Foundations
Here's a look at documents from U.S. foundations
Featured Stories
Judge Hears Arguments in First Court Challenge to Climate Superfund Law
BOSTON, Massachusetts, March 30 -- Conservation Law Foundation issued the following news release:
* * *
Judge Hears Arguments in First Court Challenge to Climate Superfund Law
*
An aerial view of Waterbury, Vermont's flooding during the intense rainstorm of Summer 2023. Houses are submerged up to their doorsteps. Photo: Vince Franke
March 30, 2026 (Montpelier, VT) - Attorneys presented arguments on Monday in federal court in the first legal challenge in the nation to a climate superfund law, which requires certain large fossil fuel companies to pay their fair share for the necessary changes
... Show Full Article
BOSTON, Massachusetts, March 30 -- Conservation Law Foundation issued the following news release:
* * *
Judge Hears Arguments in First Court Challenge to Climate Superfund Law
*
An aerial view of Waterbury, Vermont's flooding during the intense rainstorm of Summer 2023. Houses are submerged up to their doorsteps. Photo: Vince Franke
March 30, 2026 (Montpelier, VT) - Attorneys presented arguments on Monday in federal court in the first legal challenge in the nation to a climate superfund law, which requires certain large fossil fuel companies to pay their fair share for the necessary changescommunities must make to prepare for and bolster ourselves against more severe weather and climate impacts.
Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT) defended Vermont's groundbreaking climate superfund law during the hearing at the U.S. District Court in Rutland. The law is being challenged by the United States, the American Petroleum Institute, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and a coalition of 24 Republican-led states' attorneys general.
"Fossil fuel companies and their allies are trying to avoid responsibility, challenging a law that will make them pay their fair share of costs to adapt to a changing climate. States have every right to protect their residents, and Vermonters shouldn't be left holding the entire bill to guard ourselves against the destruction caused by severe storms, flooding, and the host of other impacts from our warming planet," said Kate Sinding Daly, senior vice president for law and policy at CLF. "This law can help build a more prepared Vermont for everyone."
Vermont's roads, bridges, downtowns, and farms have endured more than $1 billion in damage from several years of flooding after intense storms. Vermont is among the top states with the most federal disaster declarations caused by extreme weather.
"It is impossible to farm and grow food on any significant scale without being impacted by the climate extremes and aberrations clearly caused by burning fossil fuels," said Scott Greene, farmer at Singing Cedars Farmstead, a vegetable and livestock farm in Orwell, Vermont, that supplies food to farmers markets, grocery stores, and restaurants across the state. "Every year on our farm we make significant infrastructure investments to protect our crops, and every season we face significant crop-destroying challenges from weather extremes: frosts, excessive heat damage, wind, tornadoes, flooding, soil saturation, and overall impossibly hot work conditions."
During the hearing, Judge Mary Kay Lanthier considered motions that will determine whether the lawsuits move forward or are resolved before trial. The judge is expected to issue a decision on the motions at a later date.
"Farmers globally have been, and will continue to be, enormously impacted by the climate crisis," said Grace Oedel, executive director of NOFA-VT. "Vermont clearly has the right to raise funds and protect the well-being of its people, and this law helps Vermonters and our local farmers prepare for the increasingly volatile weather ahead. We know what's behind the worsening extreme weather affecting our farms, and it's fair for fossil fuel companies to bear some of the cost of critical climate adaptation projects."
CLF is co-represented by its own legal counsel and attorneys at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). NOFA-VT is represented by attorneys from NRDC and Stris & Maher LLP.
"The Climate Superfund Act is a one-time financial assessment that will provide resources for Vermonters, including farmers and municipalities, to adapt and become more resilient as we head toward an uncertain future," Bridget Asay, partner, Stris & Maher, LLP, representing NOFA-VT, told Judge Mary Kay Lanthier during Monday's hearing. "It is not preempted. It is not unconstitutional."
