Election 2008: White House Candidates’ Views on Charity

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Democrat of New York

On charitable-giving incentives: Wants to provide new benefits for charitable contributions,including allowing people who do not itemize deductions on their tax returns to deduct charitable gifts.

On federal money for religious groups: Supports efforts to encourage religious groups to apply for federal grants to provide social services. Mrs. Clinton has said that “there is no contradiction between support for faith-based initiatives and upholding our constitutional principles.”

On national service: As senator, joined a group of 43 members of the Senate who asked President Bush to increase spending on AmeriCorps, the main federal-service program.

On the president’s role in promoting nonprofit efforts: Told the Nonprofit Primary Project, “It is essential that I, as president, do everything I can to expand the nonprofit sector.” She has proposed holding White House conferences on philanthropy. Would seek ways to help nonprofit groups compete for government contracts and to offer government subsidies to organizations that provide child-care services.

Charity affiliations: Ran a legal-aid clinic for poor people and co-founded Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. Was a board member of Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the Children’s Defense Fund, the Child Care Action Campaign, and the Children’s Television Workshop. Also served on the board of the U.S. Legal Services Corporation, a federal nonprofit program that pays for legal assistance for poor people.

Spouse’s nonprofit interests: Former president Bill Clinton established the William J. Clinton Foundation, in Little Rock, Ark., and created the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund, with former president George H.W. Bush, to aid hurricane victims in the Gulf Coast.

Sen. Barack Obama, Democrat of Illinois

On federal support for charities: Proposes creating a Social Investment Fund Network. The fund would distribute both government and private money to charities working on innovative projects dealing with issues that have been identified by cities as priorities — crime prevention or education, for example — and help expand successful ones to other regions.

Would also create a Social Entrepreneurship Agency within the Corporation for National and Community Service, with a mission to improve coordination of federal programs that support nonprofit groups, foster nonprofit accountability, streamline processes for getting federal grants and contracts, and remove barriers that hinder smaller groups from participating in government programs.

On national service: Proposes to more than double the size of AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps, and to create a national online network to connect volunteers with opportunities. Would offer tax credits to pay up to $4,000 in college tuition for students who do 100 hours of community service per year and would encourage younger students to volunteer at least 50 hours per year.

Charity affiliations: Directed the nonprofit Developing Communities Project, a program for poor Chicago neighborhoods. Headed Illinois Project Vote, which helped register African-American and low-income voters in Cook County. Served as a board member of the Joyce Foundation, which works on environmental and economic-development issues in the Great Lakes area. Also a former board member of the Woods Fund of Chicago, which works to increase economic opportunities for people in the metropolitan area.

Spouse’s nonprofit interests: Michelle Obama was the founding executive director of Public Allies-Chicago, a charity that receives federal money through AmeriCorps and trains people to work at nonprofit groups and become leaders. As an associate dean at the University of Chicago, she developed the university’s first community-service program.

Mike Huckabee, Republican and former governor of Arkansas

On federal money for religious groups: Has said he would enforce so-called charitable-choice laws to allow religious organizations to compete for government support.

On government and charity partnerships: Wants to create new links between schools facing budget shortfalls and nonprofit groups that would provide music and art education and tutors to help ensure that students are reading at grade level. Also wants to find ways for charities to work more closely with local courts and law-enforcement officials to help reduce alcohol and drug addiction.

On national service: Signed the “Presidential Pledge to Expand National Service,” which was organized by a group of former AmeriCorps participants known as ServeNext and which calls for expanding AmeriCorps by at least 100,000 members by 2012.

Charity affiliations: Told the V3 campaign to engage political candidates in discussions about nonprofit issues: “I have a long experience working with nonprofits, first in my capacity as a pastor, and then as a public official.” Chaired an Easter Seals telethon to raise money for those with disabilities, particularly autism. Says that as governor, “I worked closely with Mothers Against Drunk Driving on their red-ribbon campaign. We jointly held a ceremony each year in which we honored the state trooper with the most DWI [driving while intoxicated] convictions. I’ve also worked closely with the Cancer Society, the Friendship Center, Ducks Unlimited, Right to Life, Red Cross, March of Dimes, and the Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Association.” Formerly chaired the Southern Regional Education Board.

Spouse’s nonprofit interests: Janet Huckabee works for the American Red Cross’s Arkansas chapter as program manager for state emergency-management relations. She serves on the board of Habitat for Humanity International and started First Lady Build, a group that involves first ladies from across the country in building homes. She also serves on the Baptist Health Foundation, in Little Rock, Ark.

Sen. John McCain, Republican of Arizona

On charitable-giving incentives: Voted for the Pension Protection Act in 2006, which included several tax incentives for donors, including the ability for donors age 70Z\x to give money from their individual retirement accounts to charity without paying penalties.

On federal money for religious groups: Supports so-called charitable-choice laws, which allow religious groups apply for government grants to provide social services. As a senator, he voted for President Bush’s 2003 proposal to make it easier for religious groups to compete for federal grants.

On national service: Has said he would expand the AmericCorps national-service program. He also supports using more college work-study money for community-service activities. Shortly after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he wrote in The Washington Monthly: “If we are to have a resurgence of patriotic service in this country, then programs like AmeriCorps must be expanded and changed in ways that inspire the nation.”

Charity affiliations: Has donated royalties from his books to charity, as well as earnings from a 2005 movie about his captivity in North Vietnam. His campaign Web site includes a page with a note to “serve a cause greater than our own self-interest” and links to causes Mr. McCain has supported, including America Supports You, an effort to thank U.S. troops, and the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation, which helps families of troops who have been killed in service.

Spouse’s nonprofit interests: Cindy H. McCain founded and ran the American Voluntary Medical Team from 1988 to 1995, which provided medical care to poor children worldwide. She currently volunteers for the Halo Trust, a charity that helps clear land mines. She is also on the board of Operation Smile, an international nonprofit group that fixes facial deformities in children, and is a trustee of CARE, in Atlanta.