The Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff reportedly used a Jewish nonprofit organization, Toward Tradition, as a conduit for money in an attempt to influence a top aide of Rep. Tom DeLay, who was House Majority Leader at the time, reports the Forward. Using a $50,000 donation from two of Mr.…
Three dollars from each $35 ticket sold for the new Gray Line Hurricane Katrina Tour will go to charitable groups helping New Orleans to recover, reports The Christian Science Monitor. Greg Hoffman, vice president of Gray Line of New Orleans, is hopeful that the tours will aid the city’s rebuilding…
The philanthropist Sidney E. Frank died Tuesday, at age 86, reports The New York Times. Mr. Frank, who was Brown University’s biggest donor, was head of the Sidney Frank Importing Company and was well-known for his successful marketing of Grey Goose vodka. He donated $100-million in scholarships to…
Pat Mitchell, president of the Public Broadcasting Service, has been named president of the Museum of Television & Radio, reports the Associated Press. The museum, with locations in New York and Los Angeles, was founded in 1976 to collect television and radio programs for public access. Ms.…
Taking Disaster Response Seriously
Foundations are expected to provide rationality and solutions to the major challenges of our time, but they have failed when it comes to dealing with natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies. It is not that they have failed to invest, though perhaps they have not invested enough. The real…
By Terrence R. Meersman
Contributor
Gates Foundation Executive to Become President of CARE
After five years fighting HIV and AIDS in Africa and India as a top executive of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Helene D. Gayle will soon be working to defeat global social ills in a very different role. Last month Dr. Gayle was appointed president of CARE, an international aid charity in…
By Ian Wilhelm
Contributor
Tax Agency Blocks Improper Vehicle Deductions
After discovering that some charities are providing donors of automobiles and other vehicles with incorrect receipts that allow contributors to claim overly generous charitable deductions, the IRS has taken steps to block the practice. Under a law that took effect last year, a donor’s income-tax…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
IRS Uncovers Problems with Charity Pay, Benefits
Many charities have violated federal tax law by providing improper benefits or excessive pay to top officials, according to a review of nonprofit organizations by the Internal Revenue Service. In the review of more than 1,800 charities, the IRS uncovered substantial loans to charity executives and…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
Lawmakers Delay Action on Tax Legislation
Congress has put off for several weeks a final decision on key tax legislation that many nonprofit organizations have sought to cut down on abuses of charity tax laws and encourage charitable giving. A conference committee of members of the Senate and House of Representatives is expected to meet in…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor