‘Business Week’: Gates and Biology
Bill Gates’s avid interest in biology has informed both his investment strategy and his philanthropy, says Business Week (May 5). “My fascination is broadly with biology and the fact that our increased understanding of biology allows for breakthroughs in a broad set of diseases,” Mr. Gates told the…
By Ian Wilhelm and Stephen G. Greene
‘Harvard Business Review’: $100-Billion for Charity
If nonprofit groups took aggressive action to reduce their inefficiencies and cut costs, among other things, they could generate more than $100-billion a year in extra dollars for their charitable programs, says McKinsey & Company, a management-consulting company, in an article in the Harvard…
By Ian Wilhelm and Stephen G. Greene
Charities Venture Into Business
Yale contest draws hundreds of plans for for-profit enterprisesNew York In Washington, a day-care network that has the staff and equipment to prepare far more meals than it needs runs a ALSO SEE:Winners of Yale Business-Plan catering service. Two Minneapolis theaters that own thousands of costumes…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
Prosecuting Fraudulent Appeals
Unanimous court ruling divides charities and state regulatorsWashington A unanimous United States Supreme Court opinion last week that cleared the way for the State of Illinois to prosecute a ALSO SEE:Excerpts of the Supreme Court’s Opinion on Nonprofit Telemarketing Fraud telemarketing company has…
By Harvy Lipman
Contributor
National Service Fraternity Is Among Recent ‘Points of Light’
Following are the people and organizations that have most recently been named to receive President Bush’s Daily Points of Light Award. The Points of Light Foundation, a Washington charity, assists the president in making the choices and carrying out the award program. More information about the…
$50-Million Bequeathed to Cornell
$50-Million Bequeathed to Cornell Two higher-education institutions received large bequests and pledges: The Weill Medical College of Cornell U., in New York, has received a $50-million unrestricted bequest from an anonymous donor. The gift will be used to match donations to the college’s capital…
Proposed Legislation Worries Many Who Attended Meeting of Grant Makers
Dallas Clouds of anxiety hung over the Council on Foundations’ 54th annual conference here last month, as ALSO SEE:Pushing Grant Makers grant makers -- already reeling from steep investment losses -- worried about the possibility of new federal legislation that would force them to give more money…
By Brad Wolverton
Contributor
Donor-Advised Funds Experience Drop in Contributions, Survey Finds
Contributions to many of the largest donor-advised funds fell last year, with Fidelity Investments’ Charitable ALSO SEE:Donor-Advised Funds: Assets, Awards, and Accounts at a Sampling of Big Providers Gift Fund -- the first and largest commercial fund -- for the first time distributing more money…
By Brad Wolverton
Contributor
Two members of Congress want to force foundations to give more to charities annuallyWashington In what could be the most significant federal legislative proposal affecting foundations in decades, a bipartisan pair ALSO SEE:Proposed Legislation Worries Many Who Attended Meeting of Grant Makers of…
By Ian Wilhelm
Contributor
Photograph by Ed KreigerAs a child, Ed Waterstreet did not enjoy seeing the play A Christmas Carol with his family. Deaf since age 2 because of pneumonia, and unable to follow the story line, he felt isolated during the show. Mr. Waterstreet, now 60, resolved to one day to make theater a more…