As the Internal Revenue Service signals that it plans to take a more-aggressive approach ALSO SEE:ARTICLE: IRS Offers Second Chance to Tardy Charities to making sure the nation’s nonprofit organizations are not hoarding or wasting money, numerous charity officials and legal experts are worried…
By Debra E. Blum and GRANT WILLIAMS
American Kidney Fund (Rockville, Md.): Appointed David R. Bobbitt, vice president for institutional advancement at the U. of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (Baltimore), to be managing director of development. American Legacy Foundation (Washington): Appointed Robin Kornhaber, senior vice…
The Nonprofit World: Its Size and Scope
Nonprofit groups are growing faster than the rest of the economy, according to figures released this month by the Urban Institute in Washington. While the U.S. gross domestic product increased by approximately 35 percent from 1995 to 2005, after adjusting for inflation, the revenue of nonprofit…
Alliance for Young Artists & Writers (New York): Appointed Virginia McEnerney, executive director of HeadCount (New York), to be executive director. Alzheimer’s Association (Chicago): Appointed Scott A. Hayman, senior training specialist at Wachovia Mortgage Corporation, based in Los Angeles, to be…
Following are summaries of recent reports by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. This private group reports on whether charities meet standards for fund raising, governance, financial management, and public information. The alliance does not approve or disapprove of charities, and urges potential donors…
Senator Seeks New Regulations for Charities
Washington A key senator wants to give the Federal Trade Commission the power to regulate nonprofit organizations — including penalizing charities that say in their fund-raising appeals they are raising money for a particular cause but devote very little of it to that purpose. The effort by Sen.…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
Sen. Barack Obama, Democrat of Illinois
Photograph by A.J. Sisco/UPI/LandovArts ALSO SEE:Campaign 2008: The Chronicle’s coverage of the 2008 electionProfiles: John McCain and Barack Obama Supports an increase in money for the National Endowment for the Arts. (Backed the proposed $35-million increase for the 2008 fiscal year approved by…
Sen. John McCain, Republican of Arizona
Photograph by Mannie Garcia/Bloomberg News/LandovEducation Believes all federal financial support should be predicated on giving parents the ability to move their children, and the dollars associated with them, from failing schools to ones that meet higher standards. Supports the Troops-to-Teachers…
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Democrat of New York
Photograph by Robyn Beck, AFPArts Co-sponsored the Artist-Museum Partnership Act (S 372) to allow artists to take a tax deduction for the fair market value of the work they donate, rather than just the costs of the materials. Would increase the amount of money awarded to the National Endowment for…
The following awards have been presented for work in advocacy, fund raising, nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, and other areas: American Indians. Native Americans in Philanthropy (Minneapolis) has presented its Louis T. Delgado Distinguished Grantmaker Award to Susan Jenkins, executive director…
Foundation Veteran Trades New York for Campus Life
After leaving behind the soaring skyscrapers of Manhattan for the bucolic lawns of Duke University, ALSO SEE: INFO: About Edward Skloot, director of the Center for Strategic Philanthropy and Civil Society, Duke University Edward Skloot jokes that he’s now “a vertical guy who’s going to have to…
By MARTY MICHAELS
Contributor
Tax Agency Seeks Advice on Key Topics to Consider
The IRS is inviting charities to recommend the “tax issues” that the government should focus on over the next year as it issues guidance to help organizations understand federal law. In Notice 2008-47, the IRS said it hoped the public would offer suggestions for its annual Guidance Priority List…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
IRS Pledges to Educate Charities About Campaigns
The Internal Revenue Service says that in this election year it is making “extensive efforts” to educate nonprofit groups and churches about federal law banning political-campaign activity by such groups. At the same time, the tax agency plans to enforce the law with “a focus on cases involving…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
Senators Seek to Extend Incentives for Charity
Leaders of the Senate Finance Committee have introduced a bill that would renew and extend a key provision on charitable giving that affects donors with individual retirement accounts. Until December 31 of last year, donors age 70 or older were able to transfer up to $100,000 to charity from their…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
How Foundations Can Influence Corporate Decisions This Year
NEW BOOKS Proxy Season 2008: Helping Foundations Align Investment and Mission, offers a guide to forthcoming social and environmental shareholder proposals on which foundations can vote. The publication says that proxy votes, in which investors vote on company policy or governance, can be a tool to…
By Anne W. Howard
Contributor
Report Discusses How to Help Grantees After the Grant Period Is Over
NEW BOOKS The Effective Exit: Managing the End of a Funding Relationship, by Anne Mackinnon and Jan Jaffe, helps grant makers decide when and how to stop supporting a charity’s programs. For example, a grant-making relationship might end because the work is finished, the foundation is shifting its…
By Anne W. Howard
Contributor