The Next President Will Have Strong Nonprofit Ties
As officials of some 400 rural nonprofit groups gathered last month at the National Rural Assembly’s annual meeting in Washington, they heard from two representatives of the men seeking to become the next president of the United States. Speaking on behalf of Barack Obama, Tom Daschle, the former…
By Rick Cohen
Contributor
How Foundations Can Heal the Housing Crisis
Now that Congress has finally passed legislation to tackle the burgeoning problem of vacant foreclosed properties that were victims of the subprime-mortgage crisis, foundations must answer the question of how best to deploy their billions of grant-making and investment dollars to help solve the…
By Rick Cohen
Contributor
Lawmakers Should Ask Tough Questions About Charity
The first major Congressional hearing on nonprofit organizations held by the House of Representatives since the Democrats took control was supposed to be about asking nonprofit organizations to justify the reasons for their tax-exempt status, especially in terms of what they do to “help the poor…
By Rick Cohen
Contributor
A Nonprofit Agenda for the New Congress
Next month’s elections have the potential to bring about big changes in how Congress acts, especially if the Republicans lose control of the House or the Senate. Nonprofit groups have a major stake in the outcome. Their missions are vitally affected by the conflict in Iraq, the war on terror, the…
By Rick Cohen
Contributor
How to Prevent Politicians From Misusing Charities
Members of Congress, lobbyists, and much of official Washington have been bracing for fallout over the scandal involving Jack Abramoff, the Washington lobbyist who lavished favors on lawmakers and is cooperating with prosecutors after pleading guilty to corruption charges. Politicians have grown so…
By Rick Cohen
Contributor
State Officials Are Trying to Hinder Fund Raising by Advocacy Charities
Assaults on nonprofit advocacy rights don’t always originate on Capitol Hill. More and more frequently, the underpinnings of nonprofit free speech and advocacy rights are under attack at the state and local government levels, where few people notice or mobilize in protest. The efforts are often…
By Rick Cohen
Contributor
House Leader Misuses Charity for Partisan Goals
Tom DeLay, the House majority leader from Texas, and his wife, Christine, have long professed a sincere concern for children. They are foster parents who recently won honors from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for leadership in child advocacy, and since the late1980s the DeLay…
By Rick Cohen
Contributor