The survey and results from The Nonprofit Agenda's online survey. Nonprofit Presidential Survey During September a survey of nonprofit organizations was distributed through the Internet to rank ideas to strengthen the sector. The top ranked ideas will be developed into specific proposals to present to the next President. The survey project is sponsored the Advocacy Institute, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, OMB Watch, and The Union Institute. Participation was excellent - we received about 1,000 responses, including many thoughtful comments, from every state but one. The rankings of the survey are listed below. The first set of rankings is based on the average response to each question (on a 1 to 5 scale with 5 being the best). The second set of rankings is based on weighted averages for each question, which address strong views on each end of the spectrum. Very few of the 37 survey questions were rated very low. As a result, except for one question which received a number of very low ratings, all the weighted averages are higher than the unweighted averages. If a question placed higher on the weighted average chart than the unweighted average chart, it means that many participants rated this a 5, the highest rating. If it was placed lower, it means that many participants rated this a 1, the lowest rating. Thus, the weighted average gives a better sense of survey questions in which respondents had strongly held views. The top five ideas -- both unweighted and weighted -- were (in ranked order):

1. Campaign finance reform. This ranked considerably higher than the others.
2. Investing in the people served by nonprofits (e.g., universal pre-school, livable wages).
3. Streamline government grant applications and reporting requirements and improve intergovernmental coordination.
4. Charitable deduction for non-itemizers.
5. Encourage federal agencies to consult with nonprofits, particularly on regulations and programs and protect their advocacy rights.

An Advisory Committe, comprised primarily of state and local nonprofits, will be meeting throughout October to develop specific recommendations for the next President based on the survey results. As the data are futher analyzed, we will post results on this web page. We will also post the recommendations when they are completed and invite comment before submitting them to the President. If you have comments, please contact Kay Guinane of OMB Watch at (202) 234-8494 or kguinane@ombwatch.org.

• Comparison of Results (Weighted vs. Unweighted Average)
• Comparison of Results by Type of Organization
• Distribution by Type of Organization
• Summary of Results by Mean (Unweighted Average)
• Summary of Results by Weighted Average
• Nonprofit Presidential Survey

Nonprofit Presidential Survey Comparison of Results (Unweighted vs. Weighted Averages) How did we calculate this? Unweight RankWeightRankItem Summary 11Campaign Finance Reform 22Investing in the People Served by Nonprofits 33Streamline Government Grants & Contracts (and Reporting) 44Charitable Deduction for Non-Itemizers 55Protect/Encourage Nonprofit Advocacy/Policy Participation in Agency Work 68Relax student loan repayments/Give favorable tax treatment for working in nonprofit 76Allow Rollovers from Retirement Accounts w/out paying income tax on assets 87Strengthen volunteering incl. for advocacy and public policy work 99Support Charitable State Tax Credits 1010Require disclosure of Corporate grants 1111Require 990/990PF to be available through Internet 1212Community Technology Centers 1313Coordination of Financial Reporting (990/audits/grants) 1414Expand US Nonprofit Gateway and improve access to govt information 1515Oppose Charitable Tax Credits that are limited (e.g., only for direct service, no advocacy) 1617Provide individual tax credit for employees of charities 1716Natl Endowment for Grassroots Efforts 1820 Nonprofit Capacity Building Centers 1921Volunteering, incl for advocacy, earns financial incentives for high educ. 2018Equalize Student Rewards (remove distinctions between internships & coop education) 2119Revise 990/990PF 2222Make sure govt funding accords w/ separation of church & state 2323Raise Foundation Payouts from 5% to at least 6% 2424Make GSA surplus resources (e.g., office space) available to nonprofits 2525Urge Foundations to Drop Anti-Lobbying Statements 2627Low Interest Employee Loan Fund for working in a charity 2726Develop a national to grassroots communications system with govt 2828Nonprofit Loan Fund/Bond Funds 2929Simplify Lobby Rules: get rid of grassroots limits 3030Update Lobbying Allowance (i.e., inflation adjustment) 3131Strengthen the existing Nonprofit Liaison network in federal agencies 3232Convene a White House Conference on Nonprofit Initiative 3333Common Capital Funds 3434Create a White House on Nonprofit Affairs 3535Employees of Charities Get Deductibility on Loan (e.g., credit card) Interest Back to Top Nonprofit Presidential Survey Comparison of Results (By Type of Organization) Average Rank(c)(3)Rank(c)(4)RankProfitRankItem Summary 1111Campaign Finance Reform 22312Investing in the People Served by Nonprofits 35143Streamline Government Grants & Contracts (and Reporting) 44154Charitable Deduction for Non-Itemizers 5325Protect/Encourage Nonprofit Advocacy/Policy Participation in Agency Work 661011Relax student loan repayments/Give favorable tax treatment for working in nonprofit 7767Allow Rollovers from Retirement Accounts w/out paying income tax on assets 88136Strengthen volunteering incl. for advocacy and public policy work 992710Support