Merger of Jewish Groups Fails to Meet Expectations, Report Finds
Five years ago, three major Jewish groups folded themselves into a new organization that became the 20th century’s largest nonprofit merger. A new report by two independent scholars says that the organization created out of the merger, United Jewish Communities, has failed to live up to…
By DEBRA NUSSBAUM COHEN
Contributor
NAACP Disputes Timing of Audit, Refuses to Turn Over Records to IRS
Washington The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has refused to provide the Internal Revenue Service with documents and other information it needs to audit the organization, saying the tax agency overstepped legal bounds last year when it started an investigation of the…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
Tax Agency Declines to Create Separate Charity Database
As Congress and others step up their scrutiny of charities, many lawmakers, watchdog groups, academic researchers, and others are disappointed that the Internal Revenue Service has decided not to set up a database that will make it easy for the public to gather data in the informational tax returns…
By Harvy Lipman
Contributor
Boy Scout Council Denies Padding Enrollment as FBI Investigates
A Federal Bureau of Investigation examination of an Alabama Boy Scout council has put the spotlight on a rumor that has long circulated about the Boy Scouts: that some local affiliates of the national charity pad their membership rolls to make paid Boy Scout recruiters look good and to coax more…
By Debra E. Blum
Contributor
Housing Group Fires Its Founder
Habitat for Humanity’s staff, volunteers divided by departure of charity’s leaderFor nearly 30 years, Habitat for Humanity has called on people to pick up hammers and help construct homes for the poor. But this month, an ad hoc group of Habitat volunteers calling themselves the Habitat Partners…
By BRENNEN JENSEN
Contributor
President’s plan would increase role of religious groupsWashington President Bush last week put into concrete terms his vision of compassionate conservatism. In the 2006 ALSO SEE:TABLE: The Nonprofit World and President Bush’s Budget: Key Proposals spending plan he proposed to Congress last week he…
By Harvy Lipman
Contributor
Percentage of Americans Who Volunteer Is on the Rise
By Sharnell Bryan Fifty-seven percent of American adults volunteered for a charitable cause in 2004, an increase of 9 percentage points over the proportion that volunteered in 2003, according to a new survey. The survey was commissioned by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a nonprofit…
By Sharnell Bryan
Contributor
Grants Shaped Evangelical Movement
Politically conservative foundations have helped to increase the influence of religion in U.S. politics by giving millions of dollars to evangelical Christian nonprofit organizations, says a new report by the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, a liberal group in Washington that seeks…
By Ian Wilhelm
Contributor
U. of Notre Dame Gets $40-Million; Other Gifts
Four institutions have received big gifts: John W. Jordan II has donated $40-million to his alma mater, the University of Notre Dame, in Indiana. Mr. Jordan, who said the university could use the gift for any purpose, is the founder of the Jordan Company, a private investment firm in Chicago, and…
U.S. Relief Charities Bring In $745-Million for Tsunami Victims
American relief charities have raised more than $745-million to help victims of the deadly earthquake and tsunamis in South Asia. While several of the largest international aid groups have stopped soliciting funds, they continue to receive donations. The American Red Cross has raised…
By Ian Wilhelm
Contributor