Foundations and the Press: Forging Better Ties
Buried in the mammoth spending bill signed by President Clinton last month was a small provision that requires foundations to make their tax returns more accessible to the public. Many observers see such increased accountability as a positive development. But in reality, it may not do much to…
By LESLIE LENKOWSKY
Contributor
Social-Support System Discourages People From Saving Money
To the Editor: As a mother with a master’s degree who has lived near, at, or below the poverty line since having children and choosing to stay home with them, I chuckled when I read “A Saving Grace for the Poor” by Paul Demko (September 10). I have two children, ages 5 and 3, the youngest of whom…
The Costs of Making Grants: Well Worth It
Foundation critics, be careful what you wish for. Many critics not only want foundations to be required to spend more than 5 per cent of their assets each year on grants; they also argue that foundations’ costs to carry out their grant programs should not count toward meeting that requirement. The…
By Charles S. Rooks
Contributor
Democracy Center Needs to Look Hard at Itself
To the Editor: Thank you for the well-balanced reporting of the recent developments at the Center for Living Democracy (“Media and Advocacy Group Aided by Foundations Suffers Employee Exodus,” October 8). In my experience as director of the Living Democracy Learning Center from April 1997 to…
Another Way Charities Can Put the Web to Work
To the Editor: In “Charities Put the Web to Work,” The Chronicle correctly points out that the Internet is much more than “brochureware.” As with the for-profit sector, the non-profit sector is progressing in its use of the Internet. At GuideStar (http://www.guidestar.org), we have gathered data on…
Charities Must Lead Push for Unified Regulations
Most members of the American public believe that charities are closely regulated, solicitations are carefully scrutinized, and the interests of donors and those being served are well protected. They are mistaken. It isn’t that America’s non-profit groups lack for overseers -- or for forms to fill…
By PUTNAM BARBER
Contributor
Don’t Take a Simplistic View of Cause Marketing
To the Editor: Irving Warner makes several important points about cause-related marketing and the need for non-profits to proceed carefully in this increasingly important arena of resource development (“Marketing Deals Shouldn’t Be Child’s Play,” Opinion, September 24). However, while conveying the…
‘Progressive Philanthropy’ Should Cast a Wider Net
The progressive movement in philanthropy may soon find itself on the “reject” pile of history if it continues to embrace politically correct standards that most Americans would find laughable. One recent example of this is a study of “progressive grant making” that was released in September by the…
By Michael H. Shuman
Contributor
IRS Opinions ‘Open Door’ for Tribal Philanthropy
The Internal Revenue Service has given American Indian philanthropy a lift in two opinions that it issued to an organization that works with tribes. In the first opinion, the I.R.S. said that an organization created by a tribe under the tribe’s law on corporations could qualify as a foundation or a…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
United Way Will Fight Order to Pay Ex-Chief $2.4-Million
United Way of America owes millions of dollars in pension benefits to its former president, William Aramony, who is now serving time for defrauding the charity, a federal judge has ruled. ALSO SEE:The full text of the court’s ruling U.S. District Judge Shira A. Scheindlin in New York said that Mr.…
By Stephen G. Greene
Contributor