Medical-Aid Charity Gets Hilton Award
An international medical-aid organization that sends physician volunteers to provide medical care to victims of war, civil strife, epidemics, or natural disasters in more than 80 countries has received the 1998 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize. Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres…
By Stephen G. Greene
Contributor
Canadians Spar Over Who Should Decide What Constitutes a Charity
The question of which organizations qualify for charity status -- and who should decide -- is a hot topic in Canada’s non-profit world. Currently, those decisions are made in the Ministry of National Revenue by Revenue Canada, the federal agency (like the Internal Revenue Service) that registers…
By Stephen G. Greene
Contributor
A Crossroads for Canadian Charities
As demand for services rises, so does debate on regulations and ethics Canada’s non-profit world is debating how best to govern and police itself to meet the challenges of the next century. In meetings across the country, Canadians are offering their opinions on questions ranging from what…
By Stephen G. Greene
Contributor
‘American Demographics’: Finding Wealthy Donors
The most generous donors to charity do not necessarily live in the wealthiest neighborhoods, says an article by a non-profit researcher in American Demographics (August), a business magazine that tracks consumer trends. By comparing giving data from the United Way with estimates of charitable…
By Debra E. Blum and Stephen G. Greene
‘Wild Earth’ Magazine: Saving Untamed Places
Private donations in the past century have helped shield from development more than 100 million acres in the United States as national parks or wilderness areas -- and such action is needed now more than ever, says Wild Earth (Summer) in a collection of articles on what it calls “wildlands…
By Debra E. Blum and Stephen G. Greene
Fidelity Gift Fund Modifies Guidelines to Appease Critics
A popular grant-making charity established by Fidelity Investments has reacted to concerns about potentially abusive practices by refining its guidelines. Earlier this month, Fidelity’s Charitable Gift Fund informed donors that it would no longer approve gifts to private foundations or to foreign…
By Stephen G. Greene
Contributor
State Associations Draft Ethical Standards to Bolster Trust in Charities
In the past decade, scandals in the non-profit world have left many organizations seeking guidance about what constitutes ethical behavior. Non-profit associations in several states have been grappling with that issue, hoping to increase public confidence in charity while also providing benchmarks…
By Stephen G. Greene
Contributor
Researchers Spar on Question of How Much Americans Give to Charity
The elusive answer to the question of how much money Americans give to charity is at the core of a flap involving teams of researchers who study that problem. Two scholars at Boston College have concluded that the average U.S. household gave more than $1,000 to charity in 1995 -- the latest year…
By Stephen G. Greene
Contributor
Treasury Weighs Foundation Payout Rule — or Does It?
Was it a revelation -- or a misunderstanding? At a seminar last week on non-profit organizations and the government, a top Treasury Department official suggested that his agency is prepared to re-examine the rules mandating that private foundations distribute at least 5 per cent of their investment…
Income Increases 11% for Top British Charities
The 500 British charities that raise the most in private donations saw their income grow to 4.4-billion pounds ($7.2-billion) last year -- a gain of 11 per cent from 1996 after adjusting for inflation, says a new report. The study suggests that British charities are enjoying renewed gains after…
By Stephen G. Greene
Contributor