Spam Filters Snag Charity Messages, Study Finds
A new study of 40 nonprofit organizations found that at least one in five e-mail messages sent over seven months was misclassified as spam. Mindshare Interactive Campaigns, a company in Washington, used five accounts to subscribe to e-mail lists maintained by 40 nonprofit organizations. The company…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
Health-Care Costs Rise Quickly for Many Charities, Study Finds
The cost of providing health benefits to employees has been rising fast for many nonprofit groups, according to a new report by the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Civil Society Studies. More than 60 percent of the 250 organizations in the study said their health-benefit costs had increased…
By Lauren Kafka
Contributor
Tax Agency to Stress Audits of Charities
As part of a stepped-up effort to monitor nonprofit organizations, the Internal Revenue Service plans to develop a statistical approach to determining which groups are most likely to have committed fraud or financial abuses and therefore should be audited, says Martha Sullivan, the head of the tax…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
IRS Gives Approval for New Kind of Gift
The Internal Revenue Service has approved a new type of charitable gift that allows donors to take an immediate tax deduction for the contribution while retaining the ability to oversee how the money is invested in the charity’s behalf. According to the ruling issued by the revenue service, donors…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
Charity Efforts to Overhaul Operations Examined
Although most charities agree on the importance of spending time and money on technology upgrades, long-term planning, and other efforts to help an organization run more efficiently, “donors and boards often underestimate the need for capacity building during hard times,” writes Paul Light, a…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
Senators Ask for Suggestions to Shape Nonprofit Legislation
With Congressional concern about nonprofit groups deepening, the Senate Finance Committee has asked Independent Sector to assemble a national panel of nonprofit experts to recommend legislative actions to help stamp out abuses at charities and foundations. In a letter that leaders of the Finance…
By Brad Wolverton
Contributor
Charities find that small rewards or even a simple ‘thank you’ can have a big impact on employee moraleThe Julia Porter Award may not be as prestigious as the Oscar, Emmy, or Tony, but to one of this year’s ALSO SEE:Nonprofit Staying Power winners, it doesn’t get much better. Mary Anne Beddome, a…
By Rebecca Gardyn
Contributor
Long-term charity employees say mission is one reason they remainKate Hillas stayed in the same job for 20 years and says she rarely got bored. Ms. Hillas, 50, who retired ALSO SEE:A Show of Appreciation in June as head of development at the Madeira School, a private girls’ school in McLean, Va.,…
By Cassie J. Moore
Contributor
Keeping Office Chat About Politics Civil — and Separate From a Charity’s Public Work
IN THE TRENCHES By Peter Panepento During most election years, partisan politics are rarely discussed in the lunchroom or hallways of the United Way of Erie County, in Pennsylvania. But not this fall, says R.J. Zonna, the organization’s vice president of campaign. These days, employees are spending…
By Peter Panepento
Contributor
When you’re just starting out, talk about your organization with everyone you meet.
By Rebecca Gardyn
Contributor
Preparing for a Nonprofit Career
To focus your goals, consider taking a self-assessment test to help you understand your strengths and skills.
By Rebecca Gardyn
Contributor
Before you can market yourself as a grants professional, you need to develop credibility and a track record.
By Rebecca Gardyn
Contributor
As part of a Congressional investigation into alleged ties between charities and terrorist organizations, the Senate Finance Committee plans to hold a hearing -- possibly as early as next week -- on terrorism financing. Earlier this year, the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees nonprofit…
By Elizabeth Schwinn and Brad Wolverton
AARP (Washington): Appointed Harry Moody, senior associate at the International Longevity Center (New York), to be director of the office of academic affairs, and Betsy Sprouse, a development manager at the AARP Foundation (Washington), to be senior adviser in the office of academic affairs. Aloha…
How The Chronicle Conducted Its Annual Survey of Pay at Big Nonprofit Groups
The Chronicle’s 12th annual salary survey examines what the nation’s largest nonprofit ALSO SEE:DATABASE: Executive Compensation SurveyExecutive Pay Rises ModestlyDisclosure of Charity Salaries Is a Complicated and Confusing ProcessQuestioning Compensation organizations pay their top officials.…
By Cassie J. Moore
Contributor
The following awards have been presented for work in advocacy, fund raising, nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, and other areas. Arts. Americans for the Arts (Washington) and the National Association of Counties (Washington) have presented the 2004 National Award for County Arts Leadership to the…