--- title: "Washington Snapshot: Looking to 2025" --- Plus, more Council webinars, tax debates, federal funding, Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, street safety, and more. | | | --- | | | | --- | | Public policy news and updates for the philanthropic sector | | --- | | September 13, 2024 What's Happening This Week... Happening at the Council What We're Tracking in DC Federal Government Engagement Opportunities Happening in the States News, Resources, and Events | | --- | | Happening at the Council Looking to 2025: A Webinar Series on the Policy Implications for Philanthropy November is right around the corner, and while the election results will shape who has a seat at the negotiating table next year, policymakers are already developing their legislative priorities. We want you to be ready. Join us to learn how to prepare for the upcoming tax bill discussions (October 1), what election results could mean for philanthropy (November 14), and how you can join us in educating Congress about the issues important to the sector (February 11). This series is free and open to all foundation leaders who want to prepare for the year ahead. Essentials of Policy Advocacy for Grantmakers Register now for this course, which will help you learn how to use your resources to advance public policies that support the greater good. Designed for private foundation staff, this course will focus on effective practices and strategies for implementing a foundation’s advocacy strategy. This fall’s training is on September 25 and 26 from 1pm to 5pm ET. Webinar: Accessing Federal Dollars to Strengthen Communities Don’t let your community leave federal funding on the table! Join the Council on Foundations and our partners for a timely discussion about two federal funding opportunities to support your community today and make the investments it needs to thrive for decades to come. Register for the October 2 webinar today. | | --- | | What We're Tracking in DC AAER and Fearless Foundation Announce Settlement Earlier this week, American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER) and Fearless Foundation announced a settlement. At issue was the Fearless Strivers grant program, which awarded $20,000 grants to Black woman-owned businesses through the Fearless Foundation, a 501(c)(3) established by Fearless Fund, a venture capital firm that aims for the advancement of Black woman entrepreneurs. As part of the agreement to settle the case, Fearless announced it will permanently close the grant program. Read more about the settlement and the Council’s joint press release with Independent Sector. The Council partnered with Independent Sector to file an amicus brief in support of Fearless last December. In addition, over 200 foundations and nonprofits signed onto our statement supporting the rights of philanthropic organizations, charitable nonprofits, and individual donors to give in ways that align with their values. Ways and Means Committee Markup On September 11, the House Ways and Means Committee held a markup of several bills, two of which would impact philanthropy and the nonprofit sector: Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act (H.R. 9495): While the purpose of this bill is to prevent the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from penalizing Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad, it also includes provisions from H.R.6408 that would give the Treasury Secretary broad authority to terminate the tax-exempt status of organizations found to provide material support to designated terrorist groups. It is already illegal to provide material support to designated terrorist organizations, and existing procedures exist to ensure any organization doing so is held accountable. The Committee approved H.R.9495. USA Workforce Investment Act (H.R. 9461): This bill would provide individual taxpayers with a nonrefundable tax credit for donations or charitable contributions to workforce development and training organizations. The tax credit is limited to contributions to 501(c)(3) organizations that are also on a list of eligible providers that offer such programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Contributions to private foundations do not qualify. The Committee approved H.R.9461 along party lines. Elsewhere on the Hill: With government funding set to run out at the end of the month, Congress must once again pass a continuing resolution. House Republicans are not aligned on the content of the resolution, with some hoping it will include a measure to prohibit noncitizens from voting. Such a measure would be unlikely to pass the Democrat-controlled Senate. Federal funding runs out on October 1. Read more about the debate. The Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the 2025 Tax Policy Debate and Tax Avoidance Strategies. Democrats spent the bulk of the hearing discussing loopholes they hope to close in a 2025 tax package, while Republicans discussed the importance of corporate tax incentives for small businesses. Charitable giving did come up once, when Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) raised the importance of passing a charitable deduction for nonitemizers. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on Anti-NGO Laws and Other Tools of Democratic Repression. Witnesses raised concerns about rising authoritarianism, particularly for civil society organizations abroad. Douglas Rutzen, CEO of the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, urged the Committee to ensure that any legislation impacting civil society working its way through Congress “safeguard civil society and philanthropy, both internationally and at home.” | | --- | | Federal Government Updates and Opportunities With winter on the horizon and Ukraine’s energy infrastructure under attack, the U.S. Agency for International Development called for support from philanthropy and other partners. If you are interested in learning more about the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund or the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, contact govt@cof.org. The IRS released new technical guides addressing Section 509(a)(3) supporting organizations. The new technical guides diagram the differences between Type I, Type II, and Type III supporting organizations. The IRS published a course on political campaigns and charities aimed at ensuring 501(c)(3) organizations understand the prohibition on nonprofit electioneering. The Department of Transportation (USDOT) invites foundation staff, corporate funders, and other grantmakers to a conversation exploring how foundations have partnered with USDOT to help communities win discretionary grants aimed at improving the safety of streets and roads. Join the conversation on September 19 at 1pm ET. | | --- | | Happening in the States Courtesy of our colleagues at the National Council of Nonprofits American Rescue Plan Act Funding for Nonprofits State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments have until December 31, 2024, to obligate their remaining State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF); unobligated funds will have to be returned to the federal government. Local governments, notably in New York and Texas, continue to include nonprofits in their recovery plans or share updates on how they will obligate remaining funds. More resources on how to advocate to secure funding, and successful examples, are covered in Accessing SLFRF. State Ballot Measures More than 150 statewide ballot measures have qualified for the ballots in 42 states this year. Issues range from abortion and immigration, to bonds, minimum wage, LGBTQIA+ rights, and healthcare, many of which could affect voter turnout on election day. | | --- | | News & Resources Charitable Nonprofits: Nonpartisan in Law, Fact, and Purpose, National Council of Nonprofits Rural America is Struggling. Where’s Philanthropy?, Chronicle of Philanthropy Development interdependence: Locally driven, globally informed, Brookings Institution NCAA’s landmark deal to pay college athletes on hold after hearing, Washington Post | | --- | | Upcoming Events Essentials of Policy Advocacy for Grantmakers September 25-26 1:00-5:00 p.m. ET Accessing Federal Dollars to Strengthen Communities: Elective Pay and State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds October 2 1:00-2:00 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. Council on Foundations \| 1255 23rd Street NW, Suite 200  \| Washington,  DC  20037 You received this email because you are subscribed to receive emails from the Council on Foundations. Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive. View our Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe from all future emails. | | --- | | | | --- |