Contact Your Members of Congress
We Urge Our Members of Congress to Protect Nonprofits and Safety Net Programs
As the director of policy & advocacy for The Women’s Foundation of Colorado, I sent a letter urging our Members of Congress today. I hope you’ll do the same asking them to protect the nonprofit sector and our country’s safety net programs in the tax reconciliation package they will vote on this week.
The package seeks to make the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent. Enacted in 2017, it disproportionately benefits high-income earners and corporations. To pay for the tax rate reductions, the bill will slash critical services that many Coloradans depend on to meet their basic needs, including Medicaid, WIC, and SNAP. Nationwide, at least 13.7 million people could see their health coverage taken away under the budget plan. Additionally, 42 million people who participate in SNAP could lose the ability to pay for groceries, including seniors, veterans, children, and working families.
Adding salt to this wound, the package proposes increasing taxes on private foundations. The massive federal cuts mean government will become smaller and nonprofits will be relied upon to meet community needs; yet, the increased taxes on foundations mean there will be less money to fund their life-saving work.
Our communities deserve better. We encourage you to cut and paste any part or all of the template below and contact your Members of Congress today. If you’re doubting whether your advocacy matters, consider this: House Republicans have removed (for now) a provision from the tax bill that would have granted unprecedented authority to the Executive Branch to revoke nonprofit status from organizations without due process!
A Letter Template to Members of Congress
[Your Organization’s/Individual Return Address]
[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Organization Name]
[Street Address]
[City, State ZIP Code]
[Email Address]
[Phone Number]
[Date]
The Honorable [First Name Last Name]
[U.S. House of Representatives / United States Senate]
[Address Line 1]
[Address Line 2]
Washington, DC [20515 for House / 20510 for Senate]
Protect the Nonprofit Sector in Tax Reconciliation/House Ways & Means Committee Tax Package
As a member of Colorado’s philanthropic community, I am writing to express concern about several proposed changes in the tax reconciliation package and urge support of key safety programs and tax credits. Nonprofits are the backbone of our communities, serving as trusted partners in delivering essential services. From feeding the hungry and supporting veterans to educating our youth and caring for the aging, nonprofits work every day to serve people across America and meet real community needs. They embody the spirit of neighbor-helping-neighbor, stepping in to fill the gaps where local and state governments cannot fully meet the needs of the community. I appreciate your consideration of the below and am happy to answer any questions.
- OPPOSE any increased taxes on foundations and other nonprofits – Charitable nonprofit organizations are exempted from paying certain federal taxes so that they can dedicate even more of their resources to serving their communities. As the tax reconciliation bill advances in Congress, policymakers should reject a proposal included in the House version to increase taxes on foundations and other nonprofits as a pay-for for the tax package. If enacted, it would divert scarce resources away from essential services, undermine the ability of charitable nonprofit organizations to meet needs in their communities, and put greater strain on government.
- Preserve and strengthen charitable tax incentives – Charitable deductions incentivize giving and are vital for nonprofits to sustain their missions. As the tax reconciliation bill advances in Congress, policymakers should ensure a proposal included in the House version to create a non-itemizer deduction remains in the bill and expand it to further incentivize charitable giving. As currently written, the tax bill would provide up to $150 for individuals and $300 for married couples who make charitable donations, regardless of whether the tax filers claim an itemized deduction. Fully expanding the deduction, as proposed in the Charitable Act (S.317, H.R.801) from Senators Lankford (R-OK) and Coons (D-DE) and Representatives Moore (RUT) and Pappas (D-NH), would help nonprofit organization access the resources needed to address community needs.
- OPPOSE cuts to Medicaid and SNAP – Hardworking women and their families in Colorado depend on Medicaid and SNAP. It is estimated that 128,000 Coloradans would lose their Medicaid coverage under the current proposal. 1 in 10 Coloradans rely on SNAP and more than 60% are families with children.
- OPPOSE changes to the Child Tax Credit – The Child Tax Credit directly helps women and their families. The current tax package proposes making changes to the credit that could impact low-income filers. Please keep the credit intact and consider expanding it.
We urge you to consider the broader implications of this tax proposal on our state’s philanthropic and nonprofit sectors and Colorado’s women and their families. Philanthropy is strongest when we work together — and right now, our communities need every tool available to weather growing challenges and invest in a more resilient future.
Thank you for your leadership and attention to this issue.
Sincerely,
Alison Friedman Phillips
Director, Policy & Advocacy
The Women’s Foundation of Colorado
