The Red Cross’s new limitations on governance get mixed reviews Members of Congress praised the American Red Cross for its plan to revamp its governance structure — the first major change in almost 60 years — following criticism of the charity’s response ALSO SEE: TEXT: Key Governance Changes at…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
$75-Million Donated to College; Other Gifts
Nine institutions have received big gifts: Westmont College, in Santa Barbara, Calif., has received an anonymous gift of $75-million to complete construction projects on its campus. The college plans to add four major buildings: an arts center, a chapel, a residence hall, and a science building.…
By Anne W. Howard
Contributor
Giving by the Wealthiest Americans
HOW DONORS WOULD CHANGE GIVING IF THE ESTATE TAX WERE REPEALED Stay the same 56.1% Somewhat increase 15.8% Dramatically increase 13.7% Don’t know 5.8% Somewhat decrease 3.9% Not applicable 3.0% Dramatically decrease 1.6% HOW DONORS WOULD CHANGE GIVING IF NO TAX BREAKS WERE AVAILABLE Stay the same…
Tips on how to create a development office.
Q. My college has always relied on our wealthy founder and his foundation to support it financially, but we are now starting a development office to raise money. Can you suggest some free resources - or point me toward some real-world examples of other small colleges that have started development…
By Rebecca Gardyn
Contributor
How do I explain gaps in my resume?
A carefully crafted cover letter, explaining the facts and circumstances, will usually suffice.
By Rebecca Gardyn
Contributor
A Skateboard Legend’s Half-Pipe Dreams
On a crisp, sunny morning here, a dozen or so teenagers in baggy jeans do their best to defy gravity. At a newly built skateboard park, they zip through the gray-white hills and valleys with abandon, the soft rolling sound of their rubber wheels punctuated by the occasional crash of a failed ollie…
By Ian Wilhelm
Contributor
A Guru of Grass-Roots Fund Raising Takes On a New Role
Kim Klein had planned to spend her life counseling parishioners, not grass-roots nonprofit groups. But ALSO SEE: Info: About Kim Klein, Former Publisher of the Grassroots Fundraising Journal while studying to become a Methodist minister 30 years ago, Ms. Klein volunteered at a shelter for battered…
By nicole lewis
Contributor
Legal Guide Shows Nonprofit Groups How to Participate in the Election Process
NEW BOOKS Nonprofits, Voting & Elections: A Guide for 501(c)(3) Organizations on Non-Partisan Voter Participation and Education, outlines how charities can get involved in the electoral process without breaking the law. The Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network publication lists the activities…
By Anne W. Howard
Contributor
Lawmaker Challenges College-Sports Exemption
In the latest salvo in what appears to be a growing interest on Capitol Hill in an investigation of college athletics, a congressman has asked the National Collegiate Athletic Association to justify the tax-exempt status of big-time sports programs. That request came in a letter to the…
By Paul Fain
Contributor
Nonprofit Groups Accused of Violating Tax Laws
Five conservative nonprofit organizations may have violated federal tax laws by helping the Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a Senate report says. The report by the Democratic staff of the Senate Finance Committee said that the organizations abused their tax-exempt status by laundering money and…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
How charities can gain entry to employee-giving programs
Q. I’d like to align my charity with some employee-giving programs at corporations. Can you point me to some advice on such programs, and how best to approach corporations? A. Many corporations run campaigns that allow workers to support charities, often through payroll deductions. In some cases,…
By Rebecca Gardyn
Contributor
The following awards have been presented for work in advocacy, fund raising, nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, and other areas: Human services. The Caring Institute (Washington) has announced the recipients of its 2006 National Caring Awards, which honor people who have worked to improve the…
Database Offers Information on Federal Grants, Contracts
A new Web site features a searchable database of federal grants and contracts. FedSpending was created by OMB Watch, a government-watchdog organization, which says it started the site after years of frustration at not being able to get information about the money spent by the federal government.…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
Web Site to Help Companies Improve Disaster Aid
Companies played an important role in relief efforts after the South Asian tsunamis and Hurricane Katrina. Now a new Web site hopes to encourage even more business involvement. The Partnership for Disaster Response — a committee formed by the Business Roundtable, an association of 160 corporate…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
Network for Good Hits $100-Million Mark
Online donations through Network for Good, a giving portal that allows donors to contribute to any charity in the country, hit the $100-million mark on September 3 — and the Bethesda, Md., organization has published an analysis of those gifts. Network for Good says the total amount given through…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
Web Campaign Raises Money for Darfur
MySpace, the Los Angeles company that runs the social-networking Web site, is spearheading a campaign to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Darfur and money for relief efforts. Rock for Darfur will feature more than 20 concerts in cities across the country on October 21. Participating…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor