Welcome back to The Weekly Wrap, our Friday roundup of stories that explain the problems oppressing people in cities and elevate the solutions that bring us closer to economic, environmental and social justice.

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With ‘Nonprofit Killer’ Provision on the Table, NGOs Anxiously Await Budget Negotiations

Last year, legislation came before the House that proposed allowing the Treasury secretary to strip the tax-exempt status of any nonprofit it designated a “terrorist-supporting” organization. A similar provision, nicknamed the “nonprofit killer,” is included in House Republicans’ draft budget bill currently under negotiation. The bill also includes a clause that would seriously increase taxes on private foundations.

It’s already illegal for non-governmental organizations to support terrorism, but nonprofit leaders were concerned that the designation could be wielded as a political weapon without sufficient due process – especially against nonprofits that are critical of the Trump administration, Israel or Trump’s crusade against anti-discrimination initiatives.

Lia Holland of Fight for the Future calls the proposal “a five-alarm fire for nonprofits nationwide,” telling The Guardian: “Any organization with goals that do not line up with MAGA can be destroyed with a wink from Trump to the treasury.”

Overdose Deaths See a Historic Decline

Newly-released provisional CDC data shows that about 80,000 people died from overdoses last year, down 27% from 2023 the Associated Press reports. Yet overdoses remain still the leading cause of death for people 18-44 years old, and experts are concerned this progress could be reversed by federal health cuts.

The decrease of 30,000 deaths is by far the largest one-year decline seen since the CDC began collecting this data 45 years ago. Other than small increases in Nevada and South Dakota, every U.S. state saw lower levels of overdose deaths. Experts suggest it could be due to increased access to naloxone and addiction treatment, changing drug use habits, and the impact of opioid settlement funds.

America To Lose $12.5 Billion in Foreign Tourism This Year

The international World Travel & Tourism Council’s latest economic impact research brief finds that the United States is on track to lose $12.5 billion in international travel spending this year.

While all 184 other countries analyzed are expected to see international tourism rise, the U.S. is set to drop from $181 billion last year to $169 billion. It’s no mystery why: Trump’s tariffs, threats to invade other sovereign nations, border detentions of tourists, social media and phone searches at the border, and visa crackdowns have dissuaded prospective visitors, especially Canadians.

The drop will come at a steep cost for local economies that rely on tourist dollars. New York City officials have slashed their forecast for this year’s international tourism by 17%, with visits from Canada by air falling 7% in the first four months of the year. In Nashville, tourism generated over $10 billion in 2023, with about half of foreign visitors coming from Canada, CBS News reports; in L.A., Canadians account for 770,000 guest nights annually, per the L.A. Times, but that’s drying up fast in both cities. “How do we attract people from other countries when the tide of media they’re getting is, ‘You may be snatched off the street?’” a hotel industry leader told the Times.

Toxic Cleanups in San Francisco Take Years Longer in Non-White Communities

A data analysis by the San Francisco Public Press shows that cleanups at toxic sites in San Francisco took more than four years longer in areas with high proportions of non-white residents than in majority white areas.

The report also shows that a higher proportion of non-white residents directly correlates with cleanups taking longer. One nonprofit tells San Francisco Public Press that higher-income neighborhoods having the resources to retain a private lawyer or call regulatory officials directly is likely one of the major reasons for this racial disparity.

DOJ Probes Proposed Muslim Development Over Housing Discrimination

The U.S. Department of Justice is opening an investigation into a proposed mixed-used development by a prominent North Texas mosque, KERA News reports.

Some 40 miles outside Dallas, the East Plano Islamic Center has proposed a 402-acre development called EPIC City, which would include more than 1,000 homes, a mosque, community college and more. Project organizers say that the development will not be exclusive to Muslims.

But the project has long been in the crosshairs of right-wing bloggers along with U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. They claim, without evidence, that EPIC City would create a Muslim-only community and impose sharia law on residents.

A similar controversy played out in Maryland in 2017, after a Muslim organization developing a new retirement community marketed homes toward members of that Muslim community. Officials alleged that the development violated fair housing laws; locals questioned the developer about “jihad.” After the developer filed a suit accusing the county of holding the project over religious bias, the county settled the lawsuit.

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MORE NEWS

• Newark Mayor Ras Baraka headed to trial on trespassing charge after arrest at ICE facility. Politico

• NJ Transit strike begins after last-minute talks fail, halting train service. WHYY

• Republicans are giving rental price-fixing a green light. Jacobin via Lever

• Louisiana plant at the center of an environmental justice fight halts operations. Associated Press

• Farmers win legal fight to bring climate resources back to federal websites. The Verge

• Report: One in five people in Gaza could starve to death within months. Mother Jones

• Seattle to launch ‘ambassador’ program in Chinatown International District. The Seattle Times

• Under ‘crime-free housing’ laws, families may be evicted for minor offenses. The New York Times

• Maryland wanted to make poor areas greener. It boosted a rich neighborhood instead. The Baltimore Banner

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

• The Tow Foundation’s Innovation Fund is open to proposals from organizations advancing youth mental health in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New York or Pennsylvania. Apply by May 23.

• The Knight Emerging City Champions program by 8 80 Cities is accepting applications from civic innovators aged 18-35 from Akron, Ohio; Charlotte, North Carolina; Detroit; Macon, Georgia; Miami; Philadelphia; San Jose, California; and St. Paul, Minnesota. Apply by May 28.

• The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Evidence for Action has a call for proposals for two types of research to advance racial and Indigenous health equity: rapid response research and new research support. Apply by May 28 and July 16, respectively. (Disclosure: RWJF currently funds Next City.)

• The National Low Income Housing Coalition is accepting applications for its next cohort of tenant advocates and community leaders in housing justice with lived experience of housing insecurity. Apply by June 6.

• The Cartier Women’s Initiative, an entrepreneurship program for mission-driven founders around the world, is accepting applications from women-led businesses that aim to have create social or environmental impact. Apply by June 24.

• New Profit seeks a cohort of innovative nonprofits expanding economic mobility for more than $110,000 in funding and support. Complete a discovery form by May 30 to be considered for the current grantmaking cycle.

• The Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation’s local grant program is accepting applications from nonprofits supporting mental health initiatives in their own community. Apply by July 1.

• Norfolk Southern’s Thriving Communities Grant and Safety First Grant are accepting applications for initiatives that drive community resilience and local economic development; public safety and first responder readiness; and sustainability and workforce development. Apply by Sept. 1.

• Check out Next City’s jobs board for new opportunities.

EVENTS

• Check out events from Next City and our partners here.

This post was originally published on Next City.