General Powell’s Charity Gets Mixed Reviews From Non-Profit Leaders
When Gen. Colin Powell agreed to chair last year’s Presidents’ Summit for America’s Future in Philadelphia, he made it clear that he wanted to also lead the toughest part of the battle: getting companies, government agencies, and charities to make good on the promises they made to help needy…
By Holly Hall
Contributor
Association of Fund Raisers Appoints New Chief Executive
The National Society of Fund Raising Executives has named Paulette V. Maehara as its new chief executive officer, effective June 1. Ms. Maehara is currently chief executive of the Epilepsy Foundation. One of her first challenges at the society will be to replenish the financial reserves of the…
By Holly Hall
Contributor
Group Calls for Modest Cut in Gift-Annuity Payout Rate
Charities should reduce slightly the payout rates offered to donors of gift annuities, an influential organization of planned-giving experts recommended last week. Noting that interest rates, on which annuity payouts are based, are relatively low, the American Council on Gift Annuities suggested…
By Thomas J. Billitteri
Contributor
Postal Service Announces Price of Fund-Raising Stamp
The U.S. Postal Service has announced that it will charge people 40 cents to buy a first-class postage stamp to raise money for breast-cancer research. Seventy per cent of the money remaining after the post office covers its costs of designing and marketing the stamp will go to the National…
Guggenheim Gets Pledge of $50-Million; Other Gifts
A trustee of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, in New York, has pledged $50-million to the institution’s foundation. Peter B. Lewis, chairman of the Cleveland-based insurance company Progressive Corporation, had promised $10-million in 1995 to refurbish the museum’s theater and to endow educational…
At a Glance: National Philanthropic Trust
Purpose: Established in 1996 by the Pitcairn Trust Company in Jenkintown, Pa., to help donors give cash and appreciated assets to charity. Donors to the non-profit trust -- which is set up much like a community foundation, although it does not focus on any one geographic region -- can take a tax…
Charitable Fund With Commercial Ties Seeks Its Niche in Philanthropy
In the early 1990s, Robert and Sandra Kantor of Sun Valley, Idaho, began looking for a simple way for Robert’s parents to convert about $1-million of their assets -- including some real estate -- into tax-deductible dollars that would be channeled to charity. His parents were particularly…
By Debra E. Blum
Contributor
Cross-Country Tour-Bus Driver Among 14 Honored as ‘Points of Light’
Following are the people and organizations that have most recently been named to receive President Clinton’s daily “Points of Light” award. The awards, which are given to those who have done exemplary volunteer work, take their name from President Bush’s description of people who do community…
Report Says Giving in Connecticut Is Too Low
While Connecticut has the nation’s highest per-capita income, it ranks 36th in charitable giving per person, a new study by an organization of grant makers has found. Using data from federal tax returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service, the report said that among state residents who itemized…
Hotel Sale May Help 2 Family Foundations
Two family foundations in Portland, Ore., stand to receive an estimated $90-million infusion from the sale of a hotel owned by the funds’ founders. After the sale is completed on April 21, 80 per cent of the proceeds from the sale of the Claremont Hotel and Resort, in Berkeley, Cal., will go to the…