Public policy news and updates for the philanthropic sector

August 7, 2026

What's Happening This Week...

• Happening at the Council
• What We're Tracking in DC
• Additional Updates

Happening at the Council

Upcoming Policy and Advocacy Trainings

We're offering two upcoming trainings — one designed for community foundation staff and the other designed for private and corporate foundation staff — that will help you get started with insights on funding vehicles that support advocacy, how to build relationships to advance advocacy, legal explainers, and more.

Register for Advocacy Essentials for CFs (August 25, 27)

Register for Essentials of Policy Advocacy (September 15, 17)

What We're Tracking in DC

Sector Issues on the Hill

This week, the Senate Appropriations Committee introduced a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the federal government at current levels through December 11. The CR also includes a provision that would prevent the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from implementing revisions or rewrites of the proposed regulations on the Uniform Guidance for federal financial assistance before December 11.

In July, the House passed a CR without this provision. The Senate is working to pass the CR before leaving for the August state work period. Whether the House will pass the Senate's CR remains unclear. Current funding for the federal government expires on September 30. As a reminder, the Council submitted comments on the proposed regulation, detailing how it would inhibit foundations and nonprofits from accessing federal funding.

Additionally, last week, the Senate Finance Committee held a markup of the bipartisan Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act (S.3931). Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) submitted an amendment clarifying the right of nonprofit organizations to appeal denials or revocations of tax-exempt status by the IRS and requiring the agency to provide notice to organizations regarding the resolution process. The amendment was included and accepted in Committee Chair Mike Crapo’s (R-ID) modifications to the bill. The legislation passed out of committee 26-1.

Additional Updates

• The Council submitted comments to the IRS on the agency’s notice of intent to issue proposed regulations on the tax on excess compensation for nonprofit executives. The Council’s comments recommend that the agency revise the definition of a covered employee to avoid inadvertently including employees of family offices or corporations with affiliated foundations who do not earn income from the foundation.
• Last month, National Religious Broadcasters filed an appeal to revive their previous lawsuit, National Religious Broadcasters v. Bessent, after a federal district court in Texas dismissed the case. As a reminder, the original case challenged the enforcement of the Johnson Amendment against the plaintiffs. Last year, the Council released a statement in support of upholding the Johnson Amendment. Council members can read more about the current status of this case and other court cases the policy team is monitoring.

Keep in Touch!

Please feel free to reach out to any of us on the Public Policy 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.

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