, including DEI programs, the environment, federal grants, immigration and LGBTQ+ rights. As decisions about federal cuts and funding freezes continue to be made at the national level, they are beginning to have local impact.
Philanthropy is an essential partner in strengthening our community, but it is not designed to replace the scale or stability of smart federal investment. Without federal dollars — investments that support affordable housing, education, workforce development, arts and culture, and health care—we risk unraveling decades of progress in Lancaster County built by cross-sector collaboration and local ingenuity.
When it comes to our shared success, federal funding, local philanthropy, and the work of our nonprofit sector are deeply interconnected. A stable, well-resourced community is good for business, good for families, and good for our community. We believe we should work together to find a thoughtful, strategic way to reduce federal spending and fix the deficit while continuing to support the programs that care for each other.
So, what can YOU do?
- Talk to members of the community who may be directly impacted by funding cuts. Be curious and learn from each other; we may have more in common than we think.
- Ask the people on the front lines. Nonprofit employees and local leaders aren’t political operatives. They’re problem-solvers. Learn their perspective about what’s working, what’s wasteful, and what’s at risk.
- Share your informed opinion with your elected representatives. It is their job to hear from, and advocate for, their constituents.
Our unique role as a community foundation allows us to hear directly from organizations on the front lines to learn first hand how federal initiatives are impacting us here in Lancaster County. To help connect our shared community with accurate information, we’ve compiled stories and data from a variety of sources.
Philanthropy Alone Can't Fill the Void By Sam Bressi, President & CEO
Not all government spending is waste. People throughout our county benefit from many federally supported programs, like school lunches, low-cost child care for working parents struggling to make ends meet, affordable housing development, research for new cancer treatments, museums, libraries and education, state-of-the-art farming practices, economic development and job creation for thousands of our neighbors, and providing care and shelter to people in need.
How Cuts to Federal Food Support are Impacting Lancaster County Residents
Lancaster County has growing a hunger problem, and federal funding cuts for food programs put our shared community at risk. Hear directly from local organizations, neighbors, and farmers about how federal initiatives are having local impact.
