Online forums about charity offer advice and discuss controversies Albert Ruesga is not being flip when he invokes images of torture to describe his blog, White Courtesy Telephone. He’s dead serious. Mr. Ruesga, who started White Courtesy Telephone in March as an online forum about philanthropy, is…
By PETER PANEPENTO
Contributor
Alliance for Children and Families (Milwaukee): Appointed Undraye Howard, executive director of My Home, Your Home (Milwaukee), to be director of consultation and leadership development. Alzheimer’s Services of Cape Cod & the Islands (Hyannis, Mass.): Appointed Alisa M. Galazzi, director of…
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…
The IRS audited 7,079 nonprofit organizations in the 2006 fiscal year, which ended September 30, an increase of 40 percent over the previous year, according to a statement from Internal Revenue Commissioner Mark W. Everson. “These results show we are taking important steps to combat abuse in exempt…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
In a new book, scholar Joel Fleishman urges foundations to ‘open their doors.’
By Suzanne Perry
Contributor
Educational Offerings Focused on Philanthropic Work
Q. Is there a list of schools in the United States that offer continuing education, short courses, or executive programs in different facets of philanthropy? A. Unfortunately, there is not yet one “master list” that compiles all educational courses in every field of philanthropy. However, the…
By Rebecca Gardyn
Contributor
The following awards have been presented for work in advocacy, fund raising, nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, and other areas: Community development. The Fannie Mae Foundation (Washington) has announced its 2007 James A. Johnson Community Fellows, which honor people who promote…
A Business Executive Takes the Helm at a Breast-Cancer Charity
When Hala Moddelmog was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001, she encountered a medical landscape far different from that faced by patients 20 years ago. Thanks in part to organizations like the Susan G. Komen ALSO SEE: TEXT: About Hala Moddelmog, chief executive officer, the Susan G. Komen Breast…
By Caroline Preston
Contributor
Bits: GuideStar Providing Free Seven-Day Trial for Federal Workers
GuideStar, an organization that creates reports on nonprofit groups based on the informational tax returns they file and other data, is providing a free, seven-day trial of one of its key online tools to federal workers who want to make a donation through the government’s annual charity drive.…
By PETER PANEPENTO
Contributor
Young Filmmakers Use Web to Teach About Global Issues
Believing that stories are the most powerful teachers, the nonprofit group Curriki, in Washington, has enlisted 15 filmmakers in developing countries to produce short narrative videos designed to help students learn about strife and poverty across the globe. Each of the two- to five-minute pieces —…
By Sam Kean
Contributor
Fund Spends $50-Million to Study Technology
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, in Chicago, wants to know how video games, the Internet, instant messaging, cellphones, and other tools of the digital age are changing the way young people learn and relate to one another. And it is spending $50-million over the next five years to…
By PETER PANEPENTO
Contributor
Web Voters Pick Historic California Site
The National Trust for Historic Preservation this fall asked Internet users for a little grant-making advice. During September and October, members of the public could vote for their favorite of 25 historic sites in the San Francisco Bay Area to help determine how $1-million in preservation grants…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
Changing American Attitudes: the Pull of Advertising
McGruff the Crime Dog, Rosie the Riveter, and Smokey Bear have become American icons. They also show how creative advertising can help charities communicate their message and change people’s behavior, according to the organizers of “Ads Matter: Celebrating Advertising & Social Impact,” an exhibit…
By Caroline Preston
Contributor
Cities Take Many Approaches to Valuing Tax-Exempt Property
City and county assessors across the country take a range of approaches toward placing a value on tax-exempt property. Assessors in New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, and several other major municipalities say they spend the same amount of time and effort ALSO SEE:ARTICLE: The Value of a Tax…
By Harvy Lipman
Contributor
Charities in the nation’s big cities receive at least $1.5-billion a year in property-tax subsidiesSprawled across 110 acres of the Santa Monica Mountains, offering views of the Pacific Ocean and downtown Los Angeles, the Getty Center ALSO SEE: ARTICLE: Cities Take Many Approaches to Valuing…
By Harvy Lipman
Contributor
As Democrats take control, charities expect gains and lossesThe shift in control of Congress has changed the political landscape for charities: They are far less likely to face new regulations that govern their operations — and they will also have a tougher time persuading Congress to pass any new…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor