February 2022

WEBINAR: How to Start a California Nonprofit
Wednesday, February 2 from 1pm-2pm (Pacific)
FREE for CalNonprofits members/$15 for not-yet-members

CEO Jan Masaoka brings a unique blend of humor, personal anecdotes, and practical insights gleaned from helping dozens of nonprofits get their start (and stay thriving!) while also equipping you with a clear roadmap for starting your nonprofit venture in California. Register.

WEBINAR: Accessing Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Wednesday, February 16 from 1pm-2pm
FREE for all

Be sure to attend this webinar to learn more about the PSLF program (and waiver) and how it can help you get your student loan forgiven.You’ll also have an opportunity to have your questions answered by a U.S. DOE representative and will receive guidance on how to navigate the new waiver process. The Student Borrower Protection Center (SBPC) is also co-presenting this webinar and will have a representative on hand to answer your questions. Register and learn more.

HEARING: Joint Select Committees on CA Nonprofit Sector
Thursday, February 17 from 1:30pm-3:30pm

Be sure to tune in as state representatives hold their first-ever joint hearing on the state of the nonprofit sector. “A Blueprint to Ensure Nonprofits are Supported and Thrive During Future Emergencies: An Informational Hearing of CA Senate and Assembly Select Committees on the Nonprofit Sector” will include a host of nonprofit leaders sharing their take on the state of the sector. Watch or listen online and offer public comments during a designated time at the end of the session.

WEBINAR: Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce
Tuesday, Feb. 22 from 3:30pm-4:00pm

CalNonprofits CEO is a featured speaker along with CA State Treasurer Fiona Ma and Jonathan Herrera, director of outreach and education, CalSavers Retirement Savings Program.

Help CalNonprofits refine this working draft!

Just yesterday a major bill in the U.S. Senate was bolstered by the introduction of a counterpart in the House: the Accelerating Charitable Efforts (ACE) Act. We appear to be in a moment when new regulations for private foundations and for donor-advised funds are gaining momentum. The need for philanthropic reform is deeply felt by many community nonprofits, and the California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits) has endorsed the ACE Act and worked for philanthropic transparency and reform in the state legislature.

As the broad movement grows and evolves, we at CalNonprofits are focused on the public policy aspects of how philanthropic organizations are governed. We have drafted "Principles for the Reform of Policies Governing Philanthropy” in the form of a working draft. We have already received useful feedback from several nonprofit and foundation leaders. Please help us improve this draft by sending your comments and suggestions!

We have some great news to share about our collective policy work! A total of eight of the bills we supported are now law, including AB 488 (Irwin). This new law — several years and many stakeholder meetings in the making — provides important protections for online donors and nonprofits receiving online funds.

“This legislation impacts every single person who clicks on that ‘donate now’ button and every single nonprofit that receives funding this way,” said Jan Masaoka, CEO of CalNonprofits. “It may be low-profile but it’s most certainly high-impact and meaningful.”