Two California Foundations Plan to Merge Next Year
By Harvy LipmanTwo large California community foundations have agreed to merge, forming a new organization that will rank among the five wealthiest community funds in the nation. The boards of the Community Foundation Silicon Valley, in San Jose, and the Peninsula Community Foundation, in San…
By Harvy Lipman
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New Restrictions on Charities, Donors Passed by Senate Committee
By Harvy LipmanThe Senate Finance Committee last month passed a series of measures designed to encourage greater accountability among donors and nonprofit groups. Among the key elements: Donors who try to inflate the value of their charitable gifts would face tough new penalties, and small…
By Harvy Lipman
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Foundation Investments Grew by 8% in 2005, New Study Finds
The endowments of the nation’s foundations achieved an 8.1-percent gain on their investments last year, according to an annual study by the Commonfund Institute. That represents the second consecutive year in which foundations’ investments grew at a lower rate than the previous year. In the 2004…
By Harvy Lipman
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Most Colleges Keep Mum on Holdings
Two-thirds of the nation’s colleges and universities do not make public the holdings in their endowments, according to a survey by the Sustainable Endowments Institute, in Cambridge, Mass. The institute, a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisers, also found that nearly three-quarters of the…
By Harvy Lipman
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Regulators Offered Access to Charity Financial Figures
By Harvy LipmanGuideStar is developing a new online service designed to make it easier for government regulators to check on the financial performance of nonprofit groups. The new section of GuideStar’s Web Site, to be called gov@GuideStar, will allow subscribers to search for information contained…
By Harvy Lipman
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Congress Mulling Disclosure Rules for Lawmakers’ Charities
By Harvy LipmanThe House of Representatives has voted to stiffen the rules for disclosure of donations to charities created or controlled by members of Congress. However, some lawmakers and charity lobbyists are urging Congress to go a step further, saying that more needs to be done to avoid abuses…
By Harvy Lipman
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Nonprofit Groups Urged to Adopt Investing Guidelines
Thirty-four government pension funds, religious groups, and other large institutional investors from 16 countries, controlling more than $2-trillion in assets, have joined together in an effort to ensure that companies pay greater attention to environmental and social issues. The organizations…
By Harvy Lipman
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Money for Capital Needs Is Often Scarce, Study Finds
By Harvy LipmanNonprofit groups are having a difficult time coming up with the investment capital they need, according to a new study by the Johns Hopkins University. Charities face trouble not only raising funds for traditional capital expenses, like buildings and computer equipment, but also for…
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Techniques Activists Use to Influence Corporations
By Harvy LipmanAs nonprofit groups seek shareholder support for resolutions designed to force a company to make changes ALSO SEE:Article: Meshing Proxy With MissionStatistics: Stock-Investment Policies at the 50 Wealthiest Private FoundationsArticle: Fund’s Investment Portfolio Reflects Its…
By Harvy Lipman
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Fund’s Investment Portfolio Reflects Its Charitable Mission
By Harvy LipmanFor the trustees of the Needmor Fund, entry into the world of socially responsible investing began with an unexpected ALSO SEE:Article: Meshing Proxy With MissionStatistics: Stock-Investment Policies at the 50 Wealthiest Private FoundationsArticle: Techniques Activists Use to…
By Harvy Lipman
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