CARES Act 2.0

5 Fast Questions: Have you have been successful or unsuccessful in obtaining a PPP or EIDL loan? Please answer five fast questions which will help us give our delegation information about the success or the lack thereof in Pennsylvania.

As of April 16, Congress is still debating about the details of a fourth stimulus package in response to COVID-19. PANO and 33 other nonprofit associations and funders used a version of the National Council of Nonprofit’s letter to reach out to our Pennsylvania delegation.

NOW is the time for you to reach out to your representative/senator to join in this effort.

Please call and email your elected officials with this language:
We need your help now to ensure that nonprofits in XXX (your county) get the support we need to get through the COVID-19 crisis. You know that implementation challenges have arisen with federal and state agencies and private entities that have undermined Congressional intent to provide economic relief to nonprofits.

As you work through the CARES Act 2.0, please ensure that XXX (your organization) and other charities get what we need by allocating dedicated and/or additional funding for charities in the Paycheck Protection Program. Specifically, we urge Congress to include the following clarifications and provisions:

1. Expand Nonprofit Access to Credit by designating funding exclusively for nonprofits within the two principle loan programs established in the CARES Act to ensure that we are not pushed to the back of the line. The following additional improvements are needed to expedite relief:

a. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): Provide incentives to private lenders to prioritize processing of applications of nonprofits, especially small nonprofits.

b. Mid-Size Business Loan Program: Adjust CARES Act Section 4003 (c)(3)(D) to implement a program to support nonprofit employers with between 500 and 10,000 employees, including loan-forgiveness and other provisions. The legislation should direct the Treasury Department to have this program operational no later than 15 days after enactment.

2. Strengthen Charitable Giving Incentives to encourage all Americans to help their communities through charitable donations during this time. The following modifications will generate immediate results:

a. Applicable to 2019 Tax Filings: Encourage donations to the work of charitable organizations in their communities today by enabling taxpayers making donations on or after March 13 (date of national emergency declaration) and before July 16 to claim the deductions on their 2019 tax filings. This retroactive application should apply to itemized and above-the-line deductions during this critical period.

b. Improve the Above-the Line Deduction in the CARES Act by increasing the $300/person cap and making the deduction permanent.

3. Treat Self-Funded Nonprofits Fairly by increasing the federal unemployment insurance reimbursement for self-insured nonprofits to 100% of the costs.

4. Increase Emergency Funding by appropriating funds for targeted state formula grants and programs that can provide a rapid infusion of cash to nonprofit organizations that are partnering with state and local governments to protect vulnerable families and frontline responders.