Recently in this column I suggested that nonprofits, local philanthropists and others who support nonprofits contact our congressional leaders to ask them to protect the current charitable tax deduction level.
This deduction is under fire by the Obama administration, which seeks to lower the deduction from 34 percent to 28 percent, a move that if passed will cost nonprofits billions of dollars in donations.
The Charitable Giving Coalition has created a new website to try to dissuade Congress on this idea and educate them on its true costs.
The coalition was established in 2009 when the reduced tax deduction was first proposed by President Obama. Among its 58 well known member organizations are the Salvation Army, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the Council on Foundations, United Way Worldwide, Catholic Charities USA and the American Red Cross.
The new website, ProtectGiving.org, contains excellent tools and information to help you advocate for protecting the current deduction level. And make no mistake — your voice is definitely needed to help protect it.
The tools, on the site’s Take Action page, include talking points, a news release you can customize and share with media, a communication guide, a template to help you develop your own editorial and an elected official letter template.
I think many in Congress do understand that the philanthropic sector is a vital part in our economic recovery and its support of our citizens’ safety net of human services. But the tax deduction rate can still be a pawn up for grabs in the game currently being played with the proposed budget.
If you have wondered whether the public supports the tax deduction for nonprofits, this may help: A recent United Way opinion poll shared on the coalition’s website showed that 79 percent of responders believed reducing the charitable tax deduction would have a negative impact on charities and their clients.
However, in the same poll, 62 percent of responders said they would be forced to reduce their contributions by 25 percent or more if the deduction is lowered.
Many voices need to be heard by our congressional leaders to help ensure we don’t lose this important foundation for the nonprofit sector’s services to the U.S.
You can help affect the outcome. Share the ProtectGiving.org site via Twitter using the hashtag #protectgiving. Send people to ProtectGiving.org to read real stories of the impact of local charities. Share your own stories of community change as a result of your work.
Sarah Todd is founder of Change Pioneers, a resource on effective social change leadership. She can be reached at 912-224-2120 or toddsar@gmail.com.