‘New York’: Robin Hood in the Big Apple
By THOMAS J. BILLITTERITwelve years ago, three rich, young Wall Street traders started a foundation that bucked the philanthropic establishment. Now the Robin Hood Foundation has become known as the “most innovative backer of eclectic good works” in New York -- and one of the most vivid examples of…
‘Town & Country’: Dot-Com Donors
By THOMAS J. BILLITTERIScott Oki, a former Microsoft executive, and his wife, Laurie, have emerged as two of the most influential young philanthropists in the United States, says Town & Country magazine (June). Mr. Oki told Town & Country that an estimate of his wealth of about $750-million by…
Bits: ‘Abe’s Grant Report’ and Non-Profit Case Studies Available Online
* Frustrated that he was finding out about grant opportunities published in the Federal Register too late to allow him to prepare good proposals, Abraham J. Perlstein created Abe’s Grant Report. The Brooklyn, N.Y., lawyer’s free daily e-mail newsletter summarizes grant opportunities listed in the…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
Virginia Fund’s ‘Virtual Field Trip’ to a Progressive Brazilian City
The sights and sounds of Curitiba, Brazil -- and information about the city’s innovative urban-planning policies -- are featured on a new Web site. Faced with increasing urban sprawl in the 1960’s, Curitiba adopted policies to encourage growth along public-transportation corridors. Today, 75…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
Web Site Helps Participants Get Jump on Conference
Organizers of this month’s National Community Service Conference are using Internet technology to encourage interaction among participants long before they get to the Orlando meeting -- and to help those who cannot attend. Approximately 5,000 people are expected at the meeting, which is being…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
New York Group Offers Online Advocacy Tool
Residents of New York City now have a quick and easy way to find out who their representatives are at all levels of government and how to contact them. When visitors to the Who Represents Me? Web site enter their street addresses and zip codes, the site returns a list of the public officials who…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
United Way Chief Executive to Resign Within 18 Months
Betty Stanley Beene, who has won both praise and criticism in her job as president of United Way of America, will step down within the next 18 months, the organization has announced. United Way said that Ms. Beene, who became president in January 1997, will depart after she finishes dealing with…
By Thomas J. Billitteri
Contributor
Endowment Assets Nationwide Climb to Nearly $600-Billion, New Study Finds
Assets in endowments total nearly $600-billion and are expected to grow at an average annual rate of 6 to 8 percent over the next five years, a new study has found. Colleges and universities have the largest endowments, on average, according to the study, ALSO SEE:A Profile of Endowments
By Thomas J. Billitteri
Contributor
Gore Vows ‘New Partnership’ With Religious Groups
In his only major speech that focused on charities, Al Gore said he ALSO SEE:Adding Up the Gores’ GivingHow Much Al and Tipper Gore Have Given to Charity Since 1992 wanted to create a “new partnership” between government and religious organizations. As president, he said he would push to expand the…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
Following are summaries of recent reports by the Council of Better Business Bureaus’ Philanthropic Advisory Service and the National Charities Information Bureau. Those two private organizations report on whether charities meet standards for fund raising, governance, financial management, and…
Amelia’s House Foundation (Seattle): Appointed Eileen Heyn, a manager in engineering-data management at Boeing (Seattle), to be chief executive officer. Amelia’s House provides lodging and emotional support to the caregivers of critically or terminally ill hospital patients. American Bible Society…
Hands-on volunteerism wins praise, but flap over ’97 donations lingers Charity has proven to be a controversial subject for Al Gore. The vice president touched off a national debate on personal giving after his 1997 ALSO SEE: Gore Vows ‘New Partnership’ With Religious Groups How Much Al and Tipper…
By Grant Williams and Jennifer Moore
Hands-on volunteerism wins praise, but flap over ’97 donations lingers Charity has proven to be a controversial subject for Al Gore. The vice president touched off a national debate on personal giving after his 1997 ALSO SEE: Gore Vows ‘New Partnership’ With Religious Groups How Much Al and Tipper…
By Grant Williams and Jennifer Moore
Hands-on volunteerism wins praise, but flap over ’97 donations lingers Charity has proven to be a controversial subject for Al Gore. The vice president touched off a national debate on personal giving after his 1997 ALSO SEE: Gore Vows ‘New Partnership’ With Religious Groups How Much Al and Tipper…
By Grant Williams and Jennifer Moore
Ohio Cancer Society Official, Charged With Embezzlement, Turns Himself In
By HARVY LIPMAN A top executive of the American Cancer Society’s Ohio division who had disappeared after allegedly embezzling $6.9-million has turned himself in to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Daniel S. Wiant, chief administrative officer of the Ohio division, surrendered to authorities at…
Deadline Approaches on ‘Flip’ Trusts
Time is running out for donors who were given extra time by the I.R.S. to take advantage of federal rules that make certain types of planned gifts more lucrative for contributors and charities (The Chronicle, June 3, 1999). The rules, issued in December 1998, clarified how the I.R.S. treats “flip”…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor