Government Affairs Update: Advocating for Your Organization

The political landscape in Washington, DC continues to evolve daily. Chorus America needs to hear from you: How are the federal government’s actions affecting your work? All stories of specific impact are welcome. Please share your experience here. Thank you to those members who have already shared their stories with us. 

Visit our Government Affairs Resource Page for more tools.

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These government affairs updates are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended as legal advice. Nonprofit arts organizations should consult with legal counsel for guidance specific to their circumstances.

Elected Officials Need to Hear from the Choral Field

Choral organizations across the United States continue to navigate complex and stressful challenges, with significant uncertainty around:

• funding sources and levels (public and private)
• the ability to tour domestically and perform safely
• the ability to hold concerts while ensuring the safety of all involved
• the ability to engage foreign artists and performing groups
• rising healthcare costs
• increased scrutiny of tax-exempt organizations
• and more

Elected officials cannot fully understand how federal policies are affecting the choral field unless these experiences are shared. Members of Congress regularly reference constituent stories in committee hearings and markups and rely on those stories to inform and defend their positions.

Advocacy Is Legal for Tax-Exempt Organizations

Under IRS guidelines, tax-exempt organizations may engage in an unlimited amount of advocacy, provided the issues are mission related. Advocacy includes communicating with elected officials about how issues affect an organization or its community, providing bipartisan public education and disseminating bipartisan research.

Tax-exempt organizations may also engage in lobbying by asking legislators to vote a specific way, so long as lobbying does not constitute a “substantial” portion of the organization’s overall activities. Learn more on the IRS website’s resource, “Exempt Organizations Technical Guide TG 3-1 Overview, Applications, Exemption Requirements – IRC Section 501(c)(3)”

Tax-exempt organizations may not engage in electioneering. Electioneering includes supporting or opposing political candidates or parties. Organizations must remain bipartisan and neutral in the election process. Learn more on the IRS website’s resource, “Political Campaigns and Charities Ban on Political Campaign Intervention Course.”

Individuals, acting separately from their organizations, may freely express personal views and participate in elections. When communicating with elected officials in an individual capacity, it is sufficient to note that the views expressed are personal and not made on behalf of an employer or organization.

Reach Out to Elected Officials

• Contact information for elected officials at all levels of government is available at: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials
• Communication may occur by phone, email, or by requesting an in-person meeting
• Personal stories (shared by individuals or on behalf of choral organizations) help illustrate how federal policies affect lived experience. Perspectives may be positive, negative, or neutral; all are valuable and informative
• Experiences may also be shared with Chorus America staff at:  [email protected] or [email protected]

Representative democracy depends on a continuous exchange between citizens and their elected officials, not only through voting, but through the communication of lived experience.