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Advocacy
National Nonprofit Policy Updates: Brief summaries released by VANNO.
2008 Nonprofit Congress: On June 1-4 2008, hundreds of nonprofit professionals will converge on our nation's capital to act collectively for positive change in our sector and in our communities. Will you be one of them? Nonprofit Congress 2008 - Convene-Connect-Commit will build on and celebrate the accomplishments of nonprofits committed to positive change for our sector and our communities. Don't wait to be part of this exciting event! Early bird registration is now open-for more information and to register, go to www.nonprofitcongress.org.
Virginia Activity
Upcoming Town Hall Meetings
In 2006, the Virginia Network of Nonprofit Organizations (VANNO) hosted similar Town Hall meetings to assess the needs of the nation's so-called "third sector". That grassroots effort identified three major priorities for the sector: service delivery effectiveness, advocacy and grassroots activity, and public awareness and support. The 2008 Town Hall meetings will follow up on the 2006 meetings and identify ongoing additional concerns and needs. Nonprofits of all sizes will participate. There is no cost to participate.
Each Town Hall will be hosted by VANNO and area partners in tandem with the Nonprofit Congress, an initiative of the National Council of Nonprofit Associations (NCNA).Town Hall feedback will be used by VANNO to address the needs of Virginia's nonprofit sector and by NCNA during the National Congress in Washington, DC, June 1-4. Town Hall participants can register to attend the National Congress at a discount. 
Town Hall meetings will occur on the following days in these communities:
Apr. 7, 2008 8:30 - 10am, YMCA, 1000 N. Main Street, Blacksburg
Apr. 9, 2008 3:30 - 5pm, 7501 Boulder View, Suite 110, Richmond
Apr. 23, 2008 10:00 - 11:30am, Wyndham Hotel, 5700 Atlantic Ave., Virginia Beach, VA
Apr. 28, 2008 1:00 - 2:30pm, IALR, 150 Slayton Ave., Danville, VA
Apr. 29, 2008 8:30 - 10am, Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, One Partnership Circle, Abingdon, VA
May 6, 2008 8:30 - 10am, Senior Center, Inc., 1180 Pepsi Place, Charlottesville, VA
May 15, 2008 1:00 - 2:30pm, Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Conference Room 9 & 10
Space is limited. Contact Denise at 804-290-8291 or email us at TownHall@vanno.org.
IRS NEWS
Publication 4589 depicts the telephone excise tax refund process for exempt organizations. See notice at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4589.pdf
A new webpage outlines revised exempt organization tax rules as part of the enactment of the Pension Protection Act of 2006. Visit http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=161145,00.html
- The 2006 Data Book summarizes the activities conducted by the IRS between October 1, 2005 and September 30, 2006 and includes the number of tax-exempt organizations registered and the number of tax-exempt returns filed and processed. Visit http://www.irs.gov/taxstats/article/0,,id=102174,00.html
NEW LAW: Nonprofit Sales and Use Tax Exemption
Virginia law relating to nonprofit sales and use tax exemption requires a financial audit if the entity's gross annual revenue was $250,000 or greater in the previous year. Delegate Clarke Hogan from South Bostonin Southside Virginia was approached by a Volunteer Rescue Squad whose revenue went a little above the $250,000 threshold. This nonprofit learned that a "financial audit" would cost them more than $5,000, thus eliminating the savings from the sales and use tax exemption. Delegate Hogan worked with the Virginia Tax Commissioner and the governor and the following amendment is NOW law for the two years of the 2006-2008 budget.
§ 3-5.07 SALES AND USE TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
Notwithstanding the provisions of §58.1-609.11 C 4, Code of Virginia, in the case of a nonprofit entity seeking to qualify for a sales and use tax exemption pursuant to §58.1-609.11 B, Code of Virginia, the Department of Taxation shall accept a review of the financial statements performed by an independent certified public accountant in lieu of a full audit, if the entity's gross annual revenue was less than $500,000 in the previous year. Such review is deemed to meet the requirement for a "financial audit" as that term is used and is required in §58.1-609.11 C 4, Code of Virginia.
Resources
New Website for Tracking Virginia Legislation
To stay informed about specific legislation affecting nonprofits in Virginia, check out http://www.nonprofitwatchdog.org/ Updated daily, it’s a great new resource for monitoring activity by the General Assembly.
Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest
The Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest (www.clpi.org) promotes, supports, and protects nonprofit advocacy and lobbying through:
- Participatory workshops about how to launch a lobbying campaign
- Information packets and lobbying guide
- Technical assistance by phone and e-mail
- Messaging and outreach
Alliance for Justice
The Alliance for Justice (www.allianceforjustice.org/nonprofit/) provides clear user-friendly information on everything you need to know about nonprofit election-related activities in free, downloadable documents.
Voting and Elections: Free Guide for Nonprofits
The Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network has published a useful guide outlining how charities can get involved in the electoral process without breaking the law. “Nonprofits, Voting & Elections” lists activities nonprofits can and cannot pursue, describes specific initiatives such as how to create a voter’s guide to candidates, and answers frequently asked questions on this topic. Available as a free download at www.nonprofitvote.org