Incentives for Charitable Giving
In 2023, demand for nonprofits’ services is at an all-time high, yet costs continue to rise due to inflation. Record numbers of people across the country are seeking help at food banks, crisis assistance centers, affordable housing providers, community health centers, domestic violence agencies, consumer credit counseling services, and other nonprofits. The needs in our communities are far greater than what governments can address alone. Congress should empower millions more taxpayers to help solve these challenges by donating more to the work of charitable organizations in their communities. Read more.
Volunteer Mileage Relief
Many charitable nonprofits rely on volunteers to deliver vital services to their communities. Yet, the number of people volunteering has not returned to pre-pandemic levels at many organizations. Volunteers point to high gas prices, poor tax incentives, and health and safety concerns as main reasons they have stopped donating their needed time and talent to helping others. Congress can promote volunteerism by raising the volunteer mileage rate and correcting tax treatment of reimbursements. Read more.
Nonprofit SEAT Act
The charitable nonprofit sector employs 10% of the U.S. workforce and partners with governments at all levels to provide essential services. Yet, there is no one in the federal government charged with ensuring the challenges and concerns of nonprofits are heard or addressed. It is essential that the needs of nonprofits and their communities are considered at the beginning of public policy development and implementation, rather than as an afterthought. The Nonprofit Stakeholders Engaging and Advancing Together (Nonprofit SEAT) Act provides the needed structure to enhance government-nonprofit partnerships for the public good. Read more.
Strengthening Contractual Partnerships Between Governments and Nonprofits in 2023
Government agencies at the federal, state, and local levels partner with nonprofits in many important ways, including through contractual relationships, to provide programs and services that benefit communities throughout the state. As with any type of partnership, the contractual relationships between governmentagencies and nonprofits are not always seamless. The North Carolina Center for Nonprofits has recently sought feedback from nonprofits about their challenges with government grants and contracts. More than 100 organizations have responded, and their feedback is largely consistent with anecdotes that nonprofits have shared with the Center over the past decade and with the results of the Urban Institute's national surveys of nonprofit-government contracting from 2009 and 2012. Read more.