How we’re making a difference
Some of our recent policy achievements include:
- Advance payments for nonprofits contracting with the state: AB 590 (Hart) ensures nonprofits can secure up to 25% of contracted funds up front, with a priority on nonprofits serving vulnerable communities or those with modest reserves. AB 590 is a result of our California Nonprofit Equity Initiative.
- Protections for online fundraising: We went up against Big Tech to secure much needed protections for online donors and nonprofits receiving funds online. The passage of AB 488 was the result of several years of effort and means that the fundraising platforms will no longer be able to hide fees, use nonprofits’ names to raise funds without permission, or hang onto donations indefinitely
- California Small Business and Nonprofit COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Relief Grant Program (SPSL): CalNonprofits advocated mightily for the legislation that created this program, and we worked diligently to assure the process was inclusive and supportive of nonprofit organizations.
- Stopped government overreach into nonprofit fundraising: We led the effort to stop AB 2855, a bill in the California legislature that would have required nonprofits to place unnecessary and burdensome notices on every document that included a fundraising message – not just California nonprofits but any nonprofit that attempted to raise funds in California.
- Nonprofit Select Committees: In 2017, we were instrumental in the creation of the first CA Assembly Select Committee on the Nonprofit Sector. In 2021, we cheered the formation of a similar body on the senate side. These committees provide leadership in Sacramento on behalf of the nonprofit sector and help inform legislators about the critical role nonprofits play in communities across the state.
- CA Grants Portal: We championed the Grant Information Act of 2018 which required the State Library to build a single website platform as a centralized location to find state grant opportunities. We continue to partner with the State Library as they continue to improve this important resource.
