Government Affairs Update: Take Action to Support Music in Our Schools and Ways You Could Lose Tax-Exempt Status

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. 

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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.

ACTION: Support Music in Our Schools

As a proud member of the Music Education Roundtable, Chorus America is encouraging all members to take action in support of federal legislation that strengthens students’ access to high-quality school music programs.

Two key pieces of legislation need your support:

Guarantee Access to Arts and Music Education (GAAME) Act of 2026

Music In Our Schools Month Resolution of 2026

Reintroduced this Congress by Representative Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), the GAAME Act of 2026 incentivizes the use of existing federal Title I funds to expand access to music and arts education for disadvantaged and low-income students, delivered by certified educators. The bill amends the Elementary and Secondary School Act (ESEA) to encourage Title I funds to be used to:

• Increase the number of certified music and arts educators
• Purchase instruments, sheet music, and other equipment
• Provide professional development for certified music and arts educators
• Expand access to sequential, standards-based music and arts programs

👉 To take action, visit the National Association for Music Education’s Alert here.

ACTION: Ask Your Legislators to Join the Bipartisan Philanthropy Caucus

The Association of Fundraising Professionals has released an action alert to help citizens urge their members of Congress to join the bipartisan Philanthropy Caucus. As previously reported, the Philanthropy Caucus was relaunched in early December 2025 by Representatives Blake Moore (R-UT) and Danny K. Davis (D-IL).

The Caucus promotes policies that strengthen America’s communities and the philanthropic and charitable sectors by supporting and expanding tax incentives for charitable giving, protecting the ability of foundations, individuals, and businesses to give back, and advancing public and private partnerships that empower and drive local impact. The Caucus also seeks to inform Members of Congress and their staff about the contributions, work, and role of foundations in communities across the country.

👉 Take action and learn more here.

How to Lose Your Tax-Exempt Status Without Really Trying

The most common way for a 501c3 organization to lose its tax-exempt status is by failing to file its annual reporting forms. The following is an excerpt from the IRS document, How to Lose Your Tax-Exempt Status Without Really Trying.

Annual reporting obligation: While 501(c)(3) public charities are exempt from federal income tax, the Internal Revenue Code requires most of these organizations to report certain information annually. This reporting requirement, fulfilled by completing one of the Form 990 series of returns, verifies that the organization continues to qualify for exemption and informs the public about the organization’s programs and operations. The Pension Protection Act of 2006 added a provision for automatic revocation of an organization’s tax-exempt status if it fails to file a required annual information return for three consecutive years. In June 2011, the IRS enforced this provision for the first time by publishing a list of approximately 275,000 organizations that lost their tax-exempt status for failing to meet their annual filing obligations for three consecutive taxable years.

Resource:  Chorus America frequently receives questions about what kinds of advocacy are permissible for a 501c3 organization. To address this common question, the organization created the short video Yes, Your Chorus Can Advocate! as a resource outlining the do’s and don’ts of advocacy, lobbying, and more.

While many groups are concerned about advocacy and lobbying limits, it is important to remember that tax-exempt organizations are far more likely to have their status revoked for failing to file Form 990 annually.