Communications Glossary for High-Risk Environments
Federal funding rules are shifting fast. In July 2025, the Attorney General issued guidance clarifying that programs labeled Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) — or even those using related proxy concepts such as lived experience or cultural competence — may now be treated as discriminatory if tied to protected characteristics. For security reasons, we are not linking directly to the memo here. It is publicly available on the Department of Justice website and can be located by searching for the July 29, 2025 “Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination.”
This guidance applies to organizations that receive federal funding. It does not apply to every nonprofit as of now. The stakes are highest for grantees, contractors, and institutions that depend on federal dollars for core operations. For these organizations, the current climate raises a fundamental choice: adapt to shifting compliance requirements or consider divesting from federal funding altogether.
Words that once built trust with funders, partners, and communities are now under scrutiny. Entire strategies for recruitment, program eligibility, or communications may be recast as noncompliant. For federally funded nonprofits, this is more than a vocabulary shift. It is an existential challenge: how to remain eligible for funding while staying true to the communities and values that define the work.
At D.O.N.E., we call this tension narrative safety — the ability to speak with clarity and integrity in hostile conditions.
A Note on Legal Guidance
The glossary that follows is not a prescription. It is a set of ideas to support federally funded organizations in navigating this terrain. It is also not legal advice. We strongly recommend that any organization receiving federal support consult legal counsel before adopting changes to language, policies, or programs.
The July 2025 Attorney General’s memo makes clear that federal scrutiny now extends beyond explicit terms to include the use of proxies like “cultural competence” or “lived experience”. The risks are legal as much as narrative. D.O.N.E. collaborates with attorneys precisely for this reason — aligning legal review with communications and narrative design so organizations can move forward with clarity and confidence.
How This Glossary Works
This glossary does not replicate flagged words. Instead, it offers alternative frames that:
Meet compliance requirements in federal or high-risk funding contexts.
Preserve authenticity with communities and partners.
Anchor in values that hold steady across audiences.
Each domain below provides a layered set of options. Think of them as a toolkit or cheat sheet: adaptable to context, but always pointing back to the same core truths.
Identity and Belonging
Federal scrutiny often falls hardest on language around identity. Terms once meant to signal inclusion are now treated as red flags.
Compliance Frames
Welcoming environment for all
Participation open to every qualified person
Community Frames
Celebrating many voices
Living fully as oneself
Values Anchors
Belonging
Authenticity
Access and Opportunity
Many organizations use language about underrepresentation or disparity. These terms now risk being treated as unlawful “preferences.”
Compliance Frames
Level playing field
Opportunities available across all communities
Community Frames
Communities that have carried the heaviest burdens
Closing gaps in outcomes
Values Anchors
Fairness
Dignity
Environment and Stewardship
Climate and sustainability language has also come under pressure. Done well, reframing here can connect with broad public values.
Compliance Frames
Environmental change and long-term risk
Renewable power and energy stability
Community Frames
Protecting the places we call home
Building energy systems that keep families safe
Values Anchors
Stewardship
Sustainability
Health and Care
Language around bodily autonomy and health access is shifting rapidly. Clarity paired with care is essential.
Compliance Frames
Expectant parent
Access to essential health services
Community Frames
Parents-to-be
Caring for the people we love
Values Anchors
Care
Well-being
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t simply a matter of word choice. The Bondi memo makes clear that even neutral-sounding criteria — “geographic targeting,” “overcoming obstacles,” “cultural competence” — may be treated as unlawful if interpreted as stand-ins for protected characteristics. The implications are clear: nonprofits receiving federal funds must treat compliance and communications as inseparable. A layered strategy that includes legal review, narrative alignment, and values-anchored messaging is now essential for protecting mission, staff, and story.
But even in this climate of scrutiny, there’s room for resilience and creativity. Words may be contested, but the values underneath them remain steady. By rooting communications in those values, nonprofits can continue to build trust, invite solidarity, and protect the futures they are working toward. Narrative safety is not only about defense — it is also about creating the conditions where communities can keep imagining, thriving, and leading with integrity.