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 Policy Update, June 6, 2014
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Thank you for your interest and support. The Indiana Association of United Ways provides its Policy Update on "odd Fridays" (1st, 3rd and 5th Fridays). Contact us if you have any questions or comments about content (past, present or desired for the future).
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 C ounties eligible for Pre-K pilot may submit a "statement of readiness"
Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) announced eighteen counties eligible to be selected as one of the five counties for the pre-K pilot, as allowed under new law (HEA1004).
Counties include Allen, Bartholomew, Delaware, Elkhart, Grant, Howard, Jackson, Kosciusko, Lake, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Noble, St. Joseph, Tippecanoe, Vanderburgh, Vigo and Wayne. The counties have an estimated 17,000 eligible 4-yr-olds who are currently not receiving early learning services.
Reviewers will evaluate each county on objective measures and its submitted "statement of county readiness":
- executive summary;
- community engagement (partners and local private funding supporting early learning services)
- family engagement services and alignment with early education;
- provider capacity (capacity of eligible providers that are at Level 3 or 4 on Paths To Quality);
- financial match (efforts to raise required match and plan for sustainability beyond pilot); and
- county readiness and implementation by January 1, or July 1, 2015.
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HIP 2.0 presentations around the state
 The Governor's staff and other administrators are holding meetings around the state to provide an overview about the proposal for HIP 2.0.
- Avon - June 9, 11:00 am ET at Hendricks Regional Health YMCA, 301 Satori Pkwy
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Ft. Wayne - June 9, 1:00 pm ET at Ivy Tech Community College Northeast, Student Life Center, Room 121, 3701 Dean Drive
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Jasper - June 16, Noon ET at Memorial Lodge, 2590 S. Newton Street
- Indianapolis - June 16, 9:30 am ET in Indianapolis at Community East Hospital, in the hospital cafeteria. 1500 North Ritter Avenue, 46219. Park either in the hospital parking lot or parking garage.
Comments to IN FSSA are due June 21. Learn more about the public comment period.
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Nominate a volunteer today!
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Father Steve Schaftlein, Kathy O'Day, Carolyn King and Paula Lomax of March2Recovery display their award from the 2013 awards ceremony at the Statehouse.
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Serve Indiana, formerly Indiana Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, is accepting nominations for exemplary volunteer service. Nominations are being accepted for individuals and organizations that meet certain criteria in the following categories:
- Corporate Service
- Exemplary Service Learning
- Faith-based Volunteer
- Lifetime Achievement
- National Service
- Volunteer Program
- Volunteerism
- Youth Volunteer
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Noncash Donations up 11% in 2011
Charitable contributions are rebounding after the big dip of the recession. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reports that the value of noncash charitable contributions rose by 11% over the previous year among itemizing taxpayers. Noncash contributions include items such as corporate stock and real estate as well as clothing, household items and vehicles. Donations of corporate stock remained the largest share of noncash contributions at 41% of total claimed. Only 112,000 taxpayers claimed the deduction for donation of corporate stock (average contribution of $142,000), but millions of Americans claimed the deduction for donation of clothing and household items (average contribution of $1,500). (Note that this report focuses on those taxpayers contributing over $500 in noncash contributions, as reflected on IRS Form 8283. Many more Americans claim deductions for clothing and household contributions under $500.) Read the full IRS report.
The chart below illustrates the makeup of noncash contributions by donation type for tax years 2005-2011.
Why should you pay attention to this? First, giving trends are important for nonprofits to understand, especially as they struggle to keep up with demands. While the economy is slowly recovering--as evidenced by lower unemployment rates, many of the new jobs are not paying wages that allow many households to contribute to charities in ways they may have prior to the recession. Second, Congress is considering a comprehensive tax reform package in the next year that may impact the country's 2 million nonprofits. Possible changes under consideration include:
- creating a "floor" for charitable contributions, where taxpayers would donate at a threshold amount in order to qualify for a charitable deduction (most affecting low-wealth donors);
- creating a "ceiling" for contributions, where high-wealth donors would be "capped" at the amount of charitable deduction they would be allowed to take;
- changing the types and amounts of types of noncash contributions allowable for inclusion in the charitable deduction (i.e. several researchers recommended changes to vehicle donation programs); and
- other specific provisions (charitable rollover for IRAs, food donation valuations, etc.).
Indiana Association of United Ways monitors tax issues as it relates to trends and overall health of the charitable sector. We advocate with members of Congress and other policymakers about the importance of the charitable deduction and certain tax provisions. See one-pager on tax reform we shared with members of Congress during visits in May.
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House Tax Committee Approves Charitable Giving Provisions
The House Ways and Means Committee approved five bills of interest to the nonprofit and foundation communities on May 29. Each of the bills received bi-partisan support in the debate, but all were approved by party-line votes due to a dispute over whether to pay for the tax provisions. Republicans voted yes to permanently extend the measures but without providing for offsetting revenue raisers to pay for the changes; Democrats voiced support for the policies but voted no on the bills because they did not include offsets. The bills are listed below:
- Make permanent the enhanced deduction for property donated for conservation easements (HR 2807).
- Permanently extend the IRA charitable rollover (HR 4619).
- Make permanent the enhanced charitable deductions for food inventory (HR 4719).
- Allow individuals to claim a charitable deduction for contributions made up to the date their income tax return is due (usually April 15) (HR 3134).
- Eliminate the upper tier excise tax and reduce the excise tax on investment income of private foundations from two to one percent (HR 4691).
Thanks to National Council on Nonprofits for the summary.
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IaUW Public Policy
IaUW is a nonpartisan organization that works to advance policy principles and compromise solutions for the common good. We focus on programs and policies that help:
- children prepare for and succeed in school;
- individuals achieve and sustain financial stability;
- individuals access quality healthcare; and
- communities thrive, including a strong 2-1-1 network and charitable sector.
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Frequently Requested Links / Documents
iauw.org - Learn about the Indiana Association of United Ways, current trainings and conferences and the ways we support local United Ways/Funds, partners and communities.
IaUW Policy / Advocacy info - Review and download IaUW Policy Priorities, Third House calendar, bill lists, fact sheets, talking points and testimony.
Advocacy Action Center - Contact your member of Congress or State Legislator, provided through our partnership with United Way Worldwide.
IaUW Policy Update Archive - Read prior issues, special articles and key documents produced by IaUW related to public policy and advocacy.
NEW - Community Report Card - Check out key indicators in Education, Income and Health for your neighborhood, county or region. IN211.org - S earch for human service information available through the referral database or by calling 2-1-1. Download reports about resources, needs, gaps and trends from Indiana 211 Partnership.
NRN Calendar - Register for high-quality and affordable training for nonprofit staff and volunteers by the Indiana Nonprofit Resource Network.
Indiana General Assembly
- Check the hearing or floor schedule, watch a live or recorded hearing or floor session and look up your legislators.
Library of Congress
- Look up bills introduced in Congress. Note that the THOMAS site will be maintained through 2014 and fully replaced by Congress.gov.
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Copyright © 2013. All Rights Reserved.
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