In this Issue:

• Action Items
• Federal and State Updates
• Emergency Broadband Benefit Program
• Affordable Housing and the Nonprofit Workforce
• Upcoming Events

Action Items

DOS Tax Filing Repeal Call to Action

Take action to repeal the new, redundant Department of State filing requirement for nonprofits registered with the Charities Bureau. The DOS’ website tells nonprofits to file by May 15 if their fiscal year ended December 31. This would require nonprofits to prepare our annual tax filing 6 months earlier than the IRS requires, and to complete our audit a year earlier than the Charities Bureau requires. S4817 (Krueger) /A1141 (Paulin), would eliminate the duplicate DOS filing requirement. Thank you to Assemblymembers Paulin, Magnarelli, McDonough, Giglio JM, González-Rojas, Epsten, Burdick and O‘Donnell, and Senators Krueger, Comrie, and Hoylman for supporting this bill. Don’t see your representative on this list? Contact them today!

We are working with Nonprofit New York to pass this bill before the May 15th filing deadline and need your support!

Sign On to Support Nonprofit Advocacy!

As a part of Nonprofit New York's A Place at the Table campaign, a coalition of partners has successfully worked with Assemblymember González-Rojas and Senator Biaggi to introduce legislation to lift the administrative burden for legislative advocacy! A6943/S6398 would raise the State's "lobbying threshold" to $10,000. Thank you Assembymember González-Rojas and Senator Biaggi! Sign on to support this legislation today.

Federal Updates

Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Re-opened
All information is posted on the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant web portal, which includes: Application Form 3515, Frequently Asked Questions, Applicant User Guide, and Application Checklist.

American Families Plan
On Wednesday, the White House released the American Families Plan, a $1.8 trillion proposal to provide free education (pre-K and community college), paid family and medical leave, subsidized childcare, and more.

Federal Contractor Minimum Wage
On April 27, President Biden signed an Executive Order on Increasing the Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors to pay a $15 minimum wage to workers who are working on federal contracts. 

Employer Tax Credits for Paid Leave
The IRS issued Fact Sheet 2021-09 explaining that under the American Rescue Plan Act, employers are entitled to refundable payroll tax credits for providing paid leave to employees who take time off related to COVID-19 vaccinations. The tax credits are available to eligible employers that pay sick and family leave for leave from April 1, 2021, through September 30, 2021.

State Updates

Department of State Reporting Requirements

Effective January 1, 2021, many nonprofit organizations that register with the New York Attorney General – Charities Bureau will now have to file the same annual documents with the New York Department of State (DOS). Because the DOS deadline aligns with the organization’s tax year end, many organizations must file on or before May 15, 2021. All reports to be filed with the DOS must be filed online through the DOS website. More information on filing requirements is available here.

Hero Act

The Hero Act (S1034B/A2681B) has been delivered to the Governor. The bill would require the state to create a model plan to prevent airborne infectious disease that employers would then be required to adopt. The bill would further require employers to establish breaks for hand washing, provide PPE, and guidelines for social distancing. For employers with more than 10 employees, the bill would require joint employer-employee health committees to raise concerns and address safety protocols.

Emergency Broadband Benefit Program

The FCC announced the start date of the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. As of May 12, 2021, eligible households will be able to enroll in the Program to receive a monthly discount off the cost of broadband service from an approved provider. Eligible households can enroll through an approved provider or by visiting https://getemergencybroadband.org.

Read More

Affordable Housing and the Nonprofit Workforce

70% of nonprofit direct care staff*, the people on the frontlines delivering life-changing and life-saving services including during the global pandemic, cannot afford to live in Westchester. The System is Broken.

Nonprofit Boards of Directors, Volunteers and Professionals:
Learn More Here So We Can Begin to Take Action. 

* NPW Survey of Nonprofit Workforce 2020

Upcoming Events

May 13: Top Ten Legal Issues for Nonprofits

May 19: How Nonprofits Can Use Census Data - Join Nonprofit New York for an introduction to how nonprofits can use census data and tools for their own programs, advocacy, and research. 

May 20: Addressing Trauma and Vicarious Trauma

June 3: Today’s Cybersecurity Landscape – Protecting Your Nonprofit

June 8: Compassionate Leadership

June 10: Re-emerge and Reimagine Virtual Networking

We are stronger together. 

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