826 Boston Rejects $250K Federal Grant to Preserve DEI Programs

826 Boston, a nonprofit providing writing and tutoring programs to thousands of students, has chosen to reject a $250,000 annual AmeriCorps federal grant rather than comply with new Trump administration rules banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives among grant recipients. The organization’s leadership unanimously decided that upholding DEI principles is central to their mission, despite the financial risks and the loss of funding that supported 11 tutors. Executive Director Corey Yarbrough and Board President Janet Tiampo emphasized that complying with these federal mandates would undermine their ability to amplify youth voices and publish works addressing issues like historical oppression. The loss of federal support, which accounted for about 7-9% of their budget, will force 826 Boston to hire fewer staff and seek alternative fundraising sources. Their decision highlights the broader dilemma faced by nonprofits and institutions nationwide as they weigh financial stability against core values in response to the administration's anti-DEI directives. The move also comes amid wider uncertainty, as AmeriCorps itself faces internal upheaval under the current government.