Letters to Government Officials

At the Council, we leverage our voice on behalf of the philanthropic sector and on issues affecting our members. We reach out to Congress, the White House, and federal agencies when necessary to ensure governmental leadership understands the priorities of philanthropy—and, when appropriate, we amplify our nonprofit and philanthropic partners.

Recent letters the Council on Foundations has signed on to:

• October 2024: Joined a coalition of nonprofit organizations in a letter urging President Biden to require the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to provide nonprofits the same quarterly employment and wage data regularly made available to for profit businesses and governments, Charitable Sector Urges President Biden to Provide Critical Workforce Data Through the BLS.
• August 2024: Submitted testimony for Senate Committee on Finance hearing on “Tax Tools for Local Economic Development,” illustrating how proposed tax changes can enable the charitable sector to better support local economic development.
• August 2024: Submitted a statement for the House Subcommittee on Oversight hearing on “Fueling Chaos: Tracing the Flow of Tax-Exempt Dollars to Antisemitism,” illustrating the work the charitable sector is already doing to combat hate speech.
• May 2024: Letter to Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Neal expressing concerns with legislation recently reported out of Committee.
• December 2023: Submitted testimony to the record for the U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight hearing on the growth of the tax-exempt sector and the impact on the American political landscape.
• November 2023: Joined a coalition of nonprofits and nonprofit associations in a letter to Senate Banking Leadership to pass the Retirement
  Fairness for Charities and Educational Institutions Act, Nonprofit Sector Letter to Congress in Support of 403(b) retirement plans access to CITs.
• March 2022: Joined a coalition of nonprofit organizations in a letter urging the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to revise the standards for federal data on race and ethnicity, OMB Revisions of Race and Ethnicity Data Standards
• February 2022: Joined a coalition of nonprofit organizations in a letter to the president and Congress urging them to address nonprofit workforce shortages, Pandemic Workforce Shortage Relief for Charitable Nonprofits
• January 2022: Joined a coalition of organizations in a letter urging Congress to prioritize the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, Philanthropic and Charitable Sector Letter to Congress in Support of Voting Rights
• December 2021: Joined the Charitable Giving Coalition in a letter asking Congress to extend and expand the charitable deduction for nonitemizers, CGC Sends Letter to Congress Urging Extension and Expansion of Universal Charitable Deduction
• July 2021: Joined a coalition of nonprofit organizations in a letter to President Biden and congressional leadership identifying challenges nonprofit organizations face, 2021 COVID Relief and Charitable Nonprofits.
• June 2021: Led a group of philanthropy-serving organizations in a letter to Congress detailing concerns with the Accelerating Charitable Efforts Act.
• May 2021: Joined a coalition of nonprofit organizations urging Congressional leadership to pass the WORK NOW Act, Economic Stimulus and WORK NOW Act.
• April 2021: Joined a group of nonprofit organizations urging Congress to pass retirement reform legislation that includes the Legacy IRA Act, Legacy IRA Act Letter of Support.
• March 2021: Joined a coalition of nonprofit organizations urging the Small Business Administration to take action to ensure nonprofits can access loans through the Paycheck Protection Program, including by making it as easy as possible for nonprofits to apply, Issues of Concern to Charitable Nonprofits Eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program.
• March 2021: Joined a coalition of nonprofit organizations applauding the American Rescue Plan's support for nonprofits and urging Congress and the Administration to quickly take action to enact further relief, Nonprofits Applaud #Relief4Charities in American Rescue Plan Act.
• February 2021: Sent a letter to Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means Committee leadership outlining legislative priorities to best enable the philanthropic sector to thrive amidst the COVID-19 crisis, COVID-19 Priorities for the 117th Congress.
• January 2021: Joined a group of philanthropic leaders in condemning the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, Philanthropies Condemn Political Violence, Call on Leaders to Protect Democracy and Get Back to the People’s Business.
• December 2020: Joined the Charitable Giving Coalition in a letter urging congressional leaders to increase the $300 cap on the above-the-line charitable deduction for taxpayers who do not itemize, Charitable Giving Coalition Urges Congress to Expand and Extend the Universal Charitable Deduction Through at Least 2021 in COVID-19 Relief.
• October 2020: Joined nonprofit leaders in a letter to President Trump expressing serious concerns about an executive order he signed banning racial sensitivity training, Letter Regarding President Trump’s Executive Order, Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping.
• August 2020: Joined philanthropic leaders to urge the U.S. Department of Commerce and Census Bureau not to cut U.S. census operations short, 506 Philanthropic Leaders Say Do Not Cut the 2020 Census Short.
• July 2020: Joined the charitable nonprofit community in asking congressional leaders to ensure COVID-19 relief laws extended eligibility to nonprofit organizations, Urgent Nonprofit Policy Priorities in Reforms to CARES Act.
• July 2020: Led the charitable nonprofit community in a letter asking congressional leaders not to increase the private foundation minimum distribution rate and impose a new required minimum payout rate for donor-advised funds, National Philanthropy Organizations on Changing the Payout Requirements.
• May 2020: Sent a letter to congressional leaders urging Congress to prioritize policies that would enhance charitable giving, expand nonprofits access to relief and support, and increase aid to state and local governments, Letter to Congress on COVID-19 Priorities.
• December 2019: Joined the charitable nonprofit community in a letter asking congressional leaders to support a 1.39 precent excise tax rate, Philanthropic Organizations on Excise Tax.