New Hampshire Says Hospitals Broke Charity Laws
A non-profit organization that oversees two hospitals in Manchester, N.H., violated state law governing charities by radically changing the missions of both facilities, according to a report issued by the state Attorney General. Optima Health, which has controlled Elliot Hospital and the Catholic…
‘Forbes’: A Crusader Seeks to End Alcohol Abuse
When John Hanley retired at age 61 as chief executive of Monsanto in 1983, he faced a question, says Forbes magazine (March 23): “What should he do with his still-abundant energy?” Drawing on the experiences of his wife’s personal battle with alcoholism, Mr. Hanley answered the question by…
By Vince Stehle and Paul Demko
Bits: a Volunteerism Newsletter and Financial Help
* Impact Online, a Palo Alto, Cal., non-profit group that hopes to use the Internet to spur volunteer service, has created a free monthly newsletter to publicize opportunities that allow people to use their computers to help a charity. To subscribe: Send an e-mail message to…
Foundation Uses Internet to Discourage Smoking
The Kansas Health Foundation is sponsoring a computer giveaway sweepstakes to encourage schoolchildren to visit its Web site and learn about the dangers of secondhand smoke. The site offers an informational tour led by an animated character called Professor Healthsinki, whose rhyming messages…
Young People Urged to Do Good Works
A new non-profit group is hoping that young people will look to Heaven to find out about good works on earth. Heaven is an Internet effort started by America Online and New Line Cinema to promote volunteerism among people ages 18 to 34. Since the group put its information on America Online in July,…
Food Banks Can’t Keep Up With Huge Demand, Study Finds
Second Harvest, the country’s largest chain of food banks, fed almost 26 million people last year -- nearly 10 per cent of America’s population. Even so, it had to turn away an estimated 2.3 million hungry people because of a lack of food. Those figures were contained in “Hunger 1997: The Faces &…
By Paul Demko
Contributor
Excerpts From IRS Ruling on Deals Between Companies and Hospitals
Following are excerpts from the Internal Revenue Service’s Revenue Ruling No. 98-15, which explains how the agency plans to treat deals in which non-profit hospitals and for-profit businesses join together to form limited liability companies. Under such arrangements, the hospital gives all of its…
How IRS Will Decide on Hospital Partnerships
The Internal Revenue Service, in a new ruling, has spelled out how it plans to evaluate joint ventures between non-profit hospitals and for-profit corporations. In such an arrangement, a non-profit hospital creates a limited-liability company with a for-profit corporation and then transfers all of…
IRS Rules on Hospital Partnerships
Ruling threatens joint ventures by charities and companies When Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation and the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine Health System, an Ohio chain of Catholic hospitals, decided to join forces in 1996, both sides touted the arrangement as a model for charities that needed…
By Jennifer Moore
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…
Following is a summary of bills introduced in Congress that are of interest to non-profit organizations. Copies of bills may be obtained from members of the House of Representatives (Washington 20515) or from Senators (Washington 20510). They may also be obtained through the Internet. The…
American Library Association (Chicago): Appointed William R. Gordon, director of the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System (Hyattsville, Md.), to be executive director. Anna Jaques Community Health Foundation (Newburyport, Mass.): Appointed Anthony DeSpirito, executive director of the…
Pax World Service Joins Mercy Corps
Two international humanitarian organizations with a long history of working together have decided to merge. Pax World Service, in Washington, created in 1972 by the founders of a socially responsible investment fund called Pax World Fund, has agreed to become an affiliate of Mercy Corps…
Black Church Official Is Charged with Theft
The Rev. Henry J. Lyons, president of what may be the nation’s largest black church, the National Baptist Convention USA, was arrested last month in Florida and charged with theft and racketeering under state laws. Mr. Lyons, who prosecutors say turned the church into a criminal racket shortly…
IRS Issues Guidance on Hospital Joint Ventures
The Internal Revenue Service has released a revenue ruling that describes what non-profit hospitals can do to keep their tax-exempt status when they enter into joint ventures with for-profit corporations. Revenue rulings from the I.R.S. are designed to help charities by stating the service’s…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
Senator Proposes Limits on Charity Politicking
Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, a Connecticut Democrat, has proposed a sweeping campaign-finance overhaul bill that includes strict new limits on partisan political activity by tax-exempt organizations. Under the measure, S 1666, organizations registered under Sections 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the…