Americans overwhelmingly support legislation to allow everyone to receive a tax break for their charitable gifts, according to a poll released Tuesday by Independent Sector, a membership organization of nonprofits that is pushing the idea. It is possible that Congress will vote to expand charitable deductions in a pending disaster funding package, but the biggest obstacle is the calendar. Congress has a limited time to consider legislation before going into recess for the entire month of October before the November midterm elections.

In early 2025, nonprofits across the Greater Washington, DC region faced a perfect storm: sudden funding losses, rising demand for services, and deep uncertainty. A July survey of more than 240 local nonprofits found 38% had lost federal funding. Yet, far more, 61%, reported being affected by policy changes overall, showing the impact goes well beyond federal grant dollars. In response, the Greater Washington Community Foundation launched the Community Resilience Initiative to help nonprofits continue their work without disruption. From the outset, the initiative was anchored in flexibility, collaboration, and data. Based on insights from the survey and ongoing conversations with nonprofits, three things became clear early on.