Poll Finds Public Supports Corporate Giving
A majority of Americans expect corporations to help solve social problems through charitable donations and other efforts, according to a new poll. The report says 77 percent of Americans believe that “companies have a responsibility to help support causes.” An even larger percentage -- 92 percent…
By Ian Wilhelm
Contributor
Charities Must Demonstrate They Protect Donors’ Privacy
The American Civil Liberties Union has generated a major controversy within its ranks by conducting undisclosed research on donors and potential donors. The situation has already sparked an investigation by the New York State attorney general that could have serious implications not just for the…
By HENRY GOLDSTEIN
Contributor
For years, the Council on Foundations has failed to provide any serious leadership to the foundation world, preferring instead to pander to the narrow self-interest of the less-than-enlightened grant makers who dominate the organization. The announcement last month by the council’s chief executive…
By PABLO EISENBERG
Contributor
Big Charities Have Lost Their Way
As the number of charities has exploded in the past decade, it has become clearer than ever that the nonprofit world is dominated by two very different types of organizations that increasingly have little more in common than their tax-code status. One set comprises the big organizations that…
By WILLIAM SCHAMBRA
Contributor
Leader of Foundation Umbrella Group Announces Plans to Retire This Year
Washington
By Ian Wilhelm
Contributor
Court Ruling Could Influence Restrictions Donors Place on Bequests
A Pennsylvania court’s decision to allow a nonprofit organization to disregard a key part of its founding donor’s instructions could have repercussions for charities, as donors decide how best to ensure that their philanthropic intentions are honored over time. The court ruled last month that the…
By Debra E. Blum
Contributor
What the Youth Vote Really Meant
To the Editor: Debra Blum accurately describes the massive increase in voting this year, and especially the record-high turnout of youth. (“Charities Bask in Record Voter-Turnout Numbers, Weigh Next Steps,” November 25). But she adds that “young Americans’ share of the total vote stayed about the…
Small Charities Don’t Need More Regulations
To the Editor: As a nonprofit “leader” on the local level, I was concerned to see that The Chronicle showcased the opinion of Trent Stamp of Charity Navigator in the first part of the article, “Election 2004: What Nonprofit Leaders Want” (November 11). The statement that nonprofits are in need of…
Columnist Made Wrong-Headed Attack
To the Editor: Pablo Eisenberg’s condemnation of the National Council of Nonprofit Associations’ position on self-dealing presents a clearly misinformed misrepresentation of our position (“Have Nonprofit Groups Lost Their Integrity?,” Opinion, November 11). In his piece, Mr. Eisenberg stated that…
Solving the Nonprofit Leadership Crisis Will Take Much Work
Nonprofit organizations and foundations suffer from a critical lack of leadership. The top executives of too many organizations lack vision, courage, a collaborative instinct, and intellectual rigor. While a few promising new leaders have begun to make their mark, their ranks are much too thin to…
By PABLO EISENBERG
Contributor