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…
IRS Panel Says Donors Exaggerate Value of Artwork
The I.R.S.'s Art Advisory Panel has reviewed hundreds of pieces of artwork donated by taxpayers to charity and found, as always, that many people exaggerated the value of paintings, sculpture, and other items. In cases where the objects were left to heirs, however, many people placed too small a…
Bates College (Lewiston, Me.): Appointed Victoria M. Devlin, vice-president for development and marketing at the WGBH Educational Foundation (Boston), to be vice-president for development and alumni affairs. Bethphage Foundation (Omaha): Appointed Tom Bila, senior partner and director at Bila &…
IRS Eyes Innovations in Compensation
The I.R.S. is responding to inquiries from tax-exempt institutions about how to structure innovative compensation packages for mid-level professors, researchers, and inventors at universities and other non-profit organizations, says Marc Owens, director of the I.R.S.'s Exempt Organizations…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
Group’s Exemption Pulled Because of Ties to Consultant
The I.R.S. has revoked the tax exemption of a charity because of the organization’s contract with a controversial fund-raising consultant, the Watson and Hughey Company. According to court documents filed by the charity, Adopt-A-Pet in Tulsa, Okla., the I.R.S. concluded that the organization’s…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
Restructuring Bills Shift Burden of Proof to IRS
Bills to restructure the I.R.S. that have passed the House and Senate would force the agency to shoulder the burden of proof in legal disputes with tax-exempt organizations that have less than $7-million in assets. Under current law, the service is presumed to be correct when it tangles over taxes…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
Congress May Stiffen Foundation-Disclosure Rules
Congress may consider enacting new rules that would make it far easier for the public to gain access to the tax returns of private foundations, according to congressional aides on Capitol Hill. Under a proposal that lawmakers could take up in coming weeks, foundations would have to immediately…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
The following awards have been presented for work in philanthropy, fund raising, volunteerism, and non-profit management: Aging. The American Society on Aging (San Francisco) has presented its ASA Award to Patrick Arbore, director of the Goldman Institute on Aging’s Center for Elderly Suicide…
Publication Covers Global Philanthropy
England’s Charities Aid Foundation has joined with the Dutch publisher Kluwer Law International to produce periodicals and reference works about philanthropy worldwide. One of their efforts involves the publication of Alliance, a journal that focuses on civic partnerships. When first published…
Senator Seeks to Aid Faith-Based Groups
The Senate has been asked to consider legislation to expand the role of so-called faith-based charities in providing services to the poor. Sen. John Ashcroft, Republican of Missouri, has introduced the “Charitable Choice Expansion Act of 1998,” which seeks to expand a proposal he successfully…
Bill Would Protect Gifts to Churches
The U.S. Senate last week approved legislation that would protect churches and other charities from having to give up contributions they received from donors who later declare bankruptcy. Currently, bankruptcy trustees across the country are suing to force churches to turn over donations made as…
A Third of Young People Volunteer, Survey Finds
More than one in three Americans ages 15 to 29 have volunteered in the past year, according to a new national survey by the charity Do Something. That is significantly fewer than the more than 50 per cent of Americans ages 35 to 54 who said they were active volunteers in response to Independent…
By MARINA DUNDJERSKI
Contributor
Aid Association for Lutherans (Appleton, Wis.): Appointed Walter S. Rugland, a consulting actuary and equity principal at Milliman & Robertson (Hartford, Conn.), to be executive vice-president and chief operating officer, effective July 1. Alliance for Community Media (Washington): Appointed Bunnie…
Muzzling Charities by Mistake?
California ballot measure to limit how labor unions use funds deducted from paychecks could ensnare other non-profit groups Charities that receive donations through on-the-job fund-raising drives could face new restrictions on their lobbying, if California voters approve a measure on the June…
By Paul Demko
Contributor
Muzzling Charities by Mistake?
California ballot measure to limit how labor unions use funds deducted from paychecks could ensnare other non-profit groups Charities in California that receive donations through on-the-job fund-raising drives could soon face new restrictions on their advocacy efforts if voters approve a measure on…
By Paul Demko
Contributor
The following awards have been presented for work in philanthropy, fund raising, volunteerism, and non-profit management: AIDS. Funders Concerned About AIDS (New York) has presented its 1998 Humanitarian Leadership Award to Kate Shindle, 1998 Miss America, for her work to increase public awareness…