Dear Friends and Supporters,
A budget and tax bill is quickly making its way through the United States Congress. As a supporter of arts & cultural nonprofits, we believe it needs your urgent attention and outreach to your congressional representatives.
This proposed legislation, as written, could have a significant and harmful impact on the nonprofit community that works day in and day out to provide Utahns with human services, arts and cultural experiences, education, resources, and events that enhance our quality of life.
What’s at Stake
The bill (detailed at the above link on page 380 of 389) includes a provision that would allow the executive branch to revoke a nonprofit’s 501(c)(3) status without due process, and without clearly defining what could place a nonprofit in jeopardy of revocation.
To quote the National Council of Nonprofits, this provision would give “unprecedented authority to the Executive Branch to revoke tax-exempt status from charitable nonprofits without due process or basic protections.” This threatens not only Utah Film Center’s ability to operate—but also the work of our peers in the nonprofit sector across the country.
This bill also proposes to increase the tax on income earned by private foundations through their endowments, a tax that will go to the federal government instead of our communities.
This will likely limit the size and number of grants available to nonprofits that support vital resources like food banks and other human services, educational programs, veteran affairs, humanities, and arts and cultural opportunities. This is especially alarming given the recent cuts to nonprofit grantors, such as the National Endowment of Arts and Humanities and the Institute of Museums and Libraries.
Take Action Now
Alongside our colleagues at the National Council of Nonprofits and Utah Nonprofit Association, we urge you to contact your Congressional Representatives as soon as possible and ask them to:
- OPPOSE granting unprecedented authority to the executive branch to revoke nonprofit status from organizations without due process;
- OPPOSE new or expanded taxes on nonprofit organizations, including private foundations;
- SUPPORT and EXPAND tax incentives for charitable giving.
Contact your representative:
Representative Moore – district 1 – (202) 225-0453
Representative Maloy – district 2 – (202) 225-9730
Representative Kennedy – district 3 – (202) 225-7751
Representative Owens – district 4 – (202) 225-3011
At this critical moment, it is important to ensure that our values are reflected in policy, budget, and tax bills that could have enduring implications.
Why It Matters
For over two decades, Utah Film Center has provided Utahns with access to high-quality film events, including Through The Lens; Films Without Borders; Black, Bold & Brilliant; Utah Film Circuit; Rural Utah Tour; Tumbleweeds Film Festival for Kids; Summer Outdoor Film Series at Liberty Park; and Utah Queer Film Festival.
We also provide free media arts education workshops and resources to 42 out of 42 Utah school districts, offer professional development for educators, maintain a free digital library of teaching resources, and support local artists and filmmakers. Our programs serve nearly 30,000 Utahns throughout the state each year.
Our ability to do this work depends on our 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, which allows us to raise funds from public and private partners. Because of that support, all film screenings are free or a pay-what-you-can-afford model to ensure accessibility for all.
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit is a tax-exempt organization dedicated to serving a public benefit. As part of our commitment to transparency and accountability, we abide by operations and activities that fall within the IRS-defined qualifying purposes and undergo a financial audit each year.
Now is the time to protect the sector that strengthens our communities. This is a time of education and advocacy. We play an important role in contributing to the well-being of communities throughout Utah. Thank you for standing in solidarity with us and our fellow nonprofits who rely on 501(c)(3) status to help make Utah, and America, a vibrant, equitable, and culturally rich place to live.
In great appreciation,
The Utah Film Center Team
