How the IRS’s Stance on Donor Disclosure Corrupts the Nonprofit World
Charities still must tell the tax agency who provided major support, But the move to let all other nonprofits keep donors secret harms every nonprofit by allowing foreign nationals, influence peddlers, and outright crooks to take over tax-exempt groups.
By ROGER COLINVAUX
Contributor
Daily News Roundup: Koch Foundation Will Post College Gift Agreements Online
Amidst of a controversy over a George Mason University gift arrangement that allowed the grant maker possible influence over faculty hiring, the foundation says it will make all future multiyear agreements available online. In other articles, the Montana governor has filed suit against the Trump administration to keep it from allowing some nonprofits to refrain from disclosing big donors; and Raices will spend $3 million on flights and housing for migrant families. Plus, more news and opinion.
Daily News Roundup: How a Group Working for Migrants Is Using a $30M Windfall
Raices is making plans for the $21 million raised on Facebook and the millions more that are still flowing in. In other articles, a New York nonprofit that takes care of immigrant children has tripled its revenue; lawyer Jay Sekulow is using the Trump administration’s actions to raise money for his own group; the University of Wisconsin at Oshkoch Foundation has filed an $18.5 million claim against the UW system; and other articles about foundations and big gifts and museums and more.
Daily News Roundup: The Rich Differ With Advisers on How Tax Law Will Affect Giving
About 58 percent of wealthy people say tax policy won’t change their giving, but wealth managers and others disagree. In other articles, American women are rushing in to help separated families; some migrant families are reunited at a nonprofit in Texas; after being fired over sexual-harassment allegations, KIPP co-founder starts new education group; Steve Bannon plans to set up a foundation to boost the far right in Europe; and other articles about innovation, the arts, young people, and more.
Daily News Roundup: Dozens of Fake Veterans Charities Pocket the Money They Raise, Says FTC
The Federal Trade Commission and others have worked together on more than 100 actions against phony nonprofits, which have collected tens of millions in cash and goods. In other articles, a Senate panel approved the Trump administration’s IRS nominee along party lines; a nonprofit for immigrants refuses $250,000 from Salesforce.com; resettlement charities fold or shift their focus as the number of migrants drops; plus more articles on innovation, nonprofits and the law, and opinion.
Podcast: Open Road Alliance Helps Nonprofits Address What Can Go Wrong
Executive director Maya Winkelstein says many grant makers never discuss with charities seeking funds what could go wrong with their projects. Her group is working to change that.
Daily News Roundup: N.Y. Is Investigating Trump Foundation, Sources Say
The state’s Department of Taxation and Finance is looking into whether the grant maker violated state laws. In other articles, the Interior Department is launching an inquiry into a real-estate deal linking the Zinke Foundation and the chairman of Halliburton; the arrest of alleged Russian agent Maria Butina has drawn attention to a firearms-advocacy group; and more news and features.
Daily News Roundup: Treasury Defends Decision to Stop Requiring Some Groups to Disclose Donors
The Treasury Department says people can still find donor information from legally available sources. In other articles, the legal-services nonprofit Raices, which raised $20 million to help immigrant families, outlines its plans to pay the bonds for detained women and children; Bill Gates invests to try to speed up research on Alzheimer’s disease; and more about Bill Gates, government and politics and other news and features.
Facebook Efforts to Thwart Fake News Trip Up Some Nonprofits
A program that brings New Orleans music to Buffalo, N.Y., is among the nonprofits that have been caught up in the social-media giant’s response to the misuse of its platform in the 2016 elections.
By Megan O’Neil
Contributor
‘Zero Tolerance’ Pledge on Harassment Urged for College and School Fundraisers
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education suggests fundraisers and others should sever ties with donors, alumni, or anyone else involved in misconduct.
By Timothy Sandoval
Contributor
Daily News Roundup: Donor-Disclosure Requirements Loosened for Some Groups
The Treasury Department says social-welfare groups and trade associations no longer have to disclose their donors. In other articles, the University of Louisville and its former president are fighting over whether he is entitled to the large payout he made when he stepped down; George Soros is worried about the future of liberal democracy; Warren Buffett gives $3.4 billion to the Gates Foundation and others; and more news about big donors.
Daily News Roundup: How a Sexual-Harassment Inquiry Went Wrong
In other articles, the Trump administration is making a new argument against the social safety net — that previous programs have already worked; the chairman of a Chinese conglomerate’s stake in the company is expected to go to a Chinese-based charity; real-estate gifts to colleges and universities are increasing; and much more news and opinion.
Daily News Roundup: Federal Grants to Care for Detained Kids Soar
Health and Human Service grants for providing shelter, foster care, and other services jumped from $74.5 million in 2007 to $958 million in 2017. In other articles, early ventures could shape the new federal “opportunity zone” program, which gives tax breaks to poor neighborhoods; the leader of a conservative group that says it aims to expose scientific fraud faces allegations of financial mismanagement and faked documents; and other news about innovation, big philanthropists, the arts, and more.
Podcast: Helping Black Women Get Healthy by Walking
Black women die from preventable heart disease at a higher rate than any other demographic group in America, and 82 percent are overweight. GirlTrek CEO Morgan Dixon is trying to change that.
Daily News Roundup: $330 Million to Fund High-Risk Research in Life Sciences
The Wellcome Trust is setting up an independent group to provide money for research that is unlikely to get traditional grants. In other articles, the president of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s education effort is leaving his post; Elon Musk has committed to paying for clean water in homes in Flint, Mich.; and more about nonprofits and government and other news.
Daily News Roundup: Charity That Raised $20M for Refugees Wants to Give it to DHS
The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services is having a tough time dispensing the money quickly to help reunite migrant families. In other articles, clinics that offer medical exams to refugees also help determine the case for asylum; former Missouri governor Eric Greitens’s nonprofit could face big fines; the Boston Marathon raised more than $36 million for nonprofits; and more on giving, nonprofits and the law, arts and culture, and other news.