Legislative Successes

2023 Policy Wins

FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY SB 242/HB 955

FNA worked on nonprofit transparency for three years to ensure there were fair and transparent rules for Florida’s nonprofits. FNA helped draft and pass SB 242. The bill created clear expectations for nonprofits that receive state funding and ensured there is never another egregious misstep like the one committed by the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The bill was signed by the Governor.

2022 Policy Wins

INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM ACT SB148/HB 7

FNA provided a nonprofit specific training of the law. Nonprofits were given guidance on the new statutory requirements for their employee trainings. FNA also created a webpage with resources on the bill.

HURRICANE IAN RECOVERY

FNA convened Community Foundation CEOs with Senate President Chief of Staff. Foundations were able to secure funding for their communities.

2021 Policy Wins

NONPROFIT TAX EXEMPTION SB1214/HB889

Florida Nonprofit Alliance worked with our member, Selby Gardens, to specify the conditions for retaining the ad valorem exemption of an exempt property. The bills require that revenue derived from the incidental use of the property must support the charitable, religious, scientific or literacy purpose that the property is used for. The bills define the term “incidental use” as any use that is ancillary, supportive or subordinate to the predominant use and include uses by vendors in privity with the applicant. FNA advocated on behalf of the sector and was successful in including Florida nonprofits in the Florida Council of 100’s legislative priorities for 2021.

2020 Policy Wins

COVID-19 PANDEMIC

FNA was front and center for Florida’s nonprofits in the wake of the pandemic. This included:

Creating a re-opening/re-engagement guide
Creating an SBA loans toolkit and share it with all registered nonprofits in the state of Florida through our partnership with Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Reaching out to our Congressional Delegation to share why nonprofits need more relief
Creating a Florida specific sign on letter for Congress and share it with Florida’s delegation to help pass the CARES Act
Conducting three sector surveys and delivering corresponding reports to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the state’s nonprofit sector
Only nonprofit stakeholder represented in the Associated Industries of Florida reopening taskforce

2019 Policy Wins

2020 CENSUS

FNA was the lead voice for Florida’s nonprofits in partnership with Florida Counts and Florida Philanthropic Network. FNA trained nonprofits on the implications on the Census, the new process and the new form. Our efforts were successful in galvanizing many of the state’s hard to count committees and made nonprofits more informed about civic engagement and their role as service providers.

2018 Policy Wins

JOHNSON AMENDMENT

FNA helped preserve the Johnson Amendment in partnership with the National Council of Nonprofits and other state associations across the country. Represented Florida’s sign-on efforts.

CHAPTER 496

FNA helped pass Chapter 496. Charitable organizations and fundraisers that solicit contributions under Chapter 496 are prohibited from commingling charitable contributions with non-charitable funds. Non-charitable funds include any funds that are not used or intended to be used for charitable purposes.

2017 Policy Wins

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF FLORIDA NONPROFITS

FNA elevated public and private stakeholder awareness of Florida’s nonprofit sector with over three dozen presentations on the economic impact of the sector.

2016 Policy Wins

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES SB754/HB643

FNA strongly supported, testified on behalf of, and worked successfully to pass this bill. It enhanced DACS authority to police unscrupulous charities and provides authority for DACS to participate in multi-state and federal investigations of such charities.

LIMITING SALARIES OF EMPLOYEES OF NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SB1672/HB1109

FNA killed the bill which would have capped salaries at any nonprofit receiving state funding of any kind. While we support not-for-profit organizations using appropriate discretion in compensating their employees, we do not believe salaries of nongovernmental entities should be capped by the state, even where state funds are received by such entities.

SENATE RESOLUTION 1746

FNA strongly supported this resolution. It recognized the contributions of the nonprofit sector and the sector’s impact on Florida’s economy. The Resolution was adopted.

2015 Policy Wins

THE SOLICITATION OF CONTRIBUTIONS ACT (“THE CHARITY REFORM LAW”) HB997/SB 1446

Although the law passed in 2014, FNA worked with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services by providing feedback from our members as they created the implementation rules. This bill gives the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services investigative authority and necessary tools to regulate effectively the so-called “uncharitable charities.” This bill passed both Chambers but was vetoed by the Governor.

FLORIDA CHARITABLE ADVISORY PARTNERSHIP

FNA led efforts on the development of the Florida Charitable Advisory Partnership (FCAP). FCAP is a way for nonprofits, and particularly members of FNA, to have their voices heard directly with Florida state agencies on regulations and public policy decisions that impact the charitable sector.

2014 Policy Wins

THE SOLICITATION OF CONTRIBUTIONS ACT SB 638/ HB 629

FNA partnered with Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to help pass the bill. Charitable organizations or sponsors that intend to solicit in or from the state of Florida must register, regardless of whether they are soliciting Florida residents, including those reporting less than $25,000 in donations. The bill empowered the state’s charity regulators to revoke the sales tax exemptions of nonprofits as a penalty for violations of the Solicitation of Contributions Act. It created new audit requirements for nonprofits receiving higher amounts of donations, and created a new annual financial reporting requirement.

2013 Policy Wins

CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS (“CLAWBACK BILL”) HB 95

FNA helped pass the bill. The bill created a statutory defense in the Florida Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act to protect qualified charitable or religious groups against clawback actions that attempt to recover charitable contributions.

2012 Policy Wins

COMPENSATION OF EMPLOYEES SB596

FNA successfully defeated the bill. This bill imposed a salary cap on nonprofit executive compensation which was a government overreach.

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