Public Policy

In April, my tenure as chair of the Council on Foundations’ Board of Directors will end, and I will near completion of my board service, a term bounded by two historic presidential elections and begun when our country experienced an economic collapse rivaled only by the 1929 market crash and the…

Join the Philanthropy Caucus for a social reception to conclude Foundations on the Hill. Network with representatives from a variety of charitable foundations and organizations, lawmakers, and Congressional staff in an event to recognize the role of philanthropy as a unique stakeholder in…

Members Access the Recording Thanks to everyone who attended the first Council Member Update of 2017. Council President and CEO Vikki Spruill covered why this is such a critical time for philanthropy — and what the Council has planned in the year ahead to help strengthen the field. Attendees also…

In this Week's Edition of Snapshot... Ways & Means to hold hearing on changes to committee rules Senate sets deadline to repeal ACA, move closer to tax reform Treasury requests input on guidance for tax-exempt leases How Philanthropic is the Trump Cabinet? In the States: State…

In this Week's Edition of Snapshot... Tuesday kicked off the 115th Congress The proverbial ball is officially rolling toward tax reform House and Senate tax-writing committees welcome new members In the States: NY and DC take action on minimum wage and paid family leave Opinion: nonprofits…

Philanthropy News and Op-Eds The Council Speaks Out on the Value of DAFs On Thursday, October 27, the Chronicle of Philanthropy released this year’s Philanthropy 400. Of particular note is the fact that Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund moved into the number one spot on the list. Accompanying the list…

On Tuesday, November 8, Americans will go to the polls to elect the forty-fifth president of the United States, 34 Senators, and the entire House of Representatives, as well as hundreds of state and local officials. And while interested parties may urge constituents to get involved and participate…

News from the Hill Update on Republican Blueprint for Tax Reform In June 2016, House Republicans unveiled a blueprint for tax reform. This week, they released a new video to promote and explain the plan. Barbara Angus, chief tax counsel for the majority on the House Ways and Means Committee,…

After meeting with senior officials at the Department of Treasury, the Council submitted a letter on October 21, 2016 to Elinor Ramey, Attorney Advisor in the Office of Tax Policy regarding private foundations and how they may use donor advised funds (“DAFs”) to further their grantmaking activity.…

News from the Hill Dynamic Scoring Released for Clinton, Trump Tax Plans This week, the Tax Policy Center released updated analyses of the Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump plans—factoring in new dynamic scoring calculations that account for the macroeconomic effects of both plans. According to the…

The Charitable Giving Coalition (CGC) urged Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the major party nominees for President of the United States, to support the full preservation of the charitable deduction in a letter the coalition sent to the candidates this week. Along with preserving the charitable…

  Council CEO Vikki Spruill and special guest speakers analyzed the results of the 2016 election and discussed what it all means for the philanthropic sector. Connie Schultz, a Pulitzer Prize winning columnist, shared her thoughts on the election and its impact on our nation. What does the…

Executive & Regulatory News President Obama Highlights First Department of Education Pay-for-Success Projects Speaking at a national town hall on improving outcomes for at-risk youth, President Obama highlighted the announcement of two new pay-for-success awards from the Department of Education…

News from the Hill Bill to Delay Overtime Regulations Passes the House Last week, we reported that the Regulatory Relief for Small Businesses, Schools, and Nonprofits Act (HR. 6094) was introduced to delay the Department of Labor (DOL) overtime rules from taking effect until June 1, 2017. Late…

In this week's Washington Snapshot: Congress Passes Bill to Fund Government Through Early December; Bill Introduced in House to Delay Implementation of the DOL Overtime Rules; Policy Preview: Opportunities in Child Welfare; Self-Dealing & Family Foundations: What If the Brady Bunch had a…

Join the Council on Foundations on Tuesday, October 11, at 12pm ET for a special briefing on work at the Federal level to improve outcomes for children in need. Christine Calpin, Managing Director of Public Policy at Casey Family Programs, will highlight current opportunities to improve Federal…