Public Policy

Washington Snapshot will be taking a break next week during the August Congressional recess. We will return on Friday, August 26th. News from the Hill Your Lawmakers are in Their Home States & Districts! With Congress in recess, it has been a pretty slow news week on Capitol Hill. Instead of…

For foundations that offer charitable remainder annuity trusts (CRATs), a new revenue procedure (Rev. Proc. 2016-42) offers a sample provision that may be included in the governing instrument of the trust (CRAT) and provides that the IRS will treat the sample provision as a qualified contingency…

Just Announced: Speakers for Upcoming Webinar Join Philanthropy Caucus member, Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN), Adena Hill of the Southeastern Council on Foundations, and Council staff at 2pm ET on August 9th to discuss the importance of building relationships with your lawmakers. We’ll also learn…

News from the Hill New Tax Leadership for Senate Finance Democrats On Tuesday, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) announced a new tax leadership team for Senate Finance Committee Democrats. Victor Fleisher, of the University of San Diego, and Tiffany Smith, currently on staff…

This post originally appeared as an op-ed in The Guardian on July 16, 2016. There is no doubt that the U.S. is suffering from what feels like the unravelling of social order. Recent shootings in Louisiana, Minnesota, and Texas have heightened deep-seated tensions relating to race and criminal…

News from the Hill Delayed Release for Hatch Corporate Integration Proposal Our readers will recall that Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) of the Senate Finance Committee was expected to release his corporate integration proposal before the August Congressional recess. As it turns out, the proposal was…

Last Chance to Register! Don’t miss your last chance to register for our Washington Update LIVE!: Philanthropy’s Voice in the Policy Process, taking place next Tuesday, July 12 from 2:00-3:00 pm ET. This webinar will discuss the importance of advocacy and highlight opportunities to engage with…

The Council on Foundations would like to wish all of our readers a safe and enjoyable 4th of July! News from the Hill Tax Blueprint Proposes Ideas that Could Impact Charitable Giving Our readers will recall that last week Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and his Task Force on Tax Reform released their…

This post originally appeared as an op-ed in The Chronicle of Philanthropy on June 24, 2016 with the title "Brexit Vote Will Force Philanthropy to Tackle Many Tough Issues." The vote for Britain to exit the European Union took philanthropy and the rest of the world by surprise. But it raises tough…

News from the Hill Speaker Ryan Releases Tax Blueprint As our readers know, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) organized five task forces to draft substantive blueprints outlining policy options for a number of issue areas—including tax reform. Chaired by Ways and Means Committee Chairman, Kevin…

  Download the Presentation Slides August is here, which means your Members of Congress have ventured outside of the beltway for an extended stay in their districts—otherwise known as your communities. This is a great opportunity for you to connect with your elected officials, build and…

In response to the horrific attacks in Orlando, Council President and CEO Vikki Spruill and Board Chair Sherry Magill penned an open letter reaffirming the Council’s commitment to advancing diversity, equality, and inclusion in and beyond the philanthropic field, and to continue serving as a…

News from the Hill Senate Philanthropy Caucus Co-Chairs Encourage Colleagues to Join This week, the Senate Philanthropy Caucus Co-Chairs, Richard Burr (R-NC) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sent a Dear Colleague Letter encouraging their fellow Senators to join the caucus. They called for colleagues to “…