Passed in May 2024, the law requires certain large fossil fuel companies to pay for a share of climate change adaptation costs attributable to their fossil fuel production and refining from 1995-2024. Lawmakers elsewhere are proposing or passing legislation similar to Vermont's law. New York became the second state to enact a climate superfund law and at least 10 other states have legislation pending.
The cases are Chamber of Commerce of the USA, et al v. Julie Moore et al and USA et al v. State of Vermont et al.
Experts are available for further comment.
***
Original text here: https://www.clf.org/newsroom/judge-hears-arguments-in-first-court-challenge-to-climate-superfund-law/
Florida Wells Fargo Workers Successfully Remove CWA Union
SPRINGFIELD, Virginia, March 30 -- The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation posted the following news release:
* * *
Florida Wells Fargo Workers Successfully Remove CWA Union
*
Spring Hill bank branch employees union-free as CWA union bosses decline to face federally supervised vote of employees
Spring Hill, FL (March 30, 2026) - Employees at the Lakewood Plaza location of Wells Fargo in Spring Hill, FL, have successfully forced Communications Workers of America (CWA) union officials out of power at their workplace. The effort to remove the union kicked off earlier this month,
... Show Full Article
SPRINGFIELD, Virginia, March 30 -- The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation posted the following news release:
* * *
Florida Wells Fargo Workers Successfully Remove CWA Union
*
Spring Hill bank branch employees union-free as CWA union bosses decline to face federally supervised vote of employees
Spring Hill, FL (March 30, 2026) - Employees at the Lakewood Plaza location of Wells Fargo in Spring Hill, FL, have successfully forced Communications Workers of America (CWA) union officials out of power at their workplace. The effort to remove the union kicked off earlier this month,when bank employee Virginia Fenton filed a petition asking the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to hold a union decertification vote at the Spring Hill Wells Fargo branch. Fenton filed the petition with free legal aid from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation.
The NLRB is the federal agency responsible for enforcing private sector labor law, a task that includes administering elections to install (or "certify") and remove (or "decertify") unions. Fenton's petition received more than the required threshold of her coworkers' signatures to trigger the process for the NLRB to schedule a decertification vote. On March 12, the NLRB approved an agreement scheduling the election for March 30 among "[a]ll full-time and regular part-time tellers, personal bankers, relationship bankers, and premier bankers."
However, shortly before the election, CWA union officials - who operate under the pseudonym "Wells Fargo Workers United" [ sic ] - announced they were no longer seeking to remain in power at the bank branch, presumably to avoid a lopsided loss at the ballot box. On March 27, the NLRB acknowledged the CWA union's "disclaimer of interest," leaving the Spring Hill Wells Fargo employees officially free of the unwanted union.
Florida is a Right to Work state, meaning union officials cannot impose contract provisions that require workers to pay money to the union as a condition of getting or keeping a job. In contrast, in non-Right to Work states, union officials can have workers fired for refusing to pay union dues or fees. However, in both Right to Work and non-Right to Work states, union bosses can still impose one-size-fits-all contracts over all employees in a workplace, even those who are opposed to the union's presence. Following the union's disclaimer, Spring Hill Wells Fargo employees are now free of the CWA's exclusive representation powers.
Wells Fargo Workers Across Country Seeking Escape From CWA Union Ranks
The Spring Hill bankers are the second group of Wells Fargo employees to successfully boot out CWA officials, following union officials' aggressive campaign in recent years to unionize the bank. Apex, NC, Wells Fargo employees voted out the union in a landslide earlier this month. Foundation staff attorneys are currently assisting Casper, WY, Wells Fargo workers in obtaining another decertification vote against the union.
"CWA union bosses' campaign at Wells Fargo started with great fanfare, but now, when faced with the reality of the CWA's so-called 'representation,' employees across the country seem to be coming to the conclusion that they would be better off without the union," commented National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix. "Wells Fargo workers should not hesitate to contact Foundation attorneys for free legal aid in seeking a union decertification vote if they feel CWA union officials have been incompetent, unresponsive, or just haven't served their interests.
