Britain’s Largest Charities Face Slowdown in Private Donations
Income growth among Britain’s largest charities slowed significantly during the past two years, according to a new report. What growth occurred was fueled much more by an increase in grants from government agencies than by a rise in private donations. The country’s 500 largest charities saw their…
By Stephen G. Greene
Contributor
Following are summaries of recent reports by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. This private group reports on whether charities meet standards for fund raising, governance, financial management, and public information. The alliance does not approve or disapprove of charities, and urges potential donors…
By Stephen G. Greene
Contributor
Barnes Audit Details Management Troubles
An extensive audit of the Barnes Foundation, made public this month, reveals details of some of the financial and management troubles in the past decade that helped deplete the art institution’s endowment. The foundation, housed in an estate in suburban Philadelphia, is seeking a court’s permission…
By Stephen G. Greene
Contributor
Nature Conservancy Revises Several Policies in Wake of Criticism
The Nature Conservancy is altering several of its policies that have drawn criticism recently on Capitol Hill and in the news media, and is enlisting a group of outside advisers to recommend additional changes. A series of articles last month in The Washington Post focused attention on several…
By Stephen G. Greene
Contributor
Many grass-roots environmental groups struggle even as big organizations gain supportWhen Ken Cook envisioned what his organization, the Environmental Working Group, would be doing this ALSO SEE:Special Report: Charities and the EconomyGRAPHS: How Giving Fared During Hard Times decade, he thought…
By Stephen G. Greene
Contributor
Online-Donation Group Shuts Its Doors
Some major corporations and United Ways have been scrambling to fill the gap created by the sudden ALSO SEE:Online Donations Make GainsOnline Fund Raising: A Sampling of How Charities Are FaringOnline Giving Rose at Many Big CharitiesCharities Say Legitimate Mailings Have Been Blocked by Spam…
By Stephen G. Greene
Contributor
Red Cross Disaster Fund Falls Below $5-Million
The American Red Cross says its disaster-relief fund has declined precipitously, and it is appealing for donations to replenish it. The fund’s balance has plunged from $68-million last year to just $5-million today, not even enough to cover the estimated $8-million cost of current relief efforts in…
By Stephen G. Greene
Contributor
Federal Trade Commission Joins 34 States in Crackdown on Fund-Raising Fraud
The Federal Trade Commission and charity regulators in 34 states have begun a campaign to crack down on fraudulent fund raising. “Operation Phoney Philanthropy” is aimed at people who gull donors into contributing to charities supposedly set up to benefit police or firefighters and their families,…
By Stephen G. Greene
Contributor
Nonprofit Employment Is on the Rise Around the Globe, Study Finds
Nonprofit groups in 35 countries employ the equivalent of about 40 million full-time workers, including some 22 ALSO SEE:Nonprofit Share of Work Force, by CountryWhere Nonprofit Groups Around the World Get Their MoneyCountries With Highest Percentages of Employees in Key Nonprofit Fields million…
By Stephen G. Greene
Contributor
‘Business Week’: Gates and Biology
Bill Gates’s avid interest in biology has informed both his investment strategy and his philanthropy, says Business Week (May 5). “My fascination is broadly with biology and the fact that our increased understanding of biology allows for breakthroughs in a broad set of diseases,” Mr. Gates told the…
By Ian Wilhelm and Stephen G. Greene