Dear Senators and Representatives,

The nonprofit community in New York State is committed to working with you to create
jobs, strengthen the economy locally and across the United States, and find solutions
to the many problems we as a nation are facing. As members of the National Council of
Nonprofits, we’d like to highlight our views on each of these commitments, and to provide
a better understanding of the impact of nonprofits in our state.

Founded in 1927, the New York Council of Nonprofits, Inc. (NYCON) is a 501(C)(3)
membership-based, mission-driven, statewide association of diverse charitable
organizations. With over 3,000 members, we work to build the capacity of nonprofits and
communities to enhance the quality of life through responsive, cost-effective service.

NYCON is the only nonprofit association in the state, and perhaps, nationally, that provides
a wide array of specialized technical assistance and group purchasing services to
organizations of all kinds in a staff-based, multidisciplinary team model. Doing so in the
context of membership, we build a long term, multi-layered service relationship nonprofits.
We also work in close partnership with government (federal, state and local) and the
private sector (community foundations, private foundations, and United Ways) to educate
and directly assist their nonprofit constituencies.

Today, we bring to your attention three specific issue areas.

è Job Creation and Economic Development

Congress is rightly committed to energizing the economy and promoting job growth.
Nonprofit organizations are integrally involved in the economies of their
communities, across New York State and our country. Nonprofits employ more than
13 million individuals nationally, pay over $500 billion in wages annually, and
contribute more than five percent to the Gross Domestic Product of the United
States. It is estimated that in New York State nonprofit employment exceeds 17% of
the workforce. As proven job creators, nonprofits can and should participate in the
development of job growth policies at the state and local levels. The New York
Council of Nonprofits and the National Council of Nonprofits strongly endorse policies
that promote job creation in all sectors of the economy, and insist that incentives
apply equally to nonprofit employers.

è Empowering Community Solutions through Nonprofits

Consistent tax policies at the federal level are critical to the success of nonprofits in
pioneering and implementing solutions to community problems and aspirations. The
New York Council of Nonprofits and the National Council of Nonprofits are committed
to preserving the tax-exempt status of organizations contributing to the well-being of
 their communities and strengthening and expanding incentives for individuals to give
their time and money to the organizations whose missions they support. In practice,
this commitment means:
o Maintaining and – where appropriate – expanding nonprofit exemptions from
taxes; and
o Supporting existing and new tax and other incentives that encourage
individuals to volunteer their time and contribute money to the mission of
nonprofits.

è Improving Collaboration to Enhance Efficiencies

The federal government and nonprofit organizations share a commitment to
improving lives and communities throughout the country. Government agencies at all
levels have increasingly turned to nonprofit organizations to deliver programs and
services, but government partners at all levels have been making it harder for their
nonprofit partners to succeed, much less expand to meet growing community needs.
The New York Council of Nonprofits and the National Council of Nonprofits are
dedicated to strengthening the public-private partnership through collaboration and
direct engagement. Specifically, the New York Council of Nonprofits supports:
o Reforms to government contracting processes that ensure that payments to
nonprofit organizations for actual and indirect costs from the federal
government through state and local governments are applied consistently,
fairly, and in a timely manner.
o Full funding for the Strengthening Communities Fund and the Nonprofit
Capacity Building Program and reforms that expand the availability and range
of trainings to address the needs of rural as well as urban communities.

We stand ready to work with you to implement these and other critical policies. For
additional information, please contact me at at (800) 515-5012 ext. 103

Sincerely,

Doug Sauer, CEO

New York Council of Nonprofits, Inc.

Attachment: National Council of Nonprofits 2011 Public Policy Agenda

Additional NYCON Member Agencies and Community Supporters

Signing On to This Letter: