Court Says New York Community Trust Was Wrong to Redirect Earmarked Money
A New York state court has ruled that one of the country’s oldest and largest community foundations overstepped its authority 28 years ago when it redirected money earmarked for a specific charity to other causes. The decision marks a significant step in a long-running case that has been closely…
By Jennifer Moore
Contributor
A Tip of the Cap to a Commendable Kid
To the Editor: I want to commend 12-year-old Chelsea Karpowicz on her amazing display of compassion and awareness for the world -- and at such an early age as well (“A Crowning Achievement,” The Face of Philanthropy, August 26). I am a 27-year old woman in the prime of her life. I don’t have…
It’s Not Right for Fund Raiser to Cast Aspersions on All Consultants
To the Editor: Hold it one minute, Richard J. Gerber (“Consultants: the Cause of Problems,” Letters to the Editor, August 26). So it sounds like in your 25-plus years as an in-house fund raiser, you’ve run across some consultants who didn’t represent themselves appropriately. But, I’m a grants…
A Matter of Gospel, Not Government Influence
To the Editor: Readers of The Chronicle should not be too dismayed by the September 9 letter of Terrence Scanlon of the Capital Research Center decrying the influence of government money on religiously affiliated charities (“Beware the Effects of Government Funds on Charities”). They should note…
Rural Areas Need Philanthropic Support
To the Editor: In a recent Chronicle editorial, Pablo Eisenberg called for redrawing the map of philanthropy to insure a more balanced share of philanthropic assets for the nation’s underserved regions (“Redrawing the Map of Philanthropy,” Opinion, September 9). We in the South have 34 per cent of…
Making an Impact on the Internet
To the Editor: As president of the Markle Foundation, I appreciate Mark R. Kramer’s kind words about our leadership in making a commitment to invest $100-million over the next three to five years to help build the public interest into the Internet (“Markle’s Bold Bid Leaves Some Big Questions,”…
Gates: Rare Wisdom For a Neophyte Giver
To the Editor: In a year, Bill Gates has gone from being criticized for his lack of philanthropy to being a member of the Andrew Carnegie league of philanthropists. And for a neophyte in the field, he seems to have begun with uncommon wisdom. Research into immunizations for diseases common in poor…
How Donors Can Keep a Lid on Charity Costs
Donors often claim to be concerned about the fund-raising costs of the charities they support. But by their actions, donors earn for themselves a good share of the blame. Take the issue of unwanted mailings and other seemingly endless solicitations. Everyone has experienced some variation of…
By PUTNAM BARBER
Contributor
Foundation ‘Fat Cats’ Get More, but They’re Loath to Give More
To the Editor: The ironies of life continue to amuse -- and, at times, to anger. Case in point: The leaders of many private foundations (overseers of coffers that brim with Wall Street riches) are squawking about proposals to require them to pay out 6 per cent of their assets annually rather than…
It’s Time to Rein In the Power of the Biggest Donors
Although the stated purpose of this week’s White House conference on philanthropy is to explore ways to “sustain and expand” the American tradition of giving, the event’s organizers would be well served to also explore how the growth of philanthropy is contributing to the demise of democracy. The…
By Barbara Dudley
Contributor