“Nonprofit Stakeholders Engaging and Advancing Together” Act

School House Rock was fun to watch when cartoons were only on Saturday mornings but it did not depict the real carnage of the legislative process.  Like newborn baby turtles scooting desperately towards the ocean, most bills are picked off by birds and other predators before they get to the surf, and even amongst those who make it to the ocean, most are destined to be bait for other creatures.  But the Stakeholders Engaging and Advancing Together Act (SEAT) Act might just have a chance.  Its apparent that a lot of thought and work has gone into the proposal.  Here is how it was announced last week by sponsors: 

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) and Congresswoman Nancy Mace (SC-01) have introduced the Nonprofit SEAT Act (H.R. 3245) to strengthen the nonprofit sector and its relationship with the federal government. The legislation will improve access to data about the nonprofit sector, and leverage the mission, knowledge, and impact of thousands of nonprofits to work together more effectively in pursuit of shared goals.

The announcement is filled with endorsements from nonprofit stakeholders in Minnesota and South Carolina.  I read through the bill and after some cheer leading in the findings portion and provisions calling for communication and cooperation between nonprofits and government, the bill includes a few things that caught my closer attention:

1.  The Bill establishes a White House Office on Nonprofit Sector Partnership to identify policies to strengthen and develop civil society, identify and promote policies to sustain charitable giving and volunteerism, publish policy options and recommendations, eliminate barriers to civil society effectiveness, coordinate across federal agencies to support civil society.

2.  The Bill establishes a Nonprofit Advisor appointed by the President to director of the Office on Nonprofit Sector Partnership.  The Director will also serve as Co-Chair of a reincarnated Interagency Council on Nonprofit Sector Partnership, composed of representatives from each cabinet agency and representatives from others — National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Corporation for National and Community Service, among others.

3.  The Bill establishes an Advisory Board on the Nonprofit Sector, co-chaired by the Nonprofit Advisor and a designee from the nonprofit sector appointed by the President and Congress.  The Advisory Board would have 16 paid members appointed by the House, the Senate, and the President, and would be required to issue biennial reports “on matters involving policy affecting the nonprofit sector, volunteerism, service, and other related topics.”

I think this is my favorite part:

SEC. 7. VOLUNTEERISM AND CHARITABLE GIVING.

(a) TREASURY DEPARTMENT.—

The Secretary of the Department of the Treasury shall— (1) analyze and publicly release the impact of relevant statutes, regulations, and other actions on charitable giving specifically and the nonprofit sector  generally, including analysis disaggregated by demographic factors whenever possible; and (2) examine the reconstitution of the Advisory Committee on Tax Exempt and Government Entities.

Treasury should explore ways to make donating time and effort deductible. 

4.  The Bill establishes a Corporation for National and Community Service to study volunteerism, charitable giving, and civic engagement. And lest this all be just another unfunded mandate, the bill appropriates $50 million per year for from 2024 through 2028.  

darryll jones