By The Charitable Giving Coalition
Like most people, you’ve likely made New Year’s resolutions and promises to do more to improve your life and the lives of others. Over thousands of years it has become a global tradition.
In an important election year, we’ll likely see more than our fair share of promises from candidates running for office. Unfortunately, we know that promises and resolutions too often get broken.
How can we make this year different? We can live up to our commitment to improving the lives of others by protecting the charitable tax deduction, a highly valued, century-old American tradition.
As federal lawmakers work to reform America’s tax code and address our fiscal challenges, America’s charitable sector faces an urgent threat. Congress is considering limits on the charitable tax deduction, which represents a lifeline to our communities and the most vulnerable among us.
Such limits would devastate the charities on which millions rely on for jobs, support and services. In recent years, we’ve come to truly realize how vital philanthropy is to the American way of life. Charities depend significantly – and in many cases entirely – on private donations, particularly as government funding evaporates and the demand for social services increases.
Harmful changes to the charitable tax deduction would set off a cascade of consequences undermining our economy, hitting hardest those who need the most help, shifting more of the responsibility to government to provide vital services and putting at risk billions of dollars in private donations (as much as $9.4 billion in the first year, according to one study) that support diverse, worthy causes.
This year, why not make a New Years Resolution you can keep? Join the Charitable Giving Coalition in the effort to protect the charitable deduction by taking these simple actions:
- Sign and share our petition to the White House and Congress.
- Contact your senators and representatives and urge them to work to preserve the charitable deduction.
- Contribute to our YouTube channel to show how charitable giving impacts you.
- Write an op-ed to your local newspaper to raise awareness in your community about the value of charitable giving and the charitable deduction.
- Invite your lawmakers to attend a local event demonstrating the role and impact of charitable giving can make all the difference. The Charitable Giving Coalition’s website provides a local engagement and advocacy toolkit with advice on planning a successful event.
- Spread the word on social media using the #ProtectGiving hashtag.