"More broadly, the NLRB should push forward on reforming labor regulations to ensure that workers can freely exercise their right to vote out union officials who act opportunistically or coercively," Mix added.
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Share
The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization providing free legal aid to employees whose human or civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses. The Foundation, which can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-336-3600, assists thousands of employees in about 200 cases nationwide per year.
Posted on Mar 30, 2026 in News Releases
***
Original text here: https://www.nrtw.org/news/fl-wells-cwa-disclaimer-03302026/
Coalition Sues Trump EPA Over Illegal Repeal of Mercury and Air Toxics Standards
BOSTON, Massachusetts, March 30 -- Conservation Law Foundation issued the following news release:
* * *
Coalition Sues Trump EPA Over Illegal Repeal of Mercury and Air Toxics Standards
*
This administration is not just rolling back rules, it is eliminating the monitoring infrastructure needed to know what is coming out of these smokestacks in the first place. Photo: Canva
March 30, 2026 (Boston, MA) - Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), as part of a coalition of public health, environmental, and community advocates, filed a lawsuit on March 30 challenging the Trump administration's repeal
... Show Full Article
BOSTON, Massachusetts, March 30 -- Conservation Law Foundation issued the following news release:
* * *
Coalition Sues Trump EPA Over Illegal Repeal of Mercury and Air Toxics Standards
*
This administration is not just rolling back rules, it is eliminating the monitoring infrastructure needed to know what is coming out of these smokestacks in the first place. Photo: Canva
March 30, 2026 (Boston, MA) - Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), as part of a coalition of public health, environmental, and community advocates, filed a lawsuit on March 30 challenging the Trump administration's repealof standards that limit brain-damaging mercury, lead, and other hazardous air pollution from coal-fired power plants. Since the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) took effect in 2015, they've driven down dangerous mercury pollution from power plants by more than 90%. The standards have also delivered significant public health benefits, lowering the risk of cancer, heart and lung disease, and premature death.
The coalition released the following statement:
"The repeal of these protections will mean more asthma attacks, emergency room visits, and premature deaths. This administration is not just rolling back rules, it is eliminating the monitoring infrastructure needed to know what is coming out of these smokestacks in the first place. It is allowing coal plants to spew out more neurotoxic mercury into our air and food supply, while simultaneously keeping the communities most at risk in the dark about how serious that threat is. This is a betrayal of the EPA's core mission."
The repeal of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards follows a two-year exemption from the protections that the Trump administration granted to many coal plants, even though, according to the EPA's own record, 93% of US coal capacity had already met or were on track to meet those standards.
Since the Trump administration gave the country's dirtiest coal plants a free pass, sulfur dioxide emissions have increased 18% nationally and neurotoxic mercury emissions have risen 9%. The sulfur dioxide spike was the second-largest single-year jump by percentage since EPA began publishing this data 30 years ago.
The lawsuit also challenges EPA's rollback of real-time continuous emissions monitoring at power plants, which would have given communities accurate real-time data on the pollution they're breathing and a stronger tool for enforcing compliance. The repeal violates the Clean Air Act, ignores the scientific record, and abandons safeguards that protect communities living near coal plants and downwind of their pollution.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit by Air Alliance Houston, Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Lung Association, American Public Health Association, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future, Clean Air Council, Clean Air Task Force (representing some of the other groups), Clean Wisconsin, Conservation Law Foundation, Dakota Resource Council, Downwinders at Risk, Earthjustice (representing some of the other groups), Environmental Defense Fund, Environmental Law and Policy Center, Kentucky Resources Council, Montana Environmental Information Center, Natural Resources Council of Maine, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), Physicians for Social Responsibility, Sierra Club and Southern Environmental Law Center (representing some of the other groups).
The full lawsuit can be read here (https://library.edf.org/AssetLink/2i7887n75w20872p8k77gd88veki1v12.pdf).
