Will the new tax act reduce charitable contributions? The answer is not a definite “Yes.” Instead, “It depends.” For some, the impact will be positive, but for others negative; two contrarian views: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-2018-tax-law-increases-charitable-giving-russell/ What Tax Reform Means for Charity: more Money, Money,...

Why it’s important for community-based nonprofits that receive grants & contracts from local government to be fully engaged with local politics—the City of San Antonio is rethinking the way it funds local charities in the wake of a couple of scandals: http://tpr.org/post/city-review-funding-agreement-process-nonprofit-agencies

Two helpful public policy and advocacy downloads for nonprofit leaders—how changes in federal law and regulations will impact you this year, and how to track pending legislation in whatever state you are in:...

“Millions of middle-class donors will be effectively shut out from claiming any charitable deduction under the new tax law . . . [while] the wealthy will get a still larger share of the tax benefit, even when sacrificing a smaller share of their income:” ...

So What is the Technical Advice Exception?  It means your nonprofit’s representatives can provide technical advice, assistance or testimony to a governmental body, committee, or agency in response to a written request, and it’s NOT lobbying:  https://bolderadvocacy.org/blog/technical-advice-exception

How to start a development program in a small nonprofit & and an unconventional approach to fundraising at a successful nonprofit news site: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-start-major-gift-fundraising-program-even-your-cabral-ma-cfre/ How the Texas Tribune is enlisting the newsroom to grow membership...

Fundraising and nonprofit leaders plan to meet in February to come up with a plan for a national push to increase giving past the stagnant 2% of Gross Domestic Product; meanwhile, year-end online giving spiked in 2017: Fundraisers, Influencers Plan Summit To Move Giving Needle...

There are strategies you can use to infuse some energy and enthusiasm into your nonprofit’s board members, and actually get their help with fundraising; this works for engaging them in advocacy, too: https://www.gailperry.com/how-to-engage-board-members-in-major-gift-fundraising/?inf_contact_key=61f3c4078bfe3536949fa1e859e2b4da0b40f308549e69783e518dff660fd955

A mix of union dues collection, workplace solicitation and rage fundraising has cropped up in NYC, where workers can request that money be taken out of their paychecks and donated to nonprofits that advocate for them: ...

Government at all levels, from small towns to the Feds, is increasing its scrutiny of nonprofit grantees, for both financial and political reasons—two examples: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/01/us-interior-department-put-academic-nonprofit-grants-through-political-review...

Your nonprofit’s advocacy success depends on effective media relations, and that’s about more than just shooting out a press release: https://www.philanthropy.com/article/5-Ways-to-Get-the-Attention-of/242190?cid=pt&utm_source=pt&utm_medium=en&elqTrackId=6a4bed7bdf70434781810b69d493b9c6&elq=799ac769266e4ea89cf2d6672d725eea&elqaid=17390&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=7583

Good advice on how your nonprofit can use its social media advocacy network to catch the small print in bills before the state legislature: ...