Speak Up this Week as Congress Sets Priorities for COVID-19 Relief
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the U.S. Congress is entering into negotiations over the content of the next urgently-needed major relief package.
Speak up in July as Congress takes action on COVID-19 relief!
Throughout July, House and Senate negotiators will shape a new approach to the expiring Paycheck Protection Program and pandemic unemployment benefits, and will consider enhanced charitable giving incentives, dedicated stimulus funding, and other policies to support workers, employers, and communities.
NEA CARES Act Grants Announced
Today the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced federal grants of $50,000 each to support personnel and facilities costs for 64 orchestras nationwide in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Congress designated $75 million of funding for the NEA to administer within the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020.
New Action on Charitable Giving Incentives, COVID-19 Relief, and Visa Policies
Policy Activity Ramping Up in the Weeks Ahead; Ask Your Senator to Cosponsor Universal Charitable Deduction Bill; League Calls for Improvements to Nonprofit Main Street Lending Program; The Latest Paycheck Protection Program Updates and League Webinar; Trump Administration Extends and Expands Certain Immigration Restrictions through 2020; Policy Updates for Nonprofits Self-Insuring for Unemployment Benefits
Ask Your Senator to Cosponsor Universal Charitable Deduction Bill
Some good news, as the League and orchestras join the broader nonprofit sector in seeking increased incentives for the charitable giving that supports communities nationwide: Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mike Lee (R-UT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tim Scott (R-SC), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) have introduced the bipartisan Universal Giving Pandemic Response Act (S. 4032) (PDF) to expand the current above-the-line deduction for charitable giving made available by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March.
Policy Updates for Nonprofits Self-Insuring for Unemployment Benefits
Last week, the Protecting Nonprofits from Catastrophic Cash Flow Strain Act was introduced by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tim Scott (R-SC) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) to help relieve burdens on orchestras and other nonprofits that self-insure for unemployment benefits.
The Latest Paycheck Protection Program Updates and League Webinar
he League is presenting a webinar on Monday, June 29 at 1:00pm Eastern, providing the very latest information on the loan forgiveness process for the Paycheck Protection Program, which has been a key form of relief for orchestras and musicians amidst the COVID-19 crisis.
League Calls for Improvements to Nonprofit Main Street Lending Program
This week, the League submitted comments (PDF) to the Federal Reserve, in coordination with the broader nonprofit sector, to suggest several revisions to the Main Street Lending Nonprofit Organization Expanded Loan Facility and the Nonprofit Organization New Loan Facility, which was proposed on Monday, June 15.
Trump Administration Extends and Expands Certain Immigration Restrictions through 2020
This week the President announced an extension through December of his executive order from late April that had, at that time, suspended new immigration for 60 days. Effective immediately, individuals outside the United States who do not currently have an immigrant visa or official travel document other than a visa will be barred entry into the U.S. through December 31, 2020 “and may be continued as necessary” along with the possibility of “any modifications as may be necessary.”
A Message from the League President and CEO, July 20, 2020
From listening to many of you in recent weeks, I know that this time we are living through is one that makes extraordinary demands on your organizations and poses leadership challenges never before faced. Musicians and staff are experiencing painful layoffs and salary cuts, and there is simply no way to sugarcoat this. – Jesse Rosen