Today, the leaders of several of the nation’s largest philanthropic networks, foundations, and advisors along with individual donors issued the following message to the leadership of Fidelity Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, and Charles Schwab Affiliate DAFgiving360:
As individual philanthropists, foundations, and organizations that advise philanthropic giving on behalf of individual donors, labor unions, and foundations whose members and clients include thousands of Fidelity Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, and DAFgiving360 account holders, we write to you with deep concern about your decision to cease processing donations to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).
It is not coincidental that SPLC, an organization that has been fighting for civil rights, racial justice, and democratic equality in this country for more than 50 years was targeted. The administration’s politically motivated and retaliatory charges on the SPLC are part of a broader effort to suppress perceived political and ideological opponents across civil society – especially those confronting white supremacist violence, advancing racial justice, and upholding civil rights. By acting without adjudicated facts, institutions risk moving away from their role as responsible stewards of charitable funds and toward a form of preemptive institutional compliance that enables the use of state power to silence dissent by targeting civil society organizations.
Donor advised funds exist to channel charitable giving to organizations donors have chosen. At the precise moment when philanthropic resources should be flowing towards racial justice, civil rights and civil society organizations to help respond to these politicized attacks, you are standing in the way. While this may be politically expedient, it sets a dangerous and unacceptable precedent across philanthropy and civil society.
We ask Fidelity Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, and DAFgiving360 to reverse this decision, immediately restore the ability of donors to make grants to Southern Poverty Law Center, and reaffirm your commitment to respecting donor intent. Should your institutions continue to capitulate to the administration’s pressure tactics, we will be prepared to advise our members, clients, stakeholders, and advisors to reconsider their relationships and investments with your institutions.
Your choices have important consequences for our democracy. It is not too late to make the right one.
Signed,
[As of May 8, 2026]
Abacus Wealth Partners
Bryn Adams
Yvonne Adams
Elise Ammondson
Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP)
Owen Berson
Shari D. Behnke
Brighton Jones
Joelle Chase
Jazmin Chavez
Lisa Cooper
Camino Impact Partners LLC
Chicory Wealth
Colorado Health Foundation
Common Counsel Foundation
DAF Commons
Community Foundation for South Central NY
Cody Cowan, Cowan Family Foundation
Democracy Alliance
Sonja Diaz, Founder, Unseen
Andrew Dressel
Tom Ellicott & Kevin Palmer
Janet Epstein
Harold Erdman
Betsy Fairbanks
Figure 8 Investment Strategies
Forward Global
Patricia G. Foschi
Catherine Crystal Foster
Rachel Fritzler
Funders’ Committee for Civic Participation (FCCP)
Funders Together For Housing Justice
Marshall Glickman and Margaret Wimberger Fund
Jordan Goldwarg
Van Gosse
Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees
Groundswell Fund
Growth for Good
Greg Gunn, Fidelity DAF Client
Paul Haible
#HalfMyDAF
James Harkness
Haymarket People’s Fund
Hispanics in Philanthropy
Jon Hokama & Associates, Founder; Vanguard DAF client
Hopewell Fund
Polly Hoppin and Robert Thomas
Horizons Foundation
Eliza Huber-Weiss
Sarah Hufbauer
Hyams Foundation
Justice Funders
Mary Kerr
Kolibri Foundation
Ktisis Capital
Toni Ann Kruse
Leadership Design
Liberation Ventures
Arthur Lipson and Rochelle Kaplan
Macfarlane Charitable Account — Schwab Donor Advised Fund
Litespeed Management, LLC
Beezer de Martelly
Cindy McPherson
Sahana Mehta
Sarah Mele
Mendelsohn, Gittleman & Associates, LLC
Jordyn Middlebrooks
Move Money Shift Power
T. G. Morgan
Movement Strategy Center
Movement Voter Project
Kimberly Myers Hewlett
Grace Nagel
Najam Consulting
National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy
Celine Nehme
NEO Philanthropy
New Venture Fund
Nia Community Foundation
Nia Impact Capital
North Star Fund
NorthStar Asset Management
Obran Capital Advisors
One Drop Fund
Susan Orkin
Larry Ottinger, Schwab DAF client, Fidelity investment accounts, President, Ottinger Foundation
P150
People’s Support Foundation
Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity (PRE)
Mike Pratt, Scherman Foundation
Pro-Democracy Center
Racial Justice Investing Coalition
Catherine Raphael
Reimagine Wealth LLC
Resource Generation
Adam Roberts, Philanthropic Advisor and DAF holder
Rebecca Rockefeller Lambert
Abigail Rome
Jennie Rosenthal
Gena Rotstein
Resurgens Impact Consulting
Sendhil Revuluri
Mack Schroeder
Lisa Shields
Burke Stansbury, Stansbury Family Foundation
Allison Thomas
Saltbox Financial LLC
Sona Smith
Social Justice Fund Northwest
Solidaire Network
Strategic Victory Fund
The for dharma and love fund
The Fund for Santa Barbara
The Haven Fund
Emily Scott, The Resiliency Fund
The Starlight Fund
The WhyNot Initiative
Threshold Foundation
Transforming Power Fund, Inc.
Sam Vance
Hilda Vega, Other Suns Philanthropy
VIVA Strategy
Voices for Progress
Wendy Volkmann
Julia Von Alexander
Wallace Global Fund
Way to Rise
Chris Westcott
Sage Wheeler
Jason Wiener p.c., a public benefit corporation
Brooke Williams
Erin Lynn Williams
Willow Action LLC / Willow Redistribution Foundation
Willow Fund
Windward Fund
Women Donors Network
Xancharlize Ventures
Yen Chuang Foundation
Zapleap Philanthropic Fund
Zevin Asset Management
Individual Advisor, DAF with Charlottesville Area Community Foundation
Private individual, Fidelity DAF client
Private individual, Fidelity DAF client
Private individual, Fidelity DAF client
Private Individual, DAF Holder
Private individual, DAF Holder
[additional individuals/orgs to be added]