Turmoil Continues at American University
American University, which fired its president, Benjamin Ladner, after a controversy over his spending and compensation, still faces serious problems. Among them: a federal inquiry into Mr. Ladner’s spending and the impact of the resignation of influential members of its Board of Trustees amid…
By Paul Fain
Contributor
Tax Agency Issues Draft of Charity Tax Form
TAX WATCHThe Internal Revenue Service has released a draft version of a revised Form 990 informational tax return for nonprofit organizations and has asked charities to comment on its ideas. The draft form requires more information from charities about the compensation they pay. Charities would…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
Proposal Would Limit Charitable Deductions
TAX WATCHA presidential advisory committee expects to recommend soon that the government make big changes to the federal tax code -- and eliminate the opportunity for many Americans to take deductions for charitable gifts. The committee was formed by President Bush to advise his administration on…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
‘Harper’s’: Raising Money for Schools
PRESS CLIPPINGSThe growth of private fund-raising groups that raise money for public schools is leading to growing inequality between schools in wealthy areas and those in poor neighborhoods, charges Ellen Zimmerman, a freelance writer, in Harper’s magazine (October). The fund-raising groups, often…
‘Forbes’: Donations of Patents
PRESS CLIPPINGSThe Internal Revenue Service is cracking down on companies that inappropriately claimed charitable deductions for donating “what could be clunker patents,” writes Forbes (October 17). The magazine says the IRS has already denied $1-billion in patent deductions and is auditing another…
‘Alpha’: Donor’s Investment Plan
PRESS CLIPPINGSThe billionaire industrialist Eli Broad wants to double the size of his foundations’ assets in the next three years, in large part by making shrewd investments, writes Institutional Investor’s Alpha magazine (September/October). Mr. Broad, whose fortune is estimated to be…
‘The New Yorker’: Gates Foundation
PRESS CLIPPINGSOverstating the impact of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is nearly impossible, writes The New Yorker magazine (October 24) in a review of the work of the Seattle philanthropy. “The research programs of entire countries have been restored, and fields that had languished for…
House Set to Consider Rule to Restrict Nonprofit Advocacy
Some nonprofit officials are concerned that legislation could soon be proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives to disqualify charities from receiving federal money from a new housing fund if they have lobbied or carried out any other advocacy activities -- such as voter registration -- within…
By Debra E. Blum
Contributor
Investments Rise 8.2% for Health-Care Groups
Nonprofit health-care organizations generated 8.2 percent on their investment assets last year, compared with 14.1 percent the previous year, according to a new report by the Commonfund Institute. The gains correspond to the performance of the stock markets. The Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index…
By Harvy Lipman
Contributor
Relief Groups Say 2005 Disasters Point Out Vital Technology Needs
Washington The field of international relief and development needs to find new ways to use technology to better coordinate disaster assistance, especially between large international groups and small local organizations, charity leaders told participants at a meeting here last week. “Information is…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
Transferring government skills to nonprofit work
Q. I’ve had an extensive career in state and local government, and am looking to move into nonprofit work, specifically with groups that have impact on the lives of people at a local or regional level. I have a lot of experience in program monitoring and planning, grant-proposal writing, and…
By Rebecca Gardyn
Contributor
Nonprofit Groups Devise Ideas for White House Meeting on Aging
Donna Butts, executive director of Generations United, in Washington, says she chuckled when she read the letter telling her she had been named an at-large delegate to the White House Conference on Aging, to be held in Washington in December. “It said, ‘You’re expected to be visionary. You’re also…
By SUZANNE PERRY
Contributor
Passing On a Charity’s Message
Groups find an old method, word of mouth, can create buzzWhen the Center for Constitutional Rights, in New York, sought to get the word out about its Telephone Justice campaign -- an effort to cut the amount families of prison inmates pay for telephone calls made from the state’s correctional…
By Jennifer C. Berkshire
Contributor
Detroit leader encourages black and Hispanic youths to become top-notch classical musiciansDetroit Aaron P. Dworkin remembers how miserable he felt when, as one of the few black members of the Harrisburg ALSO SEE:From Grass Roots to Green SpacesPhotographer’s Images Record the Struggles of…
By nicole lewis
Contributor
An Admiral Gets His Fund-Raising Crew in Line at the Naval Academy
When Stephen Chadwick was a student at the United States Naval Academy, he confesses, he didn’t fully ALSO SEE:DATABASE: The Philanthropy 400Special Report: The Philanthropy 400 appreciate the training and education he was receiving. Although he graduated in 1962 and eventually rose to the rank of…
By Jennifer C. Berkshire
Contributor
Museum Fund Raiser’s Prowess Earns Him Nickname ‘Pickpocket’
Until recently, F. Terry Stent has been called many things, but “pickpocket” was never one of them. Of course, Mr. Stent -- an art ALSO SEE:DATABASE: The Philanthropy 400Special Report: The Philanthropy 400 collector, retired airline pilot, and chief volunteer fund raiser for Atlanta’s High Museum…
By Rebecca Gardyn
Contributor