Lawmakers Propose Changes for American Red Cross
Sen. Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, has proposed legislation to revamp the American Red Cross and make it easier for government officials to investigate the organization, a move that follows widespread criticism of the charity’s response to recent disasters. The measure — which would be…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
Older People Lead Jump in Volunteerism, 30-Year Study Finds
By Noelle Barton Volunteerism rates have exploded in the past 30 years, especially among older Americans, according to a new analysis ALSO SEE: Table: Where Americans Volunteer: How Popularity of Causes has Changes, 1989-2005 Table: Percentage of Americans who Volunteer, by Age of data on unpaid…
By Noelle Barton
Contributor
Charities employ 7.2% of the nation’s workers — and are adding to their ranks faster than other employersCharities employ 7.2 percent of the nation’s work force and have added paid jobs at a much higher rate ALSO SEE: Table: Where Nonprofit Jobs Are -- And How They Grew, 2002-4 Table: Percentage of…
By SUZANNE PERRY
Contributor
Average Donation by Individuals Fell in 2006
Eighty-three percent of American adults say they have contributed to charity during the past 12 months, although their average donations fell to a total of $1,220 last year from $1,352 in 2005, according to a new poll by The Wall Street Journal Online and Harris Interactive. Donors were most likely…
By SUZANNE PERRY
Contributor
Nearly Half of Large Foundations Shun Unrestricted Grants, Study Finds
By Ian WilhelmDespite a growing call for foundations to pay for charities’ operating costs, most grant makers prefer to support specific charitable programs, says a new report. Forty-nine percent of foundation leaders said they are more inclined to make grants solely to support programs, while 16…
By Ian Wilhelm
Contributor
Donations to Victims of 2004 Asian Tsunamis Topped $3-Billion
Individuals, corporations, and foundations in the United States donated $3.16-billion to help victims of the December 2004 South Asian tsunamis, according to a new study by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. Most of that money came from individuals, with 25 percent of American…
By SUZANNE PERRY
Contributor
Baby Boomers Say They Are Stepping Up Their Donations to Charitable Causes
Baby boomers said they planned to give 25 percent more to charity last year than they did in 2005, with an average donation of $6,000 — higher than that of any other generation, according to a new survey by the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund. The survey found that boomers — people born from 1946 to…
By SUZANNE PERRY
Contributor
Philadelphia Groups Raise Millions of Dollars to Keep a Masterpiece in the City
Many Philadelphians are still angry over the recent decision by board members of Thomas Jefferson University to sell a famous 19th-century American painting to two museums outside the city. Feelings have remained high even after local nonprofit organizations, donors, and foundations last month…
By PETER PANEPENTO
Contributor
Many People Want Business to Increase Aid to Society
Major American corporations have made strides in responding to the public’s calls for them to do more to become ALSO SEE: Table: Corporate Good Works: How They are Viewed by the Public “good corporate citizens” — through their philanthropy, employment practices, and general operations — a new…
By BRENNEN JENSEN
Contributor
D.C. Theater Receives $35-Million From Two Trustees; Other Gifts
Thirteen institutions have received big gifts: Arena Stage, in Washington, has received $35-million from Jaylee Montague Mead, a retired associate chief of the Space Data and Computing Division at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, in Greenbelt, Md., and her husband, Gilbert D. Mead, a retired…