Media Cause’s Post

Ahead of tax reform next year, nonprofits should consider how they can lend their expertise to tax policy conversations. Tax writers are looking for input and some policies that immediately come to mind that nonprofits might be able to influence include child care, education, and housing.

Leading a nonprofit in this uncertain moment? Check out this election scenario planning toolkit developed by The Bridgespan Group. An impressive set of resources and reflection questions to prepare for the unknown (it’s never too late) or known at some point post Election Day (and all the legal challenges). https://lnkd.in/epMs7gSV

There's a semi-surprising thing anyone can do to help Harris/Walz win this November *and* actually get things done while in office. It's volunteering and donating to support your local candidates. As Amanda Litman said at our Moving the Needle meetup this week, this is especially true if you're don't live in a battleground state. "There's so much you can do in New York, California, Florida, Texas, Missouri, and Illinois—to help win power at every level, ensure Kamala Harris is a successful president, and to hold that power in a sustainable way." Amanda's the co-founder and executive director of Run for Something, which has helped 160,000 young people run for office for the first or second time. They have 500(!) candidates running this November. She's building a pipeline of progressive leadership. And she knows that winning the White House is not enough—we'll need Democrats in charge of Congress, state legislatures, and in local office to get what Harris and Walz are promising done. The thing is: knocking doors for Democrats running for city council, the school board, and for mayor will help turn out votes for other Democrats, all the way up to the top of the ticket. When Tim Walz urged Americans to "leave it on the field," this is the work that he meant. It's how we get the right people in office and the right policies enacted. ~ Moving the Needle is the only community dedicated to helping women executives take action on social and environmental issues. We are bringing together the organizations, experts, and resources that will help women leaders plug into the 2024 election in the most impactful ways. Join us: https://lnkd.in/g8Syi-2X

A new presidential administration and U.S. Congress likely will mean funding, tax and other significant changes that can affect nonprofits. We look at several issues that require planning. Check out the article below to learn more. https://lnkd.in/eXgh-Kw6

Check out this recent article about the FTC's new - and highly controversial - new rule banning noncompete agreements. My manager partner, Denise Gunter, has a great quote about the FTC: “I think the FTC likes to keep people on their toes, and so it wouldn’t shock me if they were potentially looking at opportunities to test the new rule by declaring that a nonprofit hospital or health system engaged in unfair competition in violation of the rule…Part of what they do is advocacy and policymaking. And so, part of their mission, if you will, is to test things.” Not surprisingly this new rule is already being challenged in courts. Will be interesting to see how it shakes out in the courts. SCOTUS will likely eventually have to weigh in.

Here again, today, with this because... necessary. H.R. 9495 raises significant concerns, but we must approach this issue with clarity and care. While the nonprofit structure is far from perfect, often requiring constant navigation of systemic barriers, it remains a vital framework for many who serve oppressed populations. The flaws of this system are real, but H.R. 9495 does not address them; instead, it threatens to undermine the work of those who are already stretched thin, doing the hard and necessary labor of care and advocacy. This bill, with its broad language and vague definitions, creates opportunities for overreach, putting nonprofits at risk of losing their tax-exempt status with little recourse. Organizations working in controversial or marginalized spaces, particularly those advocating for justice or human rights, would be especially vulnerable. But the solution to these structural challenges cannot be fear or control; it must be rooted in transparency, fairness, and accountability that protects the work nonprofits do while addressing systemic inequities. Most nonprofit leaders are extraordinary people committed to transformative change, often filling the gaps left by failing systems. They deserve support, not policies that create new barriers or foster distrust. Let’s reject measures like H.R. 9495, not with fiery rhetoric but with a firm commitment to collaboration and better solutions. By advocating for policies that protect nonprofits while addressing systemic flaws, we can ensure this essential work continues to thrive. Please participate in shutting this down. For templates and instructions on contacting your rep. https://lnkd.in/gB5StqvS

Have you checked out the Independent Sector & United For ALICE report on Financial Insecurity in the Nonprofit workforce? Their report found that 22% of nonprofit employees experienced financial hardship in 2022. Learn more and download: https://heyor.ca/1Nvh0f

Nelson Mullins healthcare partner Denise Gunter offered her take on The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) new rule that bans the use of worker noncompete agreements in healthcare in a Bloomberg Law article published on May 1. She was quoted, in part: “I think the FTC likes to keep people on their toes, and so it wouldn’t shock me if they were potentially looking at opportunities to test the new rule by declaring that a nonprofit hospital or health system engaged in unfair competition in violation of the rule…Part of what they do is advocacy and policymaking. And so, part of their mission, if you will, is to test things.” The new rule almost completely bans noncompete provisions, which will affect nearly half of the nation’s nonprofit, tax-exempt hospitals. The FTC rule states the agency will check the income of nonprofits, putting organizations' tax-exempt status under scrutiny. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3QyEUJ8

This stuff gets a little wonky but the bright light is clear: we are starting to see the kind of modernization of the social safety net that we need. Nonprofits need government at all levels to get into the 21st Century and make it way easier for people to get the services they need. This helps. https://lnkd.in/gM-fFQ3v

Does the result of the upcoming US election have implications for your nonprofit? What decisions need to be made? Don't wait for the ballots to be counted, use scenario planning to take a structured approach to navigating the uncertainty right now.