Growth in Donated-Goods Programs Worries Some Long-Time Recipients
For decades, donations of clothing, appliances, and other goods were the province of just a few non-profit organizations, including Goodwill Industries and the Salvation Army. But in recent years, many more charities have started to seek such gifts as a way to survive amid increased competition for…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
Some Charities ‘Turn Heaps Into Hope’ for the Needy
Many people who donate cars to charity are surprised to learn that the vehicles are usually sold to dealers rather than given to people who need them. But several charities do solicit car donations not merely to raise money but also to help needy people reach the next rung on the ladder toward…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
For most children living in the nation’s capital, life on a farm is a foreign concept. It’s a good thing, then, that Hard Bargain Farm, located along the Potomac River in Accokeek, Md., is just minutes from the Capital Beltway. The working farm, which is owned and operated by the Alice Ferguson…
Donated Cars: a License for Abuse?
Programs invite tax fraud and profiteering, officials say Every day, when state Sen. Patrick Johnston drives to and from the California State Capitol in Sacramento, his blood pressure rises as he listens to radio ads urging listeners to donate their old cars to charity and get a tax break. He is…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
Following are summaries of recent reports by the National Charities Information Bureau. That private organization reports on whether charities meet standards for fund raising, governance, financial management, and public information. The organization does not approve or disapprove of charities, and…
Following is a summary of bills introduced in Congress that are of interest to non-profit organizations. Copies of bills may be obtained from members of the House of Representatives (Washington 20515) or from Senators (Washington 20510). They may also be obtained through the Internet. The…
American Library Association (Chicago): Appointed William R. Gordon, director of the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System (Hyattsville, Md.), to be executive director. Anna Jaques Community Health Foundation (Newburyport, Mass.): Appointed Anthony DeSpirito, executive director of the…
All the Way to the Bank: Smart Money Management for Tomorrow’s Nonprofit By Susan Kenny Stevens and Lisa M. Anderson Non-profit organizations should not be so preoccupied with raising funds that they neglect the assets already in their charge, assert the authors of this book. Ms. Stevens, founder…
By C. Quinn Hanchette
Contributor
New Financial Data on Grant Makers and Rankings of Foundations
The Foundation Center has issued the 1998 edition of The Foundation Directory, which provides information on 8,642 foundations. Of the 1,021 foundations never previously listed in the directory, the biggest is the California Endowment, in Woodland Hills, which was created after Blue Cross of…