Charitable State Tax Credits 101155Require disclosure of Corporate grants 1116112Require 990/990PF to be available through Internet 12102314Community Technology Centers 13172016Coordination of Financial Reporting (990/audits/grants) 14151715Expand US Nonprofit Gateway and improve access to govt information 151449Oppose Charitable Tax Credits that are limited (e.g., only for direct service, no advocacy) 16121617Provide individual tax credit for employees of charities 17132622Natl Endowment for Grassroots Efforts 18192120Nonprofit Capacity Building Centers 19202518Volunteering, incl for advocacy, earns financial incentives for high educ. 20231819Equalize Student Rewards (remove distinctions between internships & coop education) 2126198Revise 990/990PF 2224913Make sure govt funding accords w/ separation of church & state 23182426Raise Foundation Payouts from 5% to at least 6% 24213225 Make GSA surplus resources (e.g., office space) available to nonprofits 25221229Urge Foundations to Drop Anti-Lobbying Statements 26252823Low Interest Employee Loan Fund for working in a charity 27283027Develop a national to grassroots communications system with govt 28272224Nonprofit Loan Fund/Bond Funds 2930832Simplify Lobby Rules: get rid of grassroots limits 3039730Update Lobbying Allowance (i.e., inflation adjustment) 31323334Strengthen the existing Nonprofit Liaison network in federal agencies 32313431Convene a White House Conference on Nonprofit Initiative 33332928Common Capital Funds 34343133Create a White House on Nonprofit Affairs 35353535Employees of Charities Get Deductibility on Loan (e.g., credit card) Interest Back to Top Nonprofit Presidential Survey WHO RESPONDED? Distribution by Type of Organization SubtypeNumberPercent/TotalPercent/Known 501(c)363068.78%75.63% No Data Entered839.06% Other788.52%9.36% Government Agency556.00%6.60% For-Profit384.15%4.56% 501(c)4323.49%3.84% Back to Top Nonprofit Presidential Survey Summary of Results by Mean (Unweighted Average) How did we calculate this? Question NumberRankItem Summary 2f4.35Campaign Finance Reform 1d4.12Investing in the People Served by Nonprofits 4d4.07Streamline Government Grants & Contracts (and Reporting) 3a4.04Charitable Deduction for Non-Itemizers 2c4.00Protect/Encourage Nonprofit Advocacy/Policy Participation in Agency Work 5b3.98Relax student loan repayments/Give favorable tax treatment for working in nonprofit 3b3.98Allow Rollovers from Retirement Accounts w/out paying income tax on assets 5a3.95Strengthen volunteering incl. for advocacy and public policy work 3d3.82Support Charitable State Tax Credits 4c3.81Require disclosure of Corporate grants 4b3.76Require 990/990PF to be available through Internet 1c3.75Community Technology Centers 4e3.69Coordination of Financial Reporting (990/audits/grants) 6e3.69Expand US Nonprofit Gateway and improve access to govt information 3c3.69Oppose Charitable Tax Credits that are limited (e.g., only for direct service, no advocacy) 5c3.60Provide individual tax credit for employees of charities 1b3.65Natl Endowment for Grassroots Efforts 1a3.62Nonprofit Capacity Building Centers 5g3.62Volunteering, incl for advocacy, earns financial incentives for high educ. 5f3.59Equalize Student Rewards (remove distinctions between internships & coop education) 4a3.58Revise 990/990PF 6d3.55Make sure govt funding accords w/ separation of church & state 3e3.54Raise Foundation Payouts from 5% to at least 6% 1g3.52Make GSA surplus resources (e.g., office space) available to nonprofits 2d3.51Urge Foundations to Drop Anti-Lobbying Statements 5d3.44Low Interest Employee Loan Fund for working in a charity 2e3.41Develop a national to grassroots communications system with govt 1e3.37Nonprofit Loan Fund/Bond Funds 2a3.33Simplify Lobby Rules: get rid of grassroots limits 2b3.31Update Lobbying Allowance (i.e., inflation adjustment) 6b3.20Strengthen the existing Nonprofit Liaison network in federal agencies 6c3.19Convene a White House Conference on Nonprofit Initiative 1f3.16Common Capital Funds 6a3.15Create a White House on Nonprofit Affairs 5e2.92Employees of Charities Get Deductibility on Loan (e.g., credit card) Interest Back to Top Nonprofit Presidential Survey Summary of Results (by Weighted Average) How did we calculate this? Question NumberRankItem Summary 2f4.56Campaign Finance Reform 1d4.36Investing in the People Served by Nonprofits 4d4.34Streamline Government Grants & Contracts (and Reporting) 3a4.30Charitable Deduction for Non-Itemizers 2c4.24Protect/Encourage Nonprofit Advocacy/Policy Participation in Agency Work 3b4.24Allow Rollovers from Retirement Accounts w/out paying income tax on assets 5a4.22Strengthen volunteering incl. for advocacy and public policy work 5b4.17Relax student loan repayments/Give favorable tax treatment for working in nonprofit 3d4.08Support Charitable State Tax Credits 4c4.08Require disclosure of Corporate grants 4b4.03Require 990/990PF to be available through Internet 1c3.97Community Technology Centers 4e3.95Coordination of Financial Reporting (990/audits/grants) 6e3.94Expand US Nonprofit Gateway and improve access to govt information 3c3.90Oppose Charitable Tax Credits that are limited (e.g., only for direct service, no advocacy) 1b3.87Natl Endowment for Grassroots Efforts 5c3.84Provide individual tax credit for employees of charities 5f3.82Equalize Student Rewards (remove distinctions between internships & coop education) 4a3.81Revise 990/990PF 1a3.80Nonprofit Capacity Building Centers 5g3.79Volunteering, incl for advocacy, earns financial incentives for high educ. 6d3.72Make sure govt funding accords w/ separation of church & state 3e3.72Raise Foundation Payouts from 5% to at least 6% 1g3.70Make GSA surplus resources (e.g., office space) available to nonprofits 2d3.67Urge Foundations to Drop Anti-Lobbying Statements 2e3.54Develop a national to grassroots communications system with govt 5d3.54Low Interest Employee Loan Fund for working in a charity 1e3.49Nonprofit Loan Fund/Bond Funds 2a3.45Simplify Lobby Rules: get rid of grassroots limits 2b3.41Update Lobbying Allowance (i.e., inflation adjustment) 6b3.26Strengthen the existing Nonprofit Liaison network in federal agencies 6c3.22Convene a White House Conference on Nonprofit Initiative 1f3.20Common Capital Funds 6a3.17Create a White House on Nonprofit Affairs 5e2.87Employees of Charities Get Deductibility on Loan (e.g., credit card) Interest Back to Top Survey was closed 6:00pm EST on September 26, 2000 Nonprofit Sector Issues and the President September 2000 This survey is sponsored by Advocacy Institute, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, OMB Watch, and The Union Institute. It contains ideas that will lead to specific recommendations to the next President to strengthen the nonprofit sector, particularly the portion of the sector that addresses social justice issues. Please complete the survey and click on the submit button at the end. We are sorry this survey is so long, but we could find no other way to get your thoughtful opinions. We have categorized the 35 ideas into six sections, although some ideas fit in more than one category:

I. Building Nonprofit Capacity and Investing in Social Justice (7 ideas); II. Strengthening Public Policy Participation (6 ideas); III. Tax Incentives for Charitable Activities (5 ideas); IV. Nonprofit Accountability (5 ideas); V. Encouraging Nonprofit Careers and Volunteering (7 ideas); and VI. Partnering with Government (5 ideas).

At the end we have provided space for you to write in other high priority ideas that are not among the 35 ideas below. If you identify your e-mail address at the end, we will send you the results. The top ranked ideas will be more fully developed into specific recommendations to the next President. We'll make the recommendations available to you for review. Thanks for your help and participation in this new way of using the Internet to help improve the relationship between government and the nonprofit sector. I. Building Nonprofit Capacity and Investing in Social Justice 1A. Nonprofit Capacity Building Centers – Provide grants for nonprofit leadership development centers in every congressional district, modeled on the Small Business Development Centers, to build capacity of nonprofits, particularly for smaller groups, and assist with program development, governance and board development, technology, fund-raising, legal and regulatory matters, advocacy, communications and public education, human resource development, etc. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 1B. National Endowment for Grassroots Efforts- Create a national endowment that will generate resources for grassroots organizations that are involved in community based economic development, human services, neighborhood participation and representation and similar projects aimed at improving and enhancing the quality of life in neighborhoods and rural areas. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 1C. Community Technology Centers – Provide grant support for community technology centers (CTCs) in every congressional district, many of which will be nonprofits, but initially targeted to low-income, minority, and rural communities. These CTCs are to provide educational, employment, and recreational services to the community, including instruction in basic productivity software (e.g., word processing, database, and spreadsheet applications), access to the Internet and other telecommunications services, literacy training, homework help, computer assembly and repair, and advanced computer skills such as desktop publishing, multimedia, web page design, and network administration. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 1D. Investing in the People Served by Nonprofits – Use some of the federal surplus to address domestic needs, including universal pre-school, universal health care, long-term care, a livable wage for those who are working full-time year round, income supports for those without jobs, and a healthy and safe environment. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 1E. Nonprofit Loan Fund/Bond Funds – Establish a low-interest loan fund that will give nonprofits access to capital for building technology, facilities and other infrastructure. Also make bond funds available to small nonprofits. Target use of loan funds and bond funds to help moderate financial advantage of for-profit companies and seeming imperative for growing commercialism in nonprofit program operations. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 1F. Common Capital Funds – Allow nonprofit organizations to form common capital pools that will bring significant return from prudent investments at low management fees and with mechanisms to assure emergency liquidity. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 1G. Surplus Resources – Encourage the General Services Administration to use surplus office space and related resources to help nonprofit organizations in service to their charitable missions. