Press Releases
For media requests contact Alison Hawkins, Director of External Affairs at ahawkins@philanthropyroundtable.org or at 202-822-8333.
WASHINGTON, D.C.— In announcing “The Paying the Fair Share Act”, a proposal for a new tax on high earners put forth by 8 Senate Democrats, the charitable deduction was specifically preserved, signaling that incentives for private giving should not be used as a revenue offset for competing priorities.
“ACR believes that our tax code should encourage and incentivize private charitable giving. We appreciate the wide recognition that the charitable deduction is different from all other deductions in that it is an incentive for Americans to give away their money as compared to other deductions and credits. However, ACR also believes that encouraging entrepreneurship and the creation of wealth is vital to sustaining charitable giving and a surtax on high income earners could hinder this goal. We are hopeful Congress and the Administration can come together and create a proposal that accomplishes all of these goals to promote more philanthropy,” said Sue Santa, senior vice president of the Philanthropy Roundtable.
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ACR is cautiously optimistic that all the pressure we and others have brought to bear may finally be resonating with the Administration. We believe that our tax code should encourage and incentivize private charitable giving. We appreciate that the President seems to acknowledge the value of charitable giving but we remain cautious and won’t speculate until we see the details of the President’s plan.
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Letter Reinforces Economic Importance of Incentives to Give and the Nonprofit Sector
WASHINGTON, D.C.— A broad coalition of nonprofit leaders sent a letter to the Senate Finance Committee today, reinforcing the importance of protecting the charitable deduction and incentives to give with year-end giving in full swing, the recent failure of the Super Committee, and tax reform inevitably on the horizon.
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Nonprofits Look to Future Negotiations and the Potential Impact
WASHINGTON, D.C.—With the breakdown of the Super Committee, lawmakers are pivoting to begin discussion of measures to avert $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts. In this context, the Alliance for Charitable Reform (ACR) strongly urges Congressional leaders to continue to protect charitable giving.
“Deficit reduction proposals that include measures that would reduce charitable giving, such as a cap on the deduction, should remain off the table,” said Sue Santa, senior vice president for policy at The Philanthropy Roundtable. “Although the Super Committee has not been able to come to a solution, charitable groups that provide for the needs of those hardest hit in this economy must be able to carry out their missions without the threat of bearing even more of the burden.”
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Letter Sent Today Signed by Thousands of Nonprofit Organizations
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Thousands of charitable organizations, including the Alliance for Charitable Reform (ACR), sent a letter to the Super Committee showing broad, strong support for protecting the current charitable deduction and incentives that promote giving.
The letter sent today was signed by nearly 4,000 nonprofit organizations across the country. These organizations provide vital services and could be hurt by a change in the charitable deduction. The voices of these organizations and those they serve send a strong message to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, also known as the Super Committee, about the importance of protecting charitable giving incentives. In addition to the thousands of organizations who signed the letter in various states, nearly 50 national organizations, including ACR, have signed including Feeding America, Goodwill and the American Red Cross.
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Bipartisan support shown for keeping the charitable deduction intact
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Alliance for Charitable Reform (ACR) applauded testimony in today’s Finance Committee Hearing, which focused on incentives for charitable giving, for showing strong support for preserving the charitable deduction and ensuring giving continues to serve those in need.
“We applaud Senators Hatch, Baucus and others for their support in preserving giving, especially in today’s tough economic climate,” said Sue Santa, Senior Vice President of The Philanthropy Roundtable. “We also applaud those who testified on behalf of charitable giving, reiterating its importance to charitable organizations. Those organizations are providing help to many in desperate need, and as we heard in today’s hearing, now is not the time to experiment with changing the charitable deduction.”
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Nonprofit Leaders Reiterate the Most Harm Will be to Those Who Use Nonprofit Services
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Nonprofit leaders from all over the country came to Washington Thursday to speak out against proposals to limit the charitable deduction and met with more than 30 members of Congress, including those on the powerful Finance, Ways and Means and Super Committees.
The diverse group of leaders brought the message that giving is down, the demand for services is rising and government funds are dwindling. They advised lawmakers that the president’s proposal to cap the itemized deduction at 28% would reduce charitable giving and ultimately will harm those they serve and who need help the most.
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Nonprofit Leaders to go to Congress for “Fly In/Speak Out: Preserve Giving”, Meet with Elected Officials
WASHINGTON, D.C.—More than 40 nonprofit leaders will meet with elected officials on Capitol Hill Thursday, October 6th, to reinforce the message that reducing the charitable deduction to pay for the President’s job plan will affect those hit the hardest by the economy. Nonprofit leaders have united in opposing any changes, including this proposal that will reduce giving.
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Coalition of Organizations Send Letter to Congress, Plan Day on Capitol Hill
WASHINGTON, D.C.—In response to proposals to limit the charitable contribution tax deduction, a coalition of nonprofit organizations sent a letter to Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the members of the “Super Committee” laying out the potential damage to Americans seeking help from nonprofit services.
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Further Reading
New bill protects philanthropic freedom and encourages charitable giving in the sunshine state
On May 27, 2010, Governor Charlie Crist of Florida signed into law Senate Bill 998 which protects Florida foundations and the charities they support. ACR, along with a coalition of key legislators, foundations, philanthropic associations and policy organizations, advanced this legislation as part of a state-based strategy to protect donor intent and philanthropic freedom.
Additional Resources
- Legislation: SB 998 text (see page 10, line 288)
- Summary of Legislation:
- Press Release: ACR announces bill passage (June 1, 2010)
- Policy Brief: Philanthropy’s Future in the Sunshine State, James Madison Institute (December 2009)
- Point of View: Assault on Philanthropy, James Madison Institute (December 2009)
- Model Legislation: Text of Model State legislation to protect philanthropic freedom
Press
- Summer 2010 President’s Note: Sunshine for Philanthropic Freedom, Philanthropy Magazine (Adam Meyerson)
- 7/11 Letter to the Editor: Florida’s New Foundation Law Protects Donor Intent, Chronicle of Philanthropy (Sue Santa)
——6/11 Opinion: New FL Law Makes It Harder for Foundations to Live Up to Values, Chronicle of Philanthropy (Emmett Carson)
- 6/14 Opinion: FL Law Stands up for Charity, Washington Examiner & San Francisco Examiner (Adam Meyerson)
- 6/4 Florida Protects Philanthropic Freedom, Philanthropy Daily
- 6/1 Fla. Adopts Legislation to Protect Foundations’ Autonomy, Chronicle of Philanthropy
- June New Florida law, Resolutions Promote & Protect State’s Philanthropy, Florida Philanthropic Network
