In the summer of 2020, the League of American Orchestras issued a Statement on Racial Discrimination expressing how it is coming to grips with the history and impact of racism within the League and the wider community of orchestras, and committing to sustained action.
Negotiations over the contents of the next COVID-19 federal relief package are accelerating, and the League of American Orchestras is providing the latest news and resources as you join partners from the broader arts and nonprofit sectors in urging Congress to provide critically-needed federal support.
Details of the Senate leadership’s priorities for the next COVID-19 relief package are expected to be released throughout the next several days, setting the stage for negotiations with House leadership throughout next week.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.