***
Original text here: https://www.clf.org/newsroom/coalition-sues-trump-epa-over-illegal-repeal-of-mercury-and-air-toxics-standards/
As Striped Bass Struggle, Maryland Adopts New Fishing Season
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, March 30 -- The Chesapeake Bay Foundation posted the following news release:
* * *
As Striped Bass Struggle, Maryland Adopts New Fishing Season
*
New Regulations Starting This Week Will Better Protect Rockfish During Hot Summer
This week, Maryland's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will implement new fishing seasons for striped bass starting on Wednesday, April 1 after a short legislative delay. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) welcomes these new regulations, which are intended to protect the Chesapeake Bay's struggling striped bass population. CBF and its members
... Show Full Article
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, March 30 -- The Chesapeake Bay Foundation posted the following news release:
* * *
As Striped Bass Struggle, Maryland Adopts New Fishing Season
*
New Regulations Starting This Week Will Better Protect Rockfish During Hot Summer
This week, Maryland's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will implement new fishing seasons for striped bass starting on Wednesday, April 1 after a short legislative delay. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) welcomes these new regulations, which are intended to protect the Chesapeake Bay's struggling striped bass population. CBF and its memberssubmitted hundreds of public comments in support of the new seasons during the state's public comment period.
For six consecutive years, Maryland's young striped bass have struggled to survive early life, leading to fewer harvestable adult fish sought by anglers. DNR's new regulations are a step in the right direction to help the species recover and rebuild in the Chesapeake Bay.
The new seasons will include a full August fishing closure, which will better protect striped bass in the hot summer when fish are under environmental stress and many die after being caught and released. Maryland will also open a few additional weeks of catch-and-release fishing in April when mortality rates are much lower.
These changes will greatly simplify Maryland's striped bass fishing season calendar, making regulations easier for anglers to follow. This is especially important since fishery managers assume that rules are being followed when making conservation decisions.
Maryland anglers who want to help protect striped bass must use circle hooks and artificial lures, limit fish's air exposure, and consult DNR's striped bass forecast as temperatures warm up this summer. Other species like cobia and red drum are also much more common in Maryland waters during summer and can offer additional fishing opportunities. Anglers can always target invasive species like blue catfish, which have no catch limits.
CBF Maryland Executive Director Allison Colden issued the following statement:
"Striped bass desperately need our help, and Maryland's new regulations are a strong step to rebuilding rockfish numbers. By closing August fishing and simplifying its seasons, Maryland is giving striped bass a fighting chance. We applaud DNR's collaborative approach to protecting this beloved fishery."
***
Original text here: https://www.cbf.org/news/as-striped-bass-struggle-maryland-adopts-new-fishing-season/
WLF Urges Federal Circuit to Grant Rehearing En Banc to Restore Rule 702 Gatekeeping
WASHINGTON, March 30 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Washington Legal Foundation issued the following news release:
* * *
WLF Urges Federal Circuit to Grant Rehearing En Banc to Restore Rule 702 Gatekeeping
*
"District judges must serve as gatekeepers to exclude unreliable expert testimony before it reaches the jury."
-Cory Andrews, WLF General Counsel & Vice President of Litigation
Click here for WLF's brief.
WASHINGTON, DC-Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) today urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to grant rehearing en banc in an important patent dispute. In its amicus
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 30 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Washington Legal Foundation issued the following news release:
* * *
WLF Urges Federal Circuit to Grant Rehearing En Banc to Restore Rule 702 Gatekeeping
*
"District judges must serve as gatekeepers to exclude unreliable expert testimony before it reaches the jury."
-Cory Andrews, WLF General Counsel & Vice President of Litigation
Click here for WLF's brief.
WASHINGTON, DC-Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) today urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to grant rehearing en banc in an important patent dispute. In its amicusbrief, WLF contends that a divided panel decision-by treating challenges to an expert's factual and methodological foundations as issues of weight rather than admissibility-undermines Rule 702 and the Federal Circuit's recent EcoFactor en banc ruling.
