Organizations Would Use Electronic Filing, Study Finds
Nearly three-quarters of charities probably would file their Form 990 informational tax returns electronically if the Internal Revenue Service gave them the opportunity to do so, according to a survey. If electronic filing were available, 73 percent of charities would be “very” or “somewhat” likely…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
Walton Family Fund Pledges $300-Million to U. of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas has received a $300-million commitment from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation, which was created by Sam M. Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart stores, and his relatives. The grant is the largest single donation awarded by a private source to a public university…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
High turnover of fund raisers causes big problems at charitiesIn January, Rebecca Brown started her fourth fund-raising job in a decade. Each time she has moved, ALSO SEE:Training Tools (and Toys) Help Nonprofit Group Retain Fund Raisers she says, she has increased her salary by $10,000. But the…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
Tax-Exempt Organizations Registered With the IRS
More than 850,000 charities and private foundations were registered with the Internal ALSO SEE:Tax-Exempt Organizations Revenue Service as of September 30, 2001, according to figures just released by the tax agency. The number of groups classified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
Group Releases Figures on Charity Deductions
By Elizabeth Schwinn Using statistics from the Internal Revenue Service, RIA -- a tax information publisher -- has calculated the average deductions for charitable contributions taken in 1999 by taxpayers in seven tax brackets: Income Average contribution 1999 $35,000-49,999 $1,758 $50,000-74,999…
By Grant Williams and Elizabeth Schwinn
IRS Keeps Watch on Relief Charities
Amid concern over how charities responding to the September 11 terrorist attacks may be spending donations, the Internal Revenue Service has sent a letter to the groups to say it is keeping tabs on them. “In light of the considerable funds contributed for September 11 disaster relief and the…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
Reducing Postal Costs: Tips From Experts
As postage rates continue to rise, veteran fund raisers advise nonprofit groups to “mail smarter": ALSO SEE:First-Class Struggle for Charities Take advantage of U.S. Postal Service discounts and focus mailing lists more effectively to raise as much money as before with mailings to fewer people. The…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
First-Class Struggle for Charities
Soaring postal rates put pressure on fund-raising solicitationsDisabled American Veterans expects its annual postage bill to rise by about $1-million when the ALSO SEE:Reducing Postal Costs: Tips From Experts U.S. Postal Service’s third rate increase in 18 months takes effect June 30. The Cold…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
Write-Offs: Environmental Group Accused of Lobbying, and IRS Releasing Donation Lists
A conservative organization wants the IRS to strip an environmental group of its tax-exempt status, charging that the group’s advocacy efforts amount to political lobbying, which is sharply restricted for groups organized under section 501(c)(3) of the tax code. The group, the Center for the…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
Revenue Service Increases Fees
The IRS has raised the fees it charges charities for key rulings and applications this year (Revenue Procedure 2002-8, Internal Revenue Bulletin 2002-1). Tax-exempt organizations seeking private-letter rulings from the government on how to handle complex legal issues, or how to get official…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor