The purpose of the Government Relations Public Policy Committee of the Council of Michigan Foundations is to seek support for legislative and regulatory changes at both the state and national levels that will help to strengthen, promote and increase foundation and corporate philanthropy. This document outlines CMF's government relations goals.
Nonprofits can and should play an active role during elections, particularly by educating and activating voters. However, with important local, state and federal elections coming up this fall, nonprofits should take the time to remind their staff about appropriate activity during a political campaign or at any other time. This overview developed by Donors Forum provides important tips and examples of activities that are permissible for nonprofits during an election cycle.
The Michigan nonprofit sector has a rich tradition of creating change in local communities. Despite the historical successes of influencing public policy at all governmental levels, many nonprofits are hesitant to engage in advocacy. This primer, now in its third edition and produced jointly by the Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF) and the Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA), provides an explanation of simple advocacy tactics that will empower your nonprofit to take action and further the mission of your organization. The intended audience for this handbook is 501(c)(3) nonprofits – both public charities and private foundations.
This publication will examine the common elements of the state and federal religious exemption laws, review the national landscape of religious exemption legislation and litigation, demonstrate how religious exemption laws have had serious unintended consequences, and examine the impact of broad religious exemption laws on the LGBT community.
This report is part of an ongoing series that will provide in-depth analyses of laws and policies tracked at the Movement Advancement Project’s “Equality Maps,” found at http://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps. The information in this report is current as of the date of publication, but the online maps are updated daily.
This study assesses the initial impact of the 2011 repeal of the Community Foundation Tax Credit in Michigan. The Council of Michigan Foundations commissioned the study with the hope of using the data to better understand the role of incentives in charitable giving and to leverage legislative support for community foundations.
Recent elections and the level of polarization that seem to prevail today suggest that Michigan residents see themselves living different lives based on their urban or rural geography. The statistics compiled for this report illustrate the many ways in which Michigan’s urban and rural areas are alike and different.
Amid a polarizing political climate, this report aims to provide a deeper understanding of what’s happening in our rural and urban areas, particularly how issues and topics affect the perspectives of Michiganders when it comes to immigration, housing, education, health care, and more. The report examines data to highlight how our perspectives may be shaped by our environment and how we should work together for a greater understanding of all communities to build a prosperous Michigan for all.
Foundations have reached out to Ask CMF to better understand how staff and board members can avoid inadvertently running afoul of the prohibitions on charitable organizations related to supporting or opposing candidates for public office (referred to in this document as “political activity”). This resource explores the legal intricacies and best practices that foundations should know to navigate these situations.
Following an unusual budget cycle, with the COVID-19 pandemic interrupting typical budget deliberations and the need for a rare third revenue estimating conference before the 2021 budget was completed, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has presented her 2022 budget recommendation. While much of the 2021 budget was focused on the response to the COVID-19 public health crisis, the governor’s 2022 budget takes a look at the recovery ahead by prioritizing funding in the following areas: public education, economic opportunity, public health, infrastructure, clean energy, and the environment, and equity.
This summary from the Michigan League for Public Policy provides highlights of the entire budget.
A publication of the Internal Revenue Service, this document addresses activities that may jeopardize a charity's exempt status, recordkeeping, required public disclosures, and other issues of importance to public charities.
A guide provided by the IRS outlining the law and its restrictions, detailed reporting requirements, IRS forms that must be filed, and a summary of record-keeping obligations for private foundations.
