Two Months After Operation Lion’s Roar, Aid Rules for Nonprofits Still Unpublished
More than two months after the end of Operation Lion’s Roar, the standards for nonprofit compensation have still not been published, leaving the sector waiting weeks, and possibly months, for the promised aid. On May 4, the Knesset approved, in its second and third readings, the compensation framework for businesses and for civil society groups, including nonprofits and not-for-profits.
Under the plan, nonprofits with their own revenue and a drop of more than 25% in turnover can file claims with the Tax Authority, like businesses. A separate pool of 38 million shekels was allocated for organizations that depend on donations and government support, but the rules for accessing that money have not been released.
Ravit Gross, CEO of the umbrella group Civic Leadership, said the delay amounts to “structural discrimination” against the weakest populations. In a letter to Deputy Accountant General Yehoshua Reznik, she wrote that while businesses can already apply for compensation and even receive advances, the mechanism for civil society organizations has not yet opened. She said small and medium-sized nonprofits are being forced to absorb cash-flow pressures while continuing to serve people who rely on them most.
Gross warned that organizations are being pushed to cut activity, freeze programs, and even close essential services. She argued it is unacceptable that compensation sums were already approved in primary legislation but are not reaching organizations because of bureaucratic delays, administrative holdups, or disputes between government bodies.
Reznik replied that the Finance Ministry had been working on the support test during the legislation process, in coordination with Civic Leadership, to speed things up. A draft was published for public comment on May 5 for one week. But he said the final call for applications will only be issued after approval from the Justice Ministry and after proper budget allocation. The main reason for the delay, as far as is known, is a lack of staff to review the expected applications.
