Foundation Leaders Inform Lawmakers about Effects of Tax Policy on Philanthropy
This week, over two hundred foundation leaders from across the country are meeting in Washington, D.C. for the 2nd Annual Philanthropy Week in Washington. Foundation leaders met with Congressional delegations through Foundations on the Hill, representatives from Federal agencies, and White House officials to highlight the vital impact of philanthropy for communities they serve in districts and states across America.
“Philanthropy has a distinguished history of addressing some of the world’s toughest challenges. Tax policy decisions made in Washington, however, can either enhance or constrain the ability of our organizations to address the problems of today and tomorrow,” said Janice R. Black, President and CEO, The Foundation for Enhancing Communities. “We encourage Congress to pursue policy changes that let philanthropy continue to create jobs, spur innovation, and support the vulnerable in our community.”
Foundations are also here in D.C. to talk to policymakers about how specific tax code provisions impact their work. The charitable deduction is a lifeline for charitable organizations and communities they serve, and foundations urge Congress to preserve its full value. Foundations also ask lawmakers to make the IRA charitable rollover permanent law to give certainty to generous Americans and charitable organizations. They are also educating policymakers about the value of Donor Advised Funds to the communities they serve.
The Foundation for Enhancing Communities is working with foundations and other charitable organizations throughout the country to make sure all lawmakers clearly understand how philanthropy is taking a leadership role in providing a path of opportunity for their constituents across the country.
Right here in South Central PA, The Foundation for Enhancing Communities is working tirelessly to improve access to quality pre-school and kindergarten education through its Parents & Partners collaborative initiative. Parents & Partners provides support for the whole family, broadens community resources by giving children and their families the tools they need to be successful, and builds strong partnerships between their community, early learning providers, and the schools. In year one of the program, Parents & Partners is working exclusively with two local elementary schools in the Harrisburg community, Downey Elementary School and Foose Elementary School. The work done to increase school readiness, literacy, and family engagement will have an immediate and positive impact the lives of our children and families now and into the future. Parents & Partners is made possible in-part by a grant from the Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (or OCDEL) Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Grant, Greater Harrisburg Foundation (a regional foundation of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities), Harrisburg Public Schools Foundation, PNC Foundation, The Hershey Company, United Way of the Capital Region, and private donors.
For more information on The Foundation for Enhancing Communities, Parents & Partners, or the other initiatives being accomplished to strengthen its communities, please call 717.236.5040 or email info@tfec.org.
