One of the largest left-of-center grant makers in the nation recently disclosed that it has been retaining lobbyists since April to represent its interests on nonprofit-related matters. This lobbying contract may have contributed to the demise of a widely covered Republican provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Congressional records show that the Tides Network retained the Raben Group beginning on April 9 to lobby on “issues related to intermediary organizations.” Intermediary organizations, in nonprofit parlance, are entities that direct funding and provide administrative support services to other aligned organizations, which is one of the primary functions of Tides. Through its work as an intermediary, Tides funded a wide range of controversial pro-Palestinian protests and organizations that, in some cases, involved illegal activity and support for Hamas. Such protests spurred congressional Republicans to introduce language to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that would have empowered the treasury secretary to go after the tax-exempt status of organizations deemed to support terrorism.