WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, the Charitable Giving Coalition celebrates Giving Tuesday and sends a letter with over 1,000 signatories to Capitol Hill in support of the Charitable Act. Charitable Giving Coalition Chair Brian Flahaven issued the following statement:
Today, we join the entire charitable sector in celebrating Giving Tuesday and the giving season, a period during which philanthropic organizations of all sizes and in all communities receive a substantial portion of the resources they need to carry out their missions.
As the most charitable nation in the world, generous Americans give billions of dollars to support the charitable sector every year. However, in 2022, the sector confronted the largest year-over-year decline in charitable giving in over 50 years. Coupled with the longstanding trend of fewer Americans donating to charity, these challenges underscore the need for action to bolster philanthropy, especially as demand for nonprofit services remains high.
To help address these trends, the Charitable Giving Coalition sent a letter today to congressional leaders calling for the passage of the bipartisan Charitable Act, which would restore and expand the non-itemizer charitable deduction. The letter is signed by over 1,000 organizations from all 50 states, representing a wide range of the sector – from food banks to faith-based organizations – joining together to call for restoring the deduction that provided all taxpayers an incentive to give in 2020 and 2021 .
While there are many reasons Americans give to charity, tax incentives encourage them to give more. As we enter the season of giving, we ask lawmakers to keep in mind the critical work of nonprofit organizations in their districts and around the country. Passing the Charitable Act in year-end legislation will help charities secure the resources they need to continue meeting the needs of their communities.