Council Connection: Updates for Council Members

Public policy news and updates for the philanthropic sector

Happening at the Council

Building Together 2026

Join us May 4–7 at the Hyatt Regency Seattle for an inspiring, immersive conference designed to help you connect with your peers working in philanthropy who are eager to learn the skills and strategies to collaborate across differences. Register by April 10 to lock in the best registration rate.

Global Grantmaking Essentials Training – Spring 2026

Our biannual virtual training on global grantmaking offers a focused dive into cross-border giving regulations, real-world tools for navigating complex systems, and updates on the latest data and research. Designed for new global grantmakers or those looking to refresh their skills. Join us for the upcoming spring session taking place April 7, 9, and 14. Register by March 18.

What We're Tracking in DC

Introduction of the SPONSOR Act

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC), along with Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-TX), introduced the Stop Proxy Organizations Nurturing Subversive Operations and Riots (SPONSOR) Act (H.R.7799/ S.3942).

The bill would codify the definition of a fiscal sponsor and the legal relationship between a sponsor and its sponsored project. It specifies that the fiscal sponsor will be liable for any criminal acts arising from the fiscal sponsorship and will also retain civil liability for a sponsored project that engages in certain activities, including aiding or abetting international terrorism; the physical obstruction of inter- or intrastate commerce; and physical obstruction, intimidation, or injury of people exercising a constitutional right.

We are continuing to engage Council members to understand whether there may be unintended consequences.

Senate Hearing on Foreign Influence in Higher Education

Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing on “Transparency and Trust: Exposing Malign Foreign Influence in Higher Education.” Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) highlighted the DETERRENT Act (S.1296), legislation he and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced last year that would increase transparency around foreign donations to colleges and universities.

Committee Republicans focused on influence from foreign governments, particularly the Chinese Communist Party, on U.S. universities. Meanwhile, Committee Democrats called for Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to testify in front of the Committee. While the Committee did not discuss philanthropy, conversations around higher education often reflect sentiments about the broader sector. We will continue to monitor this conversation.

Proposed Regulations for the Federal System for Award Management

In February, the General Services Administration (GSA) issued proposed revisions to the certifications nonprofits; state, local, and tribal governments; and other organizations seeking federal grants, agreements, loans, and insurance make to access the System for Award Management (SAM) portal.

The proposed revisions ask organizations to certify they will:

  • Remain in compliance with all federal laws and executive orders “prohibiting unlawful discrimination on the basis of race or color in the administration of federally funded programs;”
  • Not harbor, shield, hire, or recruit undocumented immigrants; and
  • Not fund, subsidize, or facilitate violence, terrorism, or other illegal activities that threaten public safety or national security.

The draft regulations seek to implement the Department of Justice’s Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination memo and Executive Order 14173: Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.

Comments on the proposed revisions are open until March 30. The Council plans to submit comments to the GSA. Reach out to govt@cof.org to let us know how they would impact your work.

Additional Updates

  • Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) and Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced S.3975, the Senate companion to the IRA Charitable Rollover Facilitation and Enhancement Act. This bill would allow seniors to make qualified charitable distributions from an IRA to a donor-advised fund. The House version, H.R.2891, was introduced by Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) last year.
  • The Office of Personnel Management announced that the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) would be decommissioned on March 4. The CFC was established in 1961 for federal employees, retirees, and contractors to raise money for charitable nonprofits through payroll deductions. Learn more.
  • Treasury and the IRS released a notice of proposed rulemaking on Trump Accounts. The draft regulations provide guidance on making an election to open a Trump Account. This set of regulations does not address most of the questions and suggestions the Council and other nonprofits raised in comments submitted last month; we expect additional regulations later this year.
  • The IRS released its annual Dirty Dozen, a list of tax scams that the agency identifies as threats to the “tax and financial information of taxpayers, businesses, and tax professionals.” The list again featured syndicated conservation easements as a scheme promoting the filing of returns with false information.

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Opinions expressed in these articles belong to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Council.

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