Public Policy Committee
Roles and Responsibilities
The Public Policy Committee is comprised of individuals who represent the various constituency
groups that comprise the organization’s membership. Its roles and responsibilities are to:
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Review, formulate and recommend positions for the organization to take on public
policy issues;
Establish an annual legislative agenda;
Encourage and support members’ efforts to build relationships with policy makers and
impact public policy issues at local, state and federal levels;
Provide a forum in which policy issues may be addressed and discussed by grantmakers
of all types;
Assist with the planning of public policy programs for the membership; and
Provide oversight and advice to the staff on other public policy issues.
Public Policy Committee members will also guide the expansion of policy activities, helping to
generate issues and speakers for the Issues Forum and to identify key policy topics for special
briefing papers. Additionally, Committee members will be invited to host occasional regional
meetings that provide legislative updates and engage local leaders from philanthropy, business,
media, and policy maker communities in public policy discussions.
The Committee meets three times a year or more often as the need arises.
Guiding statements adopted by the Board:
Statement 1: Support public policy that encourages the growth of foundations & corporate
giving programs. The organization supports tax policy that provides incentives to establishing
foundations, donor advised funds and corporate giving programs.
Statement 2: Support public policy that encourages charitable giving. The organization supports
the role that tax policy plays in encouraging and structuring gifts that support nonprofit
organizations and communities.
Statement 3: Support reasonable and effective public accountability of the philanthropic sector.
The organization supports full enforcement of existing state and federal regulations that ensure
that the philanthropic sector operates legally and ethically.
Statement 4: Build a knowledgeable and supportive community of public policy makers for the
advancement of the interests of the philanthropic sector.
Source document developed by Ohio Grantmakers Forum