--- title: "Washington Snapshot: HUD Awards Applications Now Open!" --- Plus, David Brooks will be at Building Together, a DAF presentation at Foundations on the Hill, the Safeguarding Charities Act, and more. | | | --- | | | | --- | | Public policy news and updates for the philanthropic sector | | --- | | January 26, 2024 What's Happening This Week... Happening at the Council Federal Government Engagement Opportunities What We're Tracking in DC Happening in the States News, Resources, and Events | | --- | | Happening at the Council Foundations on the Hill 2024 - Register Now! Foundations on the Hill participants will have exclusive access to the premier presentation of the National Study on DAFs, a one-of-a-kind study collecting data on at least 100,000 DAF accounts held by more than 80 DAF sponsoring organizations across the United States.     Join us at #FOTH2024 on February 25-28 in DC. FOTH is a robust public policy and advocacy conference experience featuring insightful presentations and discussions of the latest data on DAFs, philanthropy’s role in democracy and civic engagement, and more!   Building Together: Leading Collaboratively Across Differences Building Together is a new immersive learning experience for philanthropic leaders who want to develop strategies and skills to bridge differences and counteract toxic polarization. We just announced that David Brooks will join us as a speaker. Register now to join us in Chicago from May 6-9 and be part of this experience.  | | --- | | Federal Government Engagement Opportunities HUD Secretary’s Award – Applications Open Has your foundation ever partnered with a state or federal agency to distribute disaster relief funds? Or perhaps you have worked with local government to develop affordable housing and community centers, piloted a rental project aimed at expanding housing opportunities in rural areas, or launched a competition aimed at enhancing public policy’s reach in underserved communities. These are just some examples of the critical work foundations undertake to help bridge the gaps between government and the communities it intends to serve. Public-philanthropic partnerships like these are recognized annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Council. Applications are now open for the 12th Annual HUD Secretary’s Award. This award, which recognizes excellence in public-philanthropic partnerships, is open to all U.S.-based grantmakers. Recipients will be celebrated at an awards ceremony in Washington, DC this summer. Applications are due February 23. Contact hudaward@cof.org with any questions. | | --- | | What We're Tracking in DC Safeguarding Charities Act introduced Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) introduced the Safeguarding Charities Act (S.3604/H.R.7027) last week. This bill clarifies that tax exempt status does not necessarily mean an organization receives federal financial assistance. Bipartisan tax bill update Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) and House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-MO) released text of their tax deal. The package includes updates to the Child Tax Credit, as well as several corporate tax incentives. The bill was approved by the Ways and Means Committee last week—but while this is an important step, the bill still must go before the full House and be considered by the Senate. Take action: urge your members of Congress to support the Charitable Act (S.566/H.R.3435). | | --- | | Happening in the States Courtesy of our colleagues at the National Council of Nonprofits State of the States: Priorities of Interest to Nonprofits Most governors have delivered their State of the State addresses, released their budget frameworks, or both, to advance their agendas for 2024. So far, governors have highlighted their priorities in the areas of child care availability and affordability, natural disaster resiliency and recovery, tax cuts, and workforce development policies aimed at alleviating workforce shortages. Promoting Child Care Access, Affordability State legislators are demonstrating a commitment to expanding access to affordable child care. Given that a large share of child care providers are nonprofit organizations and that the lack of child care was identified as a major factor causing the nonprofit workforce shortage, the trend is of keen interest to charitable organizations across the country. Policy solutions to overcoming the lack of adequate, quality child care come in many forms. Property Tax Exemptions: Bills in Indiana, Kansas, and Missouri take different approaches to providing exemptions for nonprofit and for-profit properties used to provide child care. Sales Tax Exemptions: Legislation in Utah would exempt purchases of material for construction or expansion of child care facilities from the state sales tax. Tax Credits: A bill pending in Wisconsin would grant refundable tax credits up to $100,000 for expenses incurred for starting child care programs for employees and tax credits up to $3,000 per child for child care for employees’ children. Regulations: Indiana and Nebraska have legislation pending to reduce administrative, licensure, and insurance requirements to expand child care availability. Free Nationwide Nonprofit Webinar Tuesday, January 30 at 3:00 pm ET Access Remaining COVID-Relief Funds Before It Is Too Late Tens of billions of dollars are still available for charitable nonprofits, but only if state and local governments commit to spending those funds on nonprofits by the end of 2024. Otherwise, the federal government may claw back uncommitted funds. Join this nationwide webinar to make sure charitable nonprofits know they are eligible for these resources and know how to access them before it’s too late. Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo will kick off the discussion of how nonprofits can access remaining Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds made possible through the American Rescue Plan Act. He and other speakers will address the availability of these funds, priorities that deserve special attention, and examples of what works. | | --- | | News & Resources How is a shift to cash changing the aid sector?, Devex How a Local Nonprofit Created a Case-Management Application to Better Serve Its Community, Urban Institute The right tools, employees and data can help the law get ahead of AI, The Hill  | | --- | | Upcoming Events Public Policy Action Network January 29 2:00 p.m. ET Essentials of Policy Advocacy for Grantmakers March 12-14 1:00-5:00 p.m. ET | | --- | | | | --- | | Keep in Touch! Please feel free to reach out to any of us on the Government Relations Team with comments or concerns, or to share an issue, article, event, or op-ed you would like to see covered in a future Washington Snapshot. View this email as a web page. | | --- | | Shared purpose. Collective voice. Greater impact. 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