The year 2021 has a lot riding on it. Maybe that amount of pressure isn’t fair, but such is life when you are following up a clunker like 2020. Across the country, Americans are pinning their hopes for the year on good health, improved finances, a functioning democracy, and maybe even a summer vacation?

From a public policy perspective, the needs of nonprofits and the people they serve are no less significant. Last year, our sector faced profound disruptions in service delivery combined with lost revenue, all amidst surging need in the community. With continued job losses and the pandemic still raging, nonprofits are counting on 2021 to be a year of 4 “Rs.”

  1. Relief  In terms of policy victories, 2020 was a banner year for nonprofits. Congress structured key tax credits for employers as payroll tax credits, which allowed tax-exempt organizations to benefit. Policymakers also created an above-the-line charitable deduction for the first time in decades, and included nonprofit eligibility when designing the year’s most notable employer assistance effort — the Paycheck Protection Program.
  2. Recovery Weathering this crisis will be a daunting task for many nonprofits and for civil society as a whole, but it will not be enough. The Biden campaign and administration have spoken often about the need to “Build Back Better” in a way that reshapes for the better our society, our infrastructure, and our economy. As policymakers pivot to that body of work, Independent Sector and the Nonprofit Infrastructure Investment Advocacy Group will advocate forcefully that infrastructure is more than just roads and bridges. It includes the organizations that form our civic and community infrastructure as well.
  3. Representation Nonprofit policy advocates spent a lot of their time in 2020 becoming intimately familiar with the Small Business Administration because it was the agency tasked with implementing the Paycheck Protection Program.
  4. Regulation  In addition to making progress through legislation, any incoming presidential administration also looks to advance its agenda through regulatory and executive action.

 Read the full article about nonprofit policy success by Ben Kershaw at Independent Sector.