Public Policy

Dear Readers: The predictions of the DC area being buried in snow that we noted in last week’s Snapshot turned out to be very accurate! Despite the federal government being closed on Monday and Tuesday, that didn’t stop some Washingtonians from enjoying a day on Capitol Hill… News from the…

The Council on Foundations has named Hadar Susskind its Vice President of Public Policy, a new position intended to advance the Council’s public policy work on behalf of its members. Hadar joins the Council’s nationally recognized Public Policy and Legal Affairs team led by Sue Santa. Hadar joins…

Dear Readers: Due to the predictions that many of us in the DC metro area are going to be buried in snow by the end of this week, we are sending Washington Snapshot to you a day early. For those of you who are also prepping for cold weather—stay warm! News from the Hill Upcoming Ways & Means…

News from the Hill POTUS Delivers his Final State of the Union Address In his final State of the Union address, President Obama spoke of his hope and vision for the future of the nation. Rather than listing specific policy plans, President Obama emphasized themes that harken back to the early…

  Download the Presentation Slides As foundation leaders, we know that philanthropy is a pillar of American society. While we may assume this is widely understood, that is often not the case. In light of the upcoming 2016 election and the impending changes in government leadership, it is…

Executive & Regulatory News Treasury, IRS Withdraw Proposed Rule for Gift Substantiation Yesterday, the Treasury Department and the IRS announced it has withdrawn the proposed rule that would have created an alternative way for charitable organizations to acknowledge and substantiate gifts…

April 11 - 15, 2016 Philanthropy Week in Washington provides the opportunity to highlight the role and power of philanthropy in our country and across the globe. During Philanthropy Week in Washington, we shine a spotlight on American philanthropy’s critical role as a unique stakeholder in…

Members View the Recording     Since the passage of the PATH Act on December 18, 2015, the Council has received a number of good questions about year-end giving. In response, we updated our IRA Rollover toolkit to help you communicate the importance of this change to your donors and…

Today we celebrate a major victory for community foundations and your donors. The charitable “tax extenders” are no longer “extenders” that must be reinstated each year, but have become a permanent part of our tax code. In a historic vote, Congress passed the IRA Charitable Rollover into…

Today we celebrate a major victory for community foundations and your donors. The charitable “tax extenders” are no longer “extenders” that must be reinstated each year, but have become a permanent part of our tax code. In a historic vote, Congress passed the IRA Charitable Rollover into…

Washington Snapshot will be taking a break for the next few weeks during the holidays. Our offices will be closed from December 25th—January 1st, but we wish all of our readers a happy and peaceful holiday with family and friends! Snapshot will return on Friday, January 8th. News from the Hill One…

Just before noon on December 18, the Senate voted to pass the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act making the IRA Charitable Rollover permanent law. The bill, which passed the House on December 17, also makes permanent the enhanced deductions for conservation easement and food inventory…

Friends and Colleagues, Last December, I spoke of 2014 as a Year of Action, and it was! We began putting into place the programs, services, and staff we knew would provide value to our members. In 2015, we’ve begun to see these foundational investments pay off, and I hope you’ve begun to see how…

Moments ago the House of Representatives passed the PATH Act making the IRA Charitable Rollover and two other charitable giving incentives permanent law. Members of the House showed strong bipartisan support for these important measures with a vote of 318 - 109. “This is a major victory for…

A proposed rule by the IRS would allow charities to file an additional information return by February 28th each year that includes taxpayer identification information for donors who contribute $250 or more, and provide a copy of the return to these donors in lieu of a contemporaneous written…

News from the Hill Extender Negotiations Coming Down to the Wire Make Your Voice Heard! Despite efforts to pass a “tax extenders” package with a federal spending bill by today’s deadline, negotiations between Congressional Democrats and Republicans reached a stalemate—forcing the passage of…