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results II. Strengthen Public Policy Participation 2A. Simplify Lobbying Rules for Charities – Currently, grassroots charity lobbying expenditures are limited to 25% of the amount permitted for total lobbying expenditures. End that limitation, and permit charities to spend the total permissible lobbying expenditure amount on either direct or grassroots lobbying, or on any combination of the two. This brings the added benefit of simplified recordkeeping. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 2B. Update Lobbying Allowance - Adjust the current lobbying expenditure limits to equal the dollar value of the limits when they were originally passed in 1976. After this adjustment, make annual cost of living adjustments to keep pace with inflation. (Since 1976 failure to make such adjustments has effectively cut the lobbying expenditure limits by 65%.) Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 2C. Protect and Encourage Nonprofit Advocacy/Public Participation – Increase general appreciation for nonprofit advocacy and encourage federal departments and agencies to consult with nonprofit organizations to expand public engagement/commentary on rules, regulations, programs, etc. Encourage all agencies of government to guard against abridgements in nonprofits' democratic voice. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 2D. Urge Foundations to Drop Anti-Lobbying Statements- Urge the IRS to make clear to foundations that they need not include an anti-lobbying statement in grant letters to charities because of tax code restrictions. Provide clear guidance defining lobbying conditions that foundat?ons can support and the distinctions between lobbying and advocacy. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 2E. Grassroots Communications – Develop a neighborhood-to-municipality-to-county-to-state-to-federal interactive/multidirectional telecommunications system through which nonprofit organizations can help increase public voice on policy issues/program monitoring and through which government officials can better engage the populace. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 2F. Campaign Finance – Support reform in campaign finance to moderate the corrosive influence of money on the political and policy process. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results III. Tax Incentives for Charitable Activity 3A. Charitable Deduction for Nonitemizers – Allow people to take at least a partial tax deduction for charitable contributions even if they do not itemize on their federal income tax. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 3B. Retirement Rollovers – Allow people to transfer all or a portion of their IRA accounts, Social Security payments, or other retirement plans as donations to charitable organizations without having to pay income taxes on those assets. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 3C. Targeted Tax Credits – Oppose efforts to use federal or state tax credits to steer charitable contributions to particular kinds of nonprofit organizations and particular kinds of preferred programs (e.g., only direct services/no advocacy; only poverty-serving), and be especially assertive when proposed credits would decrease or redirect government funds to cover the costs of such tax incentives. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 3D. Charitable State Tax Credits – Support state tax credits available to both itemizers and non-itemizers for charitable contributions. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 3E. Foundation Payout – Payout rates of foundations and donor-advised funds should be increased to at least 6%. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results IV. Nonprofit Accountability 4A. Revise Annual Tax Forms – Revise IRS Forms 990 and 990PF, the annual tax forms submitted by nonprofits and foundations, so that they collect and disseminate information which assures greater public disclosure and accountability. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 4B. Public Information – Require the IRS to make Form 990 and 990PF information available in a searchable format for free through the Internet. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 4C. Disclosure of Corporate Grants – Require the Securities and Exchange Commission to require contributions of publicly held corporations to be disclosed and be made available in a searchable format for free through the Internet. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 4D. Streamline Government Grants & Contracts – Streamline grant application and reporting requirements (including the full implementation of the Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act), develop uniform application and reporting requirements where possible, and insure coordination with federal, state and local requirements. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results 4E. Coordination of Financial Reporting – Develop coordinated and sanctioned financial reporting requirements for IRS Form 990, grants, and general nonprofit audit standards. Level of Importance Low High Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Back to survey results V. Encouraging Nonprofit Careers and Volunteering 5A. Strengthen Volunteering – Through direct federal programs (VISTA, AmeriCorps, Civilian Conservation Corps, Peace Corps, etc.) and by enhancing private volunteering generally (extending Volunteer Protection Act to legal entities, allowing deductibility of volunteer expenses for non-itemizers, etc.) increase the numbers of volunteers and extent of time donated to charitable causes. Sanction nonprofit advocacy and public policy education as a legitimate focus of federal volun