Take Advantage of Summer Recess and Connect with Lawmakers

Lawmakers return home this summer as the debate about our country’s fiscal future heats up and the stakes rise approaching the November elections.

Without Congressional action of some kind, income taxes will increase for every American, the current employee payroll tax rate reduction and extended unemployment benefits will expire, and more than 27 million middle class households will be subject to higher taxes under the Alternative Minimum Tax. 

The choices that Congress makes could have profound implications for our organizations and the people we serve. 
Now is the time to connect face-to-face with your elected officials or their key staff and tell them the impact of these decisions.

Key Messages

When speaking with your representatives, highlight these four messages:

1. Protect the charitable deduction and reject proposals that limit (or eliminate) the deduction to pay for other legislative proposals
2. Extend and make permanent the IRA charitable rollover and other charitable giving provisions
3. Any legislation to spur employment should include nonprofits because the nonprofit sector is a major employer and contributes to a strong economy
4. Reduce the federal deficit without increasing poverty or income inequality

See below for more information on these key messages, including materials for download.

How to Connect With Members of Congress

Congressional members are particularly eager to meet with constituents during the election season, so use the summer recess time to:

• Get on your representative’s calendar and set-up a meeting in the district office. Click to find the district office information for the House or the Senate.
• Invite your representative to visit your agency, participate in one of your programs, fundraisers or board meetings.

These visits enhance your representative’s understanding of the nonprofit and philanthropic sector, and provide exposure for your elected official and your work serving the community.

Using the Election Season

During the election season you can also:

• Host candidate forums
• Invite candidates to your agency or programs
• Ask questions related to nonprofit concerns at town hall meetings

Remember, by law, you have to invite all the candidates running for the same office and you must treat candidates as guests – no campaign materials allowed. Also watch for opportunities to participate in town hall meetings, election debates, or community forums.  Bring a group of supporters with you and be ready to ask a question that gets them to commit publicly on one of your issues. Click here for more election do’s and don’ts.

Message Background and Materials

Highlight these four messages when speaking with your representatives:

• Use this one-page leave-behind
• Refer to this FAQ to answer tough questions about the charitable deduction

• Use this one-page leave-behind
• Download Independent Sector’s written statement urging immediate reinstatement

• Use these state and national profiles to highlight the economic impact and breadth of the work of the nonprofit and philanthropic community.

• Sign the petition
• Download IS Principles on Deficit Reduction and Tax Reform

1. Protect the charitable deduction and reject proposals that limit (or eliminate) the deduction to pay for other legislative proposals
   Nonprofits draw on America’s charitable spirit to support programs vital to our communities and the people we serve. The charitable deduction is more important than ever as government looks increasingly towards the nonprofit sector to meet increased demand for services that result from the economic downturn and government cuts in programs. Urge lawmakers to protect this incentive and reject proposals that limit (or eliminate) the deduction to pay for other legislative proposals.
    
2. Extend and make permanent the IRA charitable rollover and other charitable giving extenders
   The IRA charitable rollover is an important giving incentive that allows people over the age of 70 ½ to donate up to $100,000 to charity from their Individual Retirement Accounts. The IRA charitable rollover expired at the beginning of 2012, along with other enhanced charitable deductions for food and book inventory, computer equipment and land conservation.Tell your lawmakers that these incentives need to be reinstated and made permanent. Nonprofits are struggling to meet increasing demand for services in the face of diminishing revenues, and we need these incentives for giving to spur support for our programs and services. Include specific stories of how your organization relies on these incentives.
    
3. Any legislation to spur employment should include nonprofits because the nonprofit sector is a major employer and contributes to a strong economy
   Employment is the number one issue of concern for Americans and lawmakers alike. When speaking with lawmakers, be sure to tell them how many people your organization employs, and highlight the fact that your organization is part of a larger nonprofit sector that employs 1 out of every 10 Americans.
    
4. Reduce the federal deficit without increasing poverty or income inequality
   Urge your lawmakers to protect programs for low-income Americans in deficit reduction efforts.

Spread the Word

Share your voice!  Let your stakeholders know when you are meeting with lawmakers by adding the hashtag #npvoice to your tweets.

Use your lawmakers’ Twitter handle to Tweet your appreciation and thank your representatives on their Facebook page to extend the conversation after the meeting.

This article was originally published by Independent Sector. It is reprinted here with permission.