AFA Update

Dear Colleagues and Partners,

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) yesterday issued a memorandum temporarily pausing all federal grants, loans, and other financial assistance programs and disbursements. OMB subsequently issued a “Q&A” document with clarification related to a few programs. This pause was set to take effect at 5 p.m. EST today, January 28, but this afternoon, a federal judge temporarily blocked the actions outlined in the OMB memorandum.

All of these actions, coupled with the Executive Orders, have caused confusion and concern.

We are in contact with partners and are closely monitoring the situation. We encourage you to stay in close contact with your Congressional representatives to ensure they are aware of the specific impacts to your organization, local government, and services for residents.

Additionally, we are communicating with you – our practitioners in the field. We want to know how you are impacted by the recent Executive Orders and OMB Memorandum and how AFA can best support your needs. 

We eagerly await additional communication about which programs are impacted, how long this pause could last, and what local/state governments and impacted organizations should do while the analysis occurs. As we learn more, we will share it with you.

AFA was built to adapt to the constantly evolving policy landscape, from leaning into Opportunity Zones during the first Trump Administration, to deploying national models for economic relief during the pandemic, to most recently helping localities maximize a time of historic local investment from the federal government.

As we work together through the uncertainty, we remind ourselves that one of the only constants in life is change. Your other constant is us. AFA will continue to be here for you, walking with you, as we adapt and continue our journey to create greater economic opportunity for everyone.

Thanks for all you do.

Mary Ellen Wiederwohl
President and CEO | Accelerator for America