Lawmakers will head back to Capitol Hill on July 20 to focus on the next installment of COVID-19 legislation. There may be swift action with the Senate expected to depart for a recess on August 10.

Four COVID-19 relief bills have passed since March, injecting nearly $3 trillion in aid into the economy. That number includes approximately $600 billion that went to small businesses and organizations through the Paycheck Protection Program. The House passed the HEROES Act in May but that legislation has not seen any movement in the Senate.

For the next relief package lawmakers are reportedly considering:

• Liability protections for businesses.

• Unemployment benefits.

• Another round of direct payments to individuals.

• State and local aid funding for health care systems.

With such a brief timeline for lawmakers to consider the next round of legislation around COVID-19 needs, the CMF policy team is encouraging members to reach out to their representatives now to discuss needs within their districts and how philanthropy is responding, and to explore solutions together.

Chip Hansen, president of Charlevoix County Community Foundation, recently used a template message provided by CMF to reach out to Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters and Rep. Jack Bergman to share examples of investments the community foundation is making.

Hansen highlighted the foundation’s Urgent Needs Fund which has already provided more than $135,000 in grant support to qualifying nonprofit organizations operating on the front lines of the pandemic, as well as the Charlevoix County Community Foundation’s collaboration with several family foundations to provide over S150,000 in general operations support for nonprofits, the top need identified in a survey of nonprofits that the foundation conducted.

“We remind ourselves often about the importance of being a good listener in our community because we know that listening to our community often leads us to the intersection of resources and opportunity,” Hansen told CMF. “The same thought applies to advocacy; lawmakers are hearing a lot of voices but few can be as objective and insightful as the voices of our community foundations.”

In his letter to lawmakers, Hansen lifted up several areas where unmet needs have surfaced including access to and affordability of healthcare and child care services, unrestricted aid for K-12 school districts to plug gaps created by insufficient state revenues and social safety net program protections and investments.

Hansen shared that while communicating with lawmakers is vital now, “It’s important to be regular communicators, too, as this won’t be our last crisis.”

Fremont Area Community Foundation recently reached out to policymakers as well, highlighting community concerns.

"Recently, two of the trustees involved with our educational grantmaking became concerned with the potentially devastating budget cuts for our nation's education system,” Carla Roberts, president and CEO of Fremont Area Community Foundation said. “We worked with these trustees, Lola Harmon-Ramsey and Carolyn Hummel, to craft a letter to send to lawmakers explaining how these cuts would negatively impact the students and schools in our area. We believe our community foundation is uniquely positioned to advocate for matters of public interest. The health and well-being of our schools ─ particularly in the midst of a worldwide pandemic ─ affects us all." 

Roberts shared how the community foundation keeps policymakers informed about community needs and important response efforts that are underway.

"Fremont Area Community Foundation has worked hard to cultivate rich and rewarding relationships with our state and federal legislators,” Roberts said. “We routinely provide information about our activities and share reports that can inform public policy. Additionally, we have invited legislators to attend and speak at public forums of our local chapter of Circles USA, a national anti-poverty program."

CMF’s policy team has provided sample language you can use to tell lawmakers about the work you are leading in response to COVID-19 as they consider future relief packages:

• Download the sample language for community foundations.

• Download the sample language for all CMF members.

• Find your representative. Need assistance finding contact information for congressional members and key staff? Contact CMF.

Our policy team is eager to support your engagement with lawmakers as we amplify our community’s collective voice at the state and federal levels. We encourage you to include Regina Bell, director of government relations and public policy and Kyra Hudson, CMF public policy fellow on email communications to policymakers.

CMF’s policy team is continuing to work with state and national partners to lift up the work of the charitable sector and ongoing needs in Michigan communities. CMF in partnership with the Michigan Nonprofit Association and Michigan Association of United Ways is drafting a letter to Michigan’s House and Senate delegation requesting an expansion of the universal charitable deduction, direct funding for nonprofits and access to credit, with an emphasis on small nonprofits that are led by and serving communities of color.