Performing Arts Alliance Newsletter

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    June 25, 2020
  New Action on Covid Relief, Charitable Giving, and Visa Policies  
  Dear Friends and Colleagues:

Ask Your Senator to Cosponsor Universal Charitable Deduction Bill
Some good news, as we continue to seek increased incentives for the charitable giving that supports communities nationwide: Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mike Lee (R-UT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tim Scott (R-SC), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) have introduced the bipartisan Universal Giving Pandemic Response Act (S. 4032) to expand the current above-the-line deduction for charitable giving made available by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March. The provision would lift the current $300-per-tax-filing cap and making available--for tax years 2019 and 2020--an above-the-line deduction for charitable giving on federal income taxes valued at up to one-third of the standard deduction (around $4,000 for an individual filer and $8,000 for married joint filers). This giving incentive could spark new and increased donations from taxpayers who no longer itemize their tax returns. Please contact your Senators to request they cosponsor the bill here.

Request for Improvements to the Nonprofits Main Street Lending Program
This week, members of the nonprofit sector submitted comments, to the Federal Reserve, to suggest several revisions to the Main Street Lending Nonprofit Organization Expanded Loan Facility and the Nonprofit Organization New Loan Facility, which was proposed on Monday, June 15. In order for nonprofit organizations to utilize these much-needed resources, we believe the program should be improved to remove the 50-employee floor, eliminate the requirement that no more than 30% of 2019 revenues come from donations, and offer more favorable loan terms and eligibility requirements. Additionally, nonprofit advocates are calling on Congress to take action to allow the Main Street loans to be forgivable. Please check the PAA website and our member websites for the most up to date information regarding your genre. PAA Covid-19 Resource page. 

The Latest on Paycheck Protection Program Updates 
PAA member organization, League of American Orchestras, will be holding a webinar on Monday, June 29 at 1:00 PM (EST) to relay all the latest information on PPP and the loan forgiveness process. A link to the recording of this session (after June 29), along with previous broadcasts may be found HERE

Trump Administration Extends and Expands Certain Immigration Restrictions through 2020
This week the President announced an extension through December of his executive order from late April that had, at that time, suspended new immigration for 60 days. Effective immediately, individuals outside the United States who do not currently have an immigrant visa or official travel document other than a visa will be barred entry into the U.S. through December 31, 2020 "and may be continued as necessary" along with the possibility of "any modifications as may be necessary."

Additionally, there are new restrictions for certain nonimmigrant visa categories, but not to the O and P classifications at this time. For additional information, please visit the online resource Artists from Abroad, which contains a variety of updates relating to guest artist visas as well as technical assistance on the visa and withholding process.

Please check the PAA website and all our member websites for additional information, on these and other issues, as we move forward together in these changing times. 

Thank you. 
 
The Performing Arts Alliance (PAA) is a 501c4 multi-disciplinary coalition of national service organizations from the professional nonprofit performing arts field. Through legislative and grassroots action, PAA advocates before the U.S. Congress and key policy makers for national policies that enhance and foster the contributions the performing arts make to America.