E-Mail Advice Available for Fund Raisers
Charities now have their own on-line “Dear Abby.” Kim Klein, co-founder of the Grassroots Fundraising Journal, which is published by Chardon Press, has started an on-line advice column that will answer readers’ questions about raising money. “Sure, ‘Dear Abby’ can help you with your family…
By Paul Demko
Contributor
Web Site Helps Charities Comply With Disclosure Rules
A new Web site is offering to post charities’ informational tax returns and applications for tax-exempt status -- but few non-profit groups seem to be interested. Eric Mercer, manager of services at DU Educational Technology Services, a non-profit group that provides on-line education programs, is…
By Paul Demko
Contributor
Advocacy Groups ‘Marching’ for Changes in Social Security
Two advocacy groups are planning an on-line “march” on Washington to support an overhaul of Social Security. The “Billion Byte March,” sponsored by Third Millennium, in New York, and Economic Security 2000 Action, in Washington, hopes to prod at least 250,000 people to sign an e-mail letter asking…
By Paul Demko
Contributor
How Survey on Salaries Was Compiled
Despite a new federal law that will soon force charities to make salary information more readily available to the public, more than a dozen organizations in The Chronicle’s salary survey required an in-person visit to obtain the information or declined to give it out at all. The annual survey is…
Salaries Rise Modestly at Charities
Officials at biggest groups see gains that just beat inflation, survey finds Pay raises for top executives at many of the nation’s largest non-profit organizations barely outpaced inflation last year, according to The Chronicle’s seventh annual compensation survey. The survey of 230 charities,…
By Debra E. Blum
Contributor
Following are summaries of recent reports by the National Charities Information Bureau. That private organization reports on whether charities meet standards for fund raising, governance, financial management, and public information. The organization does not approve or disapprove of charities, and…
American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science (New York): Appointed Arthur S. Berger, director of public relations and communications at the American Jewish Committee (New York), to be vice-president for marketing and communications. American Foundation for the Blind (New York):…
Delaware Creates Committee to Review Charitable Giving
The Delaware General Assembly has approved plans to form a commission that will study potential tax changes and other steps the state can take to encourage individuals and companies to increase their donations to non-profit groups. The “Delaware Gives Task Force” -- which will be composed of…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
California Enacts Law to Curb Car-Donation Abuses
Gov. Pete Wilson of California has approved a measure passed by the Legislature that is intended to crack down on donors who take excessive charitable tax deductions for gifts of used cars, boats, and airplanes. The new law requires a charity -- or a “commercial fund raiser” working for a charity…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
Tax Court Sinks Value of Boat Donation to Charity
The U.S. Tax Court has ruled that a man who gave a 42-foot boat to charity placed a value on the gift that was much too high and now owes the government a special penalty for a “substantial valuation misstatement.” Barry John Sergeant, who lived in Connecticut at the time, bought the Trojan Motor…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
IRS Policy on Crisis Relief Worries Foundations
The Council on Foundations is concerned that the Internal Revenue Service is taking an inappropriate stance on corporate grant makers that help company employees cope with such emergencies as floods, fires, and severe illnesses. The service recently described its position in the latest version of…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
The following awards have been presented for work in philanthropy, fund raising, volunteerism, and non-profit management: Community health. The Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leadership Program (Boston) has announced the 1998 recipients of its annual awards, which recognize individuals who…
Survey: Young Adults’ Faith in Power of Charities Is Limited
Young adults are committed to solving social problems, but they have little faith that their volunteer work at charities will make much of a difference, according to a new survey. The survey, commissioned by Public Allies, a non-profit group based in Washington that works to develop leadership…
By Paul Demko
Contributor
Maryland Has Broadest Requirement for Community Service by Students
When nearly 43,000 public high-school students in Maryland were awarded diplomas last year, they had racked up some three million hours of community service. Maryland is the only state in the union that bars public high-school students from graduating unless they fulfill a service requirement.…
By Susan Gray
Contributor
Requiring students to volunteer proves to be a mixed blessing As the new school year opens, more students than ever before face requirements to do charity work along with their homework. A spate of new mandatory community-service programs adopted by schools could be a boon to many charities seeking…
By Susan Gray
Contributor
Proposal on Travel Tours Draws Fire, Praise
An I.R.S. proposal designed to help explain when universities, museums, and other tax-exempt groups can sponsor travel tours without paying income tax on trip revenue has drawn mixed reactions from organizations that have filed comments with the government. Non-profit groups must pay…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor