More Scrutiny of Charities Expected, Regulators Told
Growing questions about the recent actions and responsibilities of boards of deeply troubled U.S. banks and companies will eventually also be directed at nonprofit organizations and their leaders, an expert on governance matters told the annual meeting of the National Association of State Charity…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
President Bush Signs Tax-Break Provisions Into Law
Several key tax breaks designed to help donors and volunteers have been signed into law by President Bush as part of the bill Congress passed this month to provide a $700-billion rescue package for the nation’s financial system. The legislation allows people older than age 70 1/2 to channel up to…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
Demand for Assistance Is on the Rise, Social-Service Groups Say
As the economy slows, social-service charities across the country are busy responding to what leaders call dramatic and unprecedented increases in demand for help. The slowing economy, a rising unemployment rate, spikes in food and fuel costs, and the decline in the housing market have…
By BRENNEN JENSEN
Contributor
Churches Protest Politicking Ban
The Alliance Defense Fund promised free legal support to more than 30 churches that agreed to challenge the federal ban on political speech in sermons last month. But the alliance, a Scottsdale, Ariz., nonprofit group that argues cases on behalf of Christian causes, may come under scrutiny from the…
By Eric Kelderman
Contributor
Charities Stand Ready With Policy Advice
When Sen. Barack Obama announced more than a year ago that he would like to spread to other cities the model used by a New York charity to fight poverty, his chances of winning the Democratic nomination for president were far from certain. Today, the Illinois senator is not only his party’s…
By SUZANNE PERRY
Contributor
Considering New Federal Agencies With a Nonprofit Focus
When Sen. Barack Obama pledged last winter to create a Social Entrepreneurship Agency, the Democratic presidential nominee re-energized a long-running debate over how the federal government should support nonprofit groups. Mr. Obama says a new agency, housed within the Corporation for National and…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
Donors Wrestle With Uncertainty Over Tax Proposals and Troubled Economy
A California donor might speed up his real-estate gift to a hospital, worried that if capital-gains taxes are raised under a new presidential administration, he would be less well off at the end of the transaction. In Texas, a donor is slowing his plans to create a multimillion-dollar trust to…
By Debra E. Blum
Contributor
Government and Charities: Views of the White House Candidates
Sen. John McCain On national service: Would create a White House Service to America office to streamline national-service efforts, hold “volunteerism summits” where people could share information about effective programs in their areas, and get more students participating in the Federal Work-Study…
As signs continue to indicate that the crisis in the nation’s financial markets will spill over into a full-blown recession, stock-market volatility and the credit crunch are hitting foundations and charities in myriad ways. Initially, the market’s plunge primarily affected investment returns at…
By Ben Gose, Ian Wilhelm and Paula Wasley
The presidential contenders, John McCain and Barack Obama, have a strong affinity for public service, generating optimism among nonprofit leaders that they will find a sympathetic ear in the White House no matter who wins on election day. Both senators, for example, have promised to expand…
By SUZANNE PERRY
Contributor
THE ECONOMIC TURMOIL has touched large and small nonprofit organizations alike, cutting into the value of endowments, hampering fund raising, causing cutbacks in grants and programs, and making it difficult for many to meet their budgets. TAX RULES are always a consideration in raising money for…
In his new book, The Art of the Turnaround, Michael M. Kaiser, president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, writes about his experiences helping to revive troubled arts organizations. He says the specific approaches an organization should follow differ, but that 10 basic rules…
By Michael M. Kaiser
Contributor
American U. (Washington): Appointed Thomas J. Minar, special assistant to the president at Roosevelt U. (Chicago), to be vice president of development and alumni relations. American Urological Association Foundation (Linthicum, Md.): Appointed Sarah Elder, senior director of philanthropy operations…
Employees Who Earned More Than Their Organization’s Chief Executive
Related article: Executive Pay Outpaces Inflation
Differences in Pay for Men and Women in Top Charity Jobs
Related article: Raises for Female Executives Match Those for Men, but Pay Gap Persists
Center for Public Justice (Annapolis, Md.): Announced the retirement of James Skillen, president, effective October 1, 2009. Charity Navigator (Mahwah, N.J.): Appointed Ken Berger, chief operating officer of Jawonio, a charity in New City, N.Y., that provides services to people with disabilities,…