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You are the best messenger to tell your peers and others in your network that we need Congress to make a fairer tax code that helps every American give to charity.
This toolkit includes emails and social media resources to tell other advocates about the need to contact Congress today to ensure every donation counts.
Important Note: The messages that resonate best with nonprofit and local advocates may not be the messages that are the most persuasive to members of Congress. Please see the policymaker toolkit for messages specifically tailored to a policymaker audience.
The following toolkit includes the following items to share with your network:
- Talking points on charitable giving
- Sample email
- Sample social media posts
- Graphics
Talking Points on Charitable Giving
Use these talking points about the importance of charitable giving to educate your network.
- Charitable giving should be for everyone. Currently, the 10% of taxpayers who itemize receive a tangible reminder through the charitable deduction that their gifts count. It is time for Congress to send the same message to the other 90% of Americans.
- Expanding giving incentives to all taxpayers creates a fairer system that helps all Americans, regardless of income, give back to their communities. In particular, the policy change will make it less expensive for low- and middle-income households to donate.
- Making it easier for low- and middle-income people to give is needed to reverse an alarming trend. For every year we have data available since 2002, the number of donors has steadily declined, particularly among small- and mid-sized donors.
- Without legislative action, this trend will not only threaten critical services, but it will eventually change the face of our communities.
- Luckily, this policy is supported by 74% of voters across the political spectrum.
- Also, new research shows that extending charitable giving incentives to every American could generate up to 10.6 million new donors and almost $40 billion in new gifts by 2021.
- Make the tax code fair, so it sends the message to all donors that their donations count. Please visit independen1stg.wpengine.com/everydonationcounts to learn more.
Sample email to your network
Use this sample email to ask your network to take action.
Dear [First name/Colleague],
As a nonprofit leader, you already know that our tax code does not treat all charitable giving fairly. Some Americans receive a clear message from the federal government that their donations matter, but the vast majority do not.
For every year we have available data since 2002, the number of Americans giving to charity has declined. Without immediate action, these trends not only threaten critical services, and may also fundamentally damage nonprofits, our work, and our communities.
Every donation and every donor are critically important to our organizations’ ability to advance their missions. It is time for Congress to recognize this fact by creating a fairer system that helps all Americans, regardless of income, give back to their communities. Recent research shows that such policies could reverse the long-term decline in the number of Americans giving to charity and inject billions of charitable dollars per year into our sector.
Here is how you can help today:
- Tell Congress today to make the tax code fairer to help every American give to charity. Take action now.
- Help spread this message by using the tools on Independent Sector’s #EveryDonationCounts resource page.
Sincerely,
Sample Social Media Posts
Use these social media posts to ask your network to take action.
Facebook/LinkedIn
The world needs more givers. Congress needs to make the tax code fair and help every American give to charity. Contact your members of Congress today and tell them that #EveryDonationCounts. https://bit.ly/2Zvk2FM
Charitable giving should be for everyone, regardless of income. Congress needs to help every American give to charity. Contact your members of Congress today and tell them that #EveryDonationCounts. https://bit.ly/2Zvk2FM
In our own research, we found that messages centering on “fairness” were the most effective, but feel free to use the message below that best fit your audience and needs.
Sample tweets with a focus on fairness
The world needs more givers. Congress needs to make the tax code fair and help every American give to charity. #EveryDonationCounts https://bit.ly/2Zvk2FM
Charitable giving should be for everyone, regardless of income. Congress needs to help every American give to charity. #EveryDonationCounts https://bit.ly/2Zvk2FM
Sample tweets with a focus on charities helping more people
The world needs more givers. Congress needs to fix the tax code to help everyone give, so charities can do more good. #EveryDonationCounts https://bit.ly/2Zvk2FM
We’re all in this together – that’s why Americans donate to charity. Let’s protect and encourage giving and fix the tax code. #EveryDonationCounts https://bit.ly/2Zvk2FM
The charitable sector relies on members of the community to guide and support its work. Congress needs to make the tax code fair so that charities can continue to reflect the communities they serve. #EveryDonationCounts https://bit.ly/2Zvk2FM
Sample tweets with a focus on American values
Charitable giving is an American value. Congress can send a powerful message to future generations by fixing the tax code so that every American can give to charity. #EveryDonationCounts https://bit.ly/2Zvk2FM
Fewer people are giving to charity and Congress must protect this American value before it’s too late. Fix the tax code and help every American drive community change. #EveryDonationCounts https://bit.ly/2Zvk2FM
Graphics
Use these graphics along with the social media messages above or with other communications as you see fit.
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