As shelter in place orders keep expanding, with no real end in sight, every nonprofit in the country has needed to completely re-think their work, their staffing, and how to navigate this crisis.
Here are a few things you should know:
IRS Form 990 deadline extended: The deadline for filing your 2019 form is now July 15. You still have to file, but you have more time to pull it all together.
The stimulus bill includes nonprofits: This includes the Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loans, payroll tax deferral, and an employee retention credit. But…the process has been chaotic and problematic.
Resources for assistance with stimulus bill programs: Check the SBA website for detailed information at https://www.sba.gov as well as the SBDC (Small Business Development Center) in your area. Consider reaching out to community banks that have been more receptive. And do not hesitate to ask for help and assistance from district staff for your Member of Congress.
Resources for assistance with stimulus bill programs: Check the SBA website for detailed information at https://www.sba.gov as well as the SBDC (Small Business Development Center) in your area. Consider reaching out to community banks that have been more receptive. And do not hesitate to ask for help and assistance from district staff for your Member of Congress.
Charitable tax deductions: The stimulus bill expands the charitable deduction to all taxpayers for one year. It will allow non-itemizers to deduct up to $300 in cash giving for the 2020 tax year. For itemizers, the bill lifts the cap on annual giving from 60% to 100% of adjusted gross income.
Here are some things you should be doing:
Stay in touch: Check in with your members, donors, and clients via phone, Zoom, email, and mail to see how they are doing. Let them know both how much you value their support and how you are managing the crisis.
Connect virtually: Send weekly enewsletters with updates as well as virtual connections including on-line classes, videos of performances, and any funny messages/jokes you can find. Right now folks need every opportunity they can get for connection, music, song, art, and laughter.
Connect your work to the pandemic: Are you helping out with food drives, distributing masks, providing books or learning opportunities for kids and seniors? Let folks know, and invite them to help out in any way possible – making soup, sewing masks, calling isolated seniors.
Update your website: Make sure your website has current information about closures, ways to connect virtually, and ways to help out.
Give people the opportunity to give back: If you have cancelled events and programs, give folks the choice of donating the fees back to support your organization. And don't hesitate to gently ask folks for basic charitable donations; history tells us people continue to be generous during crises like these.
Participate in Giving Tuesday on May 5: You’ve probably already been doing this around Thanksgiving; there’s a new campaign aiming to support nonprofits right now.
Diversify your funding: If your income is heavily weighted towards grants, either from foundation or government grants, start working now to broaden your funding base. These nonprofit income streams are going to decrease substantially, just as they did 2008.
Encourage your members and clients to fill out their U.S. census forms: Data from the census determines how much government funding will come to your city, county, and state to support nonprofits, local governments, and schools (not to mention defining how many representatives you have in Congress). It’s easy and essential; do it now at https://2020census.gov.
None of this is easy - it's heartbreaking to cancel programs, close facilities, worry all the time about your nonprofit's future, and lose personal connections. It's going to a long haul - but we will get through it together with grace, a sense of humor, and hope for a better new world.
None of this is easy - it's heartbreaking to cancel programs, close facilities, worry all the time about your nonprofit's future, and lose personal connections. It's going to a long haul - but we will get through it together with grace, a sense of humor, and hope for a better new world.
