Order Rescinded: Missoula Nonprofits Breathe a Sigh of Relief

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Nonprofits and other agencies heavily dependent on federal funding are breathing a sigh of relief as the Executive Order ( M-25-13) instituting a freeze on federal grants and contracts has been rescinded as of about noon Mountain time on Wednesday.

I spoke with United Way of Missoula CEO Susan Hay Patrick on Wednesday afternoon just minutes after the decision was released to rescind the freeze.

Order M-25-13 Rescinded Early Wednesday Afternoon

“The good news is that the orders were just rescinded within the last hour,” began Hay Patrick. “What happened yesterday was that President Trump issued a freeze on all federal grants and contracts. A federal judge issued a stay that delayed that until Monday, and then just within the last hour, the Office of Management and Budget rescinded the orders, and that is very good news for the nonprofit sector.”

Hay Patrick related the fear and near panic that thousands of nonprofit organizations experienced when the freeze was announced.

United Way CEO Susan Hay Patrick Expressed Her Relief

“Many, many nonprofits, including my United Way, rely on government funding to advance their missions,” she said. “Our funding comes to us through the city, state, and county, but it would have been very, very disruptive to our country. No more Meals on Wheels, no CASA volunteers, or school lunch programs. There was a lot of uncertainty and some panic.”

Hay Patrick related just some of the frantic calls she received at her office regarding the freeze.

“Even a freeze of a few days can wreak havoc,” she said. “Missoula Aging Services had elderly people calling in tears, afraid that their meals were going to be canceled. Mothers who were on the WIC Program for Women, infants and children, people who volunteer with CASA to help abused and neglected kids. Even a delay of a few days. In fact, I'm wondering now, in the last 24 hours about the productivity costs to our country, as everybody sort of scrambled to figure out how to respond.”

Hay Patrick Says She and Other Nonprofit Leaders Will be More Vigilant

Hay Patrick, while breathing a sigh of relief after the order was rescinded, expressed her intentions to be even more watchful as days go by.

“I think we will watch what's happening in Washington, and we'll certainly be mindful that this happened, and it could have been disastrous for the nonprofit sector, and that something else could be coming,” she said. “But I don't think it means that we're going to be more vigilant than ever. I think with every new administration comes new executive orders and new policies, and the only thing we can do is respond as best we can.”

Other entities expressing worry and concern over the freeze included Missoula County Public Schools and Soft Landing Missoula.