The case arises from a patent infringement action in which the district court excluded two of the plaintiff's expert opinions-one inconsistent with the court's claim construction and the other riddled with methodological gaps-and entered judgment as a matter of law in favor of DePuy Synthes. A divided Federal Circuit panel reversed, holding that such reliability flaws should be left for the jury to weigh in the "adversary process."
WLF's brief argues that the panel majority's approach revives the defunct "weight-not-admissibility" framework that EcoFactor and the 2023 Rule 702 amendments both squarely rejected. WLF warns that allowing unreliable expert testimony to reach juries will invite junk science into complex patent cases, chill proper gatekeeping by trial judges, and erode confidence in verdicts. WLF urges the Court to grant rehearing en banc to reaffirm that scientific reliability is a question for district courts, not juries.
***
Original text here: https://www.wlf.org/2026/03/30/communicating/wlf-urges-federal-circuit-to-grant-rehearing-en-banc-to-restore-rule-702-gatekeeping/
Prosperity Now expands Nationwide VITA Support with Wells Fargo Foundation Grant
WASHINGTON, March 30 [Category: Economics] -- Prosperity Now (formerly the Corporation for Enterprise Development) posted the following news release:
* * *
Prosperity Now expands Nationwide VITA Support with Wells Fargo Foundation Grant
*
2026 VITA Support Fund strengthens community-based organizations providing no-cost tax preparation services
WASHINGTON, D.C. - With support from a $1 million Wells Fargo Foundation grant, Prosperity Now announced today the recipients of the 2026 VITA Support Fund, expanding support for community-based organizations providing trusted, no-cost tax return preparation
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 30 [Category: Economics] -- Prosperity Now (formerly the Corporation for Enterprise Development) posted the following news release:
* * *
Prosperity Now expands Nationwide VITA Support with Wells Fargo Foundation Grant
*
2026 VITA Support Fund strengthens community-based organizations providing no-cost tax preparation services
WASHINGTON, D.C. - With support from a $1 million Wells Fargo Foundation grant, Prosperity Now announced today the recipients of the 2026 VITA Support Fund, expanding support for community-based organizations providing trusted, no-cost tax return preparationservices across the country.
The organizations announced today represent the first group of recipients supported through the 2026 VITA Support Fund. Additional organizations will be announced later this year as part of the initiative's expanded support for VITA providers nationwide.
These IRS-certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) programs ensure eligible individuals prepare accurate tax returns and claim refundable credits for which they qualify, including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC).
Each year, millions of eligible individuals do not claim valuable tax credits. In 2025, approximately 24 million workers and families benefited from the EITC, receiving nearly $70 billion in total credits, with an average refund of $2,894. When households receive refunds as intended, those funds can help cover essential expenses such as housing, groceries, childcare, utilities, and education. For many, a tax refund represents one of the largest single payments they receive all year.
"At a time when families are navigating ongoing financial strain, access to trusted, no-cost tax return preparation is more important than ever," said Marisa Calderon, President and CEO of Prosperity Now. "We are deeply grateful to the Wells Fargo Foundation for expanding their philanthropic investment this year, allowing us to support more VITA providers and help more households claim the refunds and credits they've earned."
Professional tax preparation services can be costly, with average fees for a basic return often exceeding $200. For households managing tight budgets, those fees can create additional strain. VITA programs help remove that barrier by offering trusted, no-cost tax return preparation services in community settings.
"At Wells Fargo, we believe that financial health is the foundation for opportunity," said Bonnie Wallace, Head of Financial Opportunity Philanthropy for Wells Fargo. "That belief is what connects us so strongly to Prosperity Now's vision: ensuring every individual and family has access to the tools they need to build stability and long-term prosperity. Our commitment to help strengthen VITA sites nationwide will expand access for families and connect tax time with broader financial opportunities."
