Public Policy & Advocacy

One of Michigan Nonprofit Association's primary goals is to help policymakers better utilize the vast resources of Michigan’s nonprofit community.

MNA Public Policy Priorities

Michigan Nonprofit Association's public policy efforts are affiliated with the Council of Michigan Foundations and are guided by the MNA Public Policy Committee and the MNA Board of Trustees. Specifically, MNA:

  1. Educates policymakers and the media on issues impacting Michigan nonprofits;
  2. Advocates on behalf of the Michigan nonprofit sector on public policy issues that impact all nonprofits;
  3. Engages nonprofits in advocacy by providing organizations with the tools and resources necessary to be effective advocates and lobbyists; and
  4. Promotes research on the sector by locating and summarizing research relevant to nonprofits, and encouraging research. 

In terms of legislation, MNA protects the interest of Michigan nonprofits by:

  1. Supporting tax-incentives for charitable giving to Michigan nonprofit organizations.
  2. Opposing legislation that would limit the ability of nonprofit organizations to communicate and interact with elected or appointed officials.
  3. Supporting legislation that would continue funding of national service programs.
  4. Supporting legislation that exempts sales and use tax from the contribution portion of fundraising sales by charitable organizations.
  5. Supporting legislation that enhances volunteerism and the ability of Michigan citizens to contribute their time and talents to community service.
  6. Supporting legislation that works to eliminate fraudulent nonprofit fundraising.
  7. Carefully monitoring and actively engaging in the growing debate over changes in the federal income tax system, to preserve and encourage federal tax policies that support charitable contributions to and enhance the voluntary activity in the nonprofit sector.
  8. Seeking to influence and monitor legislation action and the regulatory activities of state and federal agencies that have a monitoring function over the nonprofit sector.
  9. Monitoring legislation that would regulate nonprofit conversions.
  10. Monitoring and opposing legislation and initiatives on a local, state and federal level that jeopardize the property tax exempt status of nonprofits.

Policy News

Get the latest legislative news that impact Michigan's nonprofit sector. Topics include health care reform and more. Click here for more information.

Action Center

Join the Michigan Nonprofit Association Advocacy Action Network and receive periodic email updates which provide specific instructions on how to reach out to your elected officials regarding issues impacting Michigan's nonprofit sector. Click here for more information.

Public Policy & Advocacy Resources

Click here for more information on public policy and advocacy resources.

Michigan Nonprofit Caucus

The Michigan Nonprofit Caucus is a bipartisan, bicameral forum through which lawmakers can collaborate on legislative and regulatory issues impacting charities and foundations in Michigan. The purpose of the Caucus is to enhance the ability of Michigan's nonprofit organizations to achieve their missions on behalf of those they serve and the resources they protect. To accomplish this goal, the Caucus will monitor and take a leadership role on legislative issues that impact Michigan's nonprofit sector and serve as a resource for information on the sector for their fellow legislative colleagues. Click here for more information on the Michigan Nonprofit Caucus.

Southeast Michigan Public Policy Council

Since the implementation of term limits in 1997, it has become more imperative to educate policymakers, the media and the general public on issues that impact nonprofits from the local level. However, the state of Michigan lacks the capacity to engage the local nonprofits to educate policymakers, the media and the general public on issues that impacts the livelihood of all Michigan's nonprofits. The Southeast Michigan Public Policy Council acts as a bridge from MNA and its public policy committee to the thousands of nonprofits throughout Southeast Michigan to civically engage local nonprofits to help shape public policy for the benefit of all Michigan nonprofits and the communities they serve. Click here for more information.
Metro Detroit Office
28 W. Adams, Suite 1500
Detroit, MI 48226
313.394.1980
Lansing Office
1048 Pierpont Dr, Suite 3
Lansing, MI 48911
517.492.2400