There is probably no doubt that this at least in part has to do with the current political climate in the US, and I think there is a potential here to grow a US-centric org and try to establish instead a network of national organisations coordinating their efforts internationally.

This might — on a longer timescale than “by April we can’t pay our bills” — make for a broader field of potential funding from national, regional, and other grants applicable to local organisations. Certainly, the EU would be amenable to funding an organisation like IFTAS.

On another level this decentralisation would not only chime well with the nature of the fediverse (indeed, the internet), but also add a diversity of international perspectives to the IFTAS’ efforts.

This might also dispel the notion in some quarters that the internet is somehow a thing for North Americans to govern. From a European point of view — and certainly in my personal bubble, as a Scandinavian who does a lot if not most of my online communication in English — there has probably never been as much distrust in US decision making as now, and it might become IFTAS and other organisations to recognise that.

Once again, none of the above would solve IFTAS’ immediate finances, but if the org struggles through the lack of funding somehow, it might benefit from the broader perspectives.