Collectively, this year's grantees are expected to:
* Prepare more than 20,000 tax returns
* Help households claim an estimated $25 million in refunds and refundable credits
* Participate in year-round training, technical assistance, and peer learning through Prosperity Now's Tax Opportunity Network
The VITA Support Fund reflects Prosperity Now and Wells Fargo Foundation's shared commitment to strengthening community-based organizations that provide reliable tax return preparation nationwide.
The 2026 VITA Support Fund Recipients
Ada Jenkins Families and Careers Development Center, Inc.
Alaska Business Development Center
ASIAN, Inc.
Blackstone Valley Community Action Program, Inc. (BVCAP)
CASA, Inc.
CASH Campaign of Maryland
CEIBA Inc
East River Development Alliance Inc. dba Urban Upbound
Increasing H.O.P.E
International Rescue Committee in San Diego (IRC in SD)
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
Lakes and Pines Community Action Council Inc.
Nevada Free Taxes Coalition
New Economics for Women
North Texas Area United Way
Northeast Kingdom Community Action
Penquis C.A.P., Inc.
Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation
Prepare + Prosper
Progreso Latino
The Village for Families & Children
United Planning Organization
United Way of Central Shenandoah Valley
United Way of Central Texas
United Way of Frederick County, MD
United Way of Greater Stark County
United Way of Northern New Jersey
United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County
United Way of San Joaquin County
United Way of South Texas
United Way of Southeast Louisiana
United Way of the Plains: Free Tax Filing Services
United Way of the Wine Country
United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona
United Way Suncoast
University of Utah - Financial Wellness Center
Urban League of Greater Chattanooga
***
Original text here: https://www.prosperitynow.org/news-and-insights/prosperity-now-expands-nationwide-vita-support-with-wells-fargo-foundation-grant
George W. Bush Institute: President and Mrs. George W. Bush Meet With Ukrainian First Lady Mrs. Olena Zelenska
DALLAS, Texas, March 28 -- The George W. Bush Institute issued the following news release on March 26, 2026:
* * *
President and Mrs. George W. Bush Meet with Ukrainian First Lady Mrs. Olena Zelenska
Today, President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush welcomed Ukrainian First Lady Mrs. Olena Zelenska to the Bush Institute.
"We admire your country's bravery and ingenuity," said President George W. Bush. "We want the people of Ukraine to know that we continue to stand with America's ally, Ukraine. You are fighting for freedom, and I believe you will prevail."
In February, the Bush Institute
... Show Full Article
DALLAS, Texas, March 28 -- The George W. Bush Institute issued the following news release on March 26, 2026:
* * *
President and Mrs. George W. Bush Meet with Ukrainian First Lady Mrs. Olena Zelenska
Today, President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush welcomed Ukrainian First Lady Mrs. Olena Zelenska to the Bush Institute.
"We admire your country's bravery and ingenuity," said President George W. Bush. "We want the people of Ukraine to know that we continue to stand with America's ally, Ukraine. You are fighting for freedom, and I believe you will prevail."
In February, the Bush Institutepublished policy recommendations on how the West can help Ukraine win following the fourth anniversary of Vladimir Putin's unjustified war. Putin is responsible for the gravest security crisis on the European continent since World War II. The Bush Institute believes that now is the time to stop him - and to do so, the U.S. must continue its support of Ukraine.
For more information about the Bush Institute's efforts to support Ukraine and freedom around the world, visit: https://www.bushcenter.org/topics/regions/ukraine
* * *
About the George W. Bush Institute:
The George W. Bush Institute is a solution-oriented nonpartisan policy organization focused on ensuring opportunity for all, strengthening democracy, and advancing free societies. Housed within the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the Bush Institute is rooted in compassionate conservative values and committed to creating positive, meaningful, and lasting change at home and abroad. We utilize our unique platform and convening power to advance solutions to national and global issues of the day. Learn more at bushcenter.org.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.bushcenter.org/newsroom/president-and-mrs-george-w-bush-meet-with-ukrainian-first-lady-mrs-olena-zelenska
