COVID-19 December Action Alert

Sample Tweets:

Communities are relying on #nonprofits more than ever as COVID cases increase across the country. Congress must pass urgent #Relief4Charities so we can continue to meet growing need! More info: https://bit.ly/3erPrjv

OR

#Nonprofits are facing tough challenges and working to meet increasing need as the COVID crisis continues. Congress MUST pass urgent #Relief4Charities so we can serve those relying on us through this crisis and then help communities recover. https://bit.ly/3erPrjv

OR

The COVID crisis has shown how CRITICAL #nonprofits are for communities across the country. We can’t wait – nonprofits need Congress to pass urgent #Relief4Charities NOW! More info: https://bit.ly/3erPrjv

 

Sample Email to Members of Congress:

North Carolina’s communities need nonprofit organizations more than ever before in this time of crisis. Charitable nonprofits are frontline responders providing food, shelter, medical care, and other critical services to those in need. However, nonprofits also need resources to continue to serve those who rely on us, and the current economic downturn has resulted in reduced contributions and other sources of revenue that help us support our communities’ needs.

With COVID-19 cases surging and many of the provisions in the CARES Act that helped nonprofits expiring at the end of the year, resources will be stretched thin just when communities need nonprofits most. As Congress considers additional COVID-19 relief, whether in a standalone bill or as part of the bill to fund the government, I urge you to provide federal support for the nonprofit organizations working in communities across the country to help the most vulnerable among us. It is imperative that Congress takes dramatic and immediate action to support nonprofit organizations, as our efforts are needed like never before.

More than 4,000 nonprofits from all 50 states signed a letter to congressional leadership highlighting several urgent priorities (https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/sites/default/files/documents/nonprofit-community-letter-7-13-2020.pdf). Please show your support of nonprofits by calling on leadership to include these priorities in the coronavirus response bill being negotiated right now. Nonprofits need Congress to:

  • Expand Charitable Nonprofit Access to Relief and Support. Nonprofits are struggling financially and are facing ever-growing challenges in continuing to provide essential services to our communities. Congress can help by:
    1. Expanding the eligibility for charitable nonprofits to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) by modifying the current 500-employee cap so that mid-size and larger nonprofits can participate, and modify the PPP so that charitable nonprofits can participate in a second round of funding.
    2. Expanding the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) and allow nonprofits to receive both PPP loans and the ERTC if they have retained their employees.
  • Strengthen Incentives for Charitable Giving. Donations are especially necessary today as nonprofits respond to the current health and economic crisis and will be critical in the future as nonprofits play an essential role in recovery efforts when the pandemic ends. Congress can help by:
    1. Encouraging donations to charitable organizations in their communities by significantly increasing the $300 cap in the above-the-line or universal charitable deduction in the CARES Act.
    2. Extending the giving incentives in the CARES Act through at least 2021.
  • Increase and Extend Federal Unemployment Insurance Reimbursement for Self-Insured Nonprofits. The CARES Act provides federal funds to cover 50% of the COVID-related unemployment costs of self-insured nonprofits through December 30, 2020. North Carolina is covering the other half these costs for nonprofits in our state, but nonprofits in many parts of the country are still bearing a huge financial burden from unemployment claims caused by unforeseeable layoffs and furloughs stemming from the pandemic. Congress can help address this issue by:
    1. Increasing to 100% the federal unemployment insurance reimbursement for self-insured nonprofits.
    2. Extending this reimbursement through 2021.

Congress can also help nonprofits by extending the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program – which provides unemployment benefits to self-employed individuals and laid-off or furloughed workers at small and religious nonprofits that are exempt from unemployment requirements – and restoring weekly supplemental unemployment benefits for most laid-off or furloughed workers.

  • Provide Additional Aid for State and Local Governments. This additional funding is critical to help state and local governments continue to provide essential services despite growing revenue shortfalls.
  • Include Nonprofits in Liability Protections. Any provisions limiting businesses’ liability for reasonable actions during the pandemic also must apply to nonprofits and their board members and volunteers.