Musk’s DOGE Faces Backlash Over Nonprofit Oversight Plan

Musk’s DOGE Faces Backlash Over Nonprofit Oversight Plan \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The Vera Institute of Justice says Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) attempted to embed oversight teams within federally funded nonprofits. Vera pushed back, citing a lack of legal authority, prompting DOGE to withdraw the request. The move has sparked concern about threats to nonprofit independence under the Trump administration.

Quick Looks

• DOGE staff contacted Vera Institute to assign oversight team to the nonprofit.
• Vera’s attorneys questioned DOGE’s legal authority and blocked the attempt.
• DOJ recently canceled $5 million in Vera grants over “priority changes.”
• Nonprofit leaders warn this could threaten independence of civil society groups.
• White House earlier ordered a review of all nonprofit federal funding.
• DOGE has taken control of USIP, sparking legal challenges.
• Over 100,000 nonprofits received $267 billion in federal grants in 2021.
• Advocacy groups call DOGE’s actions a dangerous abuse of power.
• Vera says it’s speaking out to warn other nonprofits.
• Lawsuits are mounting as nonprofits resist DOGE interventions.

Deep Look

The Vera Institute of Justice, a prominent criminal justice reform nonprofit, has raised the alarm over an attempted intervention by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), part of the Trump administration’s push to tighten control over federally funded organizations. The institute says DOGE staff reached out to assign a monitoring team to Vera and indicated plans to do the same with all nonprofits that receive Congressional funding — an unprecedented move drawing swift backlash from civil society advocates.

Nick Turner, Vera’s president, recounted the encounter in a statement and shared a transcript of the exchange. According to Turner, DOGE staff could not cite a legal basis for their proposed oversight and withdrew the request after learning that the U.S. Department of Justice had already canceled Vera’s federal grants.

While the White House and Justice Department declined to comment, the implications of DOGE’s initiative have sent shockwaves across the nonprofit community.

Civil Society in the Crosshairs

Founded in New York, Vera advocates for alternatives to incarceration, immigration justice, and equity in public safety. The organization, with a $45 million annual budget primarily funded by private donors, also supports access to legal representation for immigrants facing deportation and works closely with law enforcement to develop more humane systems.

But its advocacy — particularly in defense of immigrant rights and racial justice — has drawn criticism from some in the Trump administration. In February, the White House ordered a review of all nonprofit-related funding, claiming many organizations “actively undermine the security, prosperity, and safety of the American people.”

Vera’s now-terminated grants, worth around $5 million over three years, supported a range of services: sign language interpretation for crime victims, anti-trafficking programs, and reforms to reduce over-incarceration. The Justice Department said these grants no longer aligned with its new focus on “combating violent crime, protecting American children, and better coordinating law enforcement efforts.”

A Dangerous Precedent

The move to embed DOGE teams in nonprofits is sparking urgent concern about the erosion of civil liberties and the independence of civil society institutions.

“This would clearly undermine a core tenet of civil society: its independence from the state,” said Benjamin Soskis, a senior research associate at the Urban Institute. “Regulatory oversight is one thing. But this appears to veer into far darker territory — where the government threatens nonprofits it ideologically opposes.”

Diane Yentel, CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, called the attempted DOGE placement in Vera “a blatant abuse of power” and warned that it endangers any organization — nonprofit or for-profit — that receives federal dollars. Her organization has filed suit in response to broader funding freezes initiated by the administration.

Turner echoed the warning, describing DOGE’s actions as a “terrifying harbinger” of broader efforts to undermine and infiltrate the nonprofit sector. “This could be a misunderstanding, or it could be an aggressive overreach,” Turner said. “Either way, it signals a dangerous shift in how the government interacts with organizations that dare to dissent.”

DOGE’s Expanding Reach

Vera’s account aligns with recent reports that DOGE has taken control of the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), a congressionally funded independent nonprofit dedicated to global peace and diplomacy. USIP board members and staff are now suing the administration, asserting that their organization is not legally under executive branch authority.

DOGE staff reportedly cited the USIP takeover during their call with Vera, using it as a precedent for embedding federal oversight teams in other nonprofits. The strategy, nonprofit leaders argue, could signal the start of widespread political interference with groups that challenge the administration’s agenda.

The Federal Funding Landscape

According to the Urban Institute, over 103,000 nonprofit organizations received a total of $267 billion in federal grant funding in 2021. These organizations range from local shelters to national research institutes, all of which could potentially face similar scrutiny under the Trump administration’s sweeping review.

While many nonprofits rely on these funds for public service programs — from food assistance to public health outreach — few expected to face direct federal supervision or ideological targeting as a result.

“This administration is doing everything it can to hobble and handicap civil society,” said Turner. “Whether it’s universities, law firms, or foundations — and now clearly nonprofits — they are opening a new front in their culture war.”

As more organizations begin to push back legally and publicly, the fight over DOGE’s authority may become a defining battleground for civil society in the months ahead.

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