Charities are natural environments for hiring committees, she says, because they promote joint decision making
By Alison Stein Wellner
Contributor
Will ‘Venture Philanthropy’ Leave a Lasting Mark on Charitable Giving?
A new humility marks venture philanthropists today, a far different attitude than a few years ago, when the venture-philanthropy approach swept the foundation world with revolutionary momentum, challenging philanthropists to emulate its tenets or languish in the hopelessly ineffective backwaters of…
By Mark R. Kramer
Contributor
Catholic Donors Don’t Give Blindly
To the Editor: Peter Frumkin’s commentary on Catholic donors in Boston (“Sex Scandal Puts Onus on Catholic Donors to Demand Change,” April 4) sets up two choices for them -- either unchanged giving habits and therefore paying “for the criminal acts of its [the archdiocese’s] workers,” or demanding…
Unusual Gifts: Donors Need to Be Mindful of Tax Rules
To the Editor: Your article on unusual gifts (“Treasure Trove or Trash Bin?,” April 4) omits discussion of a key issue. If a donor contributes personal property to a public charity, he or she may deduct the fair market value of a donated object only if it would produce long-term capital gain if…
Revise the Property-Tax Exemption
Most states grant property-tax exemptions for charities, wisely or not. The list is long: Many of us are born in tax-exempt hospitals and are buried in tax-exempt cemeteries. At a time when cities and states are struggling to balance their budgets, however, lawmakers should take a hard look at…
By Richard D. Pomp
Contributor
Think Tanks Share Similar Names but Not Views on Living Wage
As organized labor, church groups, and activists continue to pound the pavement for so-called ALSO SEE:Paying a High PricePay-Raise Activists Buoyed by Growing Support From Big Foundations living-wage laws, nonprofit research groups continue to pound one another over the effectiveness of…
By Michael Anft
Contributor
Text of Senator’s Letter to Federal Officials
Following is a letter sent by Sen. Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, to the heads of the U.S. Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service. Via Regular Mail and Facsimile: DOJ 202-514-4507; IRS 202-622-5756The Honorable John D. Ashcroft
Text of Senator’s Letter to the FTC
Following is a letter sent by Sen. Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, to the head of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Via Regular Mail and Facsimile: 202-326-3585The Honorable Timothy J. Muris
Charity Standards Proposed by Watchdog Group Are Deeply Flawed
When the BBB Wise Giving Alliance proposed new guidelines earlier this year aimed at improving charities’ ALSO SEE: Failing the Test accountability and performance, it moved far from the Better Business Bureau’s traditional role as a consumer watchdog. In so doing, the alliance is trying to cover…
By Dan Prives
Contributor
The Full Story: Grant Making Is Up
To the Editor: In “Foundation Assets Sag” (April 4), your assertions aren’t supported by your research. Your own data show that in 2001, when markets were down for a second year in a row, 53 percent (73) of the 138 large foundations in your survey reported increases in grants paid. Total grants…