Giving Compass' Take:

• Dan Cardinali at Independent Sector writes how the nonprofit sector can collectively urge Congress to take action when it comes to expanding charitable giving incentives.

• How can funders help to reduce partisanship to increase charitable giving? What other issues in Congress are most affecting the way we give?

• Read the key findings from Giving USA 2019. 

As nonprofit leader, you already know that our tax code does not treat all charitable giving fairly. Some Americans receive a clear message from the federal government that their donations matter, but the vast majority do not.

Every donation and every donor are critically important to nonprofit organizations’ ability to fulfill their missions. It is time for Congress to recognize this fact by creating a fairer system that helps all Americans, regardless of income, give back to their communities.

Currently, we are seeing clear warning signs about the alarming results of unfair giving incentives in our tax code. For every year we have data available since 2002, the number of donors has declined. In addition, individual giving dropped last year by 3.4% in real dollars with a strong economy, compared to 3% growth in 2017.

Without immediate action, these trends not only threaten critical services, but also may fundamentally damage nonprofits, our work, and our communities. For example, charitable giving is a fundamental part of who we are as a nation. A continued decline in the number of people giving to charity could indicate that this common cultural thread that ties our communities together is unraveling. Extending charitable giving incentives to every taxpayer sends a powerful message, especially to younger generations, that charitable giving remains a key American value.

Read the full article about helping Americans give by Dan Cardinali at Independent Sector.