Nonprofit Calif. Health Insurer Sues Executive-Turned-Critic
Blue Shield of California is accusing its former public-policy director, now an outspoken critic of the organization, of allegedly disclosing confidential company information, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Donor-Advised Funds Continue Rapid Growth
Grants from community foundations increased the most, says a new study from the National Philanthropic Trust.
By Alex Daniels
Senior Editor, Foundations
Florida Legislators Seek Overhaul of State Charity Drive
Lawmakers are calling for changes in administration of the Florida State Employees Charitable Campaign following reports that the for-profit company running the drive received more than half of the money donated by government workers last year, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.
Greenpeace India Says It Faces Government Shutdown Order
The environmental-activist group, under fire for months by India’s government over its use of foreign donations, said Friday it has been ordered to dissolve within a month, reports The New York Times.
Clinton Foundation Affiliate Agrees to Refile Tax Forms
After saying it would not refile tax returns to correct errors in its reporting of funding from governments, the Clinton Health Access Initiative reversed course Wednesday and said it would submit amended documents to the IRS, Politico report.
High Pay at L.A. County Fair Nonprofit Prompts Audit Call
Los Angeles County officials are calling for investigations of the finances and tax status of the nonprofit that runs the annual county fair amid reports that it lost millions of dollars while paying top executives in the high six figures, the Los Angeles Times report.
Following Sale, National Geographic to Shed 9% of Staff
The nonprofit National Geographic Society will lay off about 180 of its 2,000 employees, cutting costs in the wake of the sale of its venerable magazine and other assets to Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox, reports The Washington Post.
Researchers Question Success of Utah Social-Impact Bond
A Utah preschool program funded by investment bank Goldman Sachs that was touted last month as the first “social-impact bond” to yield returns for an investor may have significantly overstated the results on which the payout is based, according to The New York Times.
Ariz. Drops Planned Parenthood From State Charity Drive
After more than 30 years on the list of charities participating in Arizona’s State Employees Charitable Campaign, Planned Parenthood was excluded this year from the workplace fundraiser by a policy committee that said the group did not fit the drive’s “mission or standards,” the Phoenix New Times and the Arizona Daily Star report.
GOP Seeks IRS Audit of Clinton Foundation Health Affiliate
The Republican National Committee called Tuesday for the IRS to review the finances of the Clinton Health Access Initiative, which said this week it would not refile past tax returns to correct apparent errors in its reporting of government grants, Reuters reports.
Failure of Health-Care Co-Ops Refuels Obamacare Debate
More than half of the nonprofit health insurers established with federal assistance under the Affordable Care Act have now gone under, adding fire to the partisan fight over the health-care law, The New York Times and The Washington Post report.
N.C. Energy Giant Wants Nonprofit Fined for Solar Project
Duke Energy, the nation’s largest power utility, is urging North Carolina regulators to levy fines that could exceed $120,000 against a nonprofit for selling power from solar panels to a church, in alleged violation of a state law limiting power sales to public utilities, the Charlotte Observer and the Winston-Salem Journal report.
Fort Worth Orchestra Faces More Pay Cuts in Contract Talks
Five years after Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra musicians agreed to a 13.5-percent pay cut to shore up the organization’s listing finances, management is seeking additional reductions in a new round of contract negotiations, Fort Worth Weekly writes.
Mich. Charity Gaming Take Plummets as Regulators Crack Down
Nonprofits in Michigan have lost millions of dollars in revenue in recent years as the state has tightened restrictions on “poker rooms” and other casino-style fundraising events authorities say had become rife with fraud, reports the Detroit Free Press.
Audit: U.K. Gave Now-Shuttered Youth Charity $70 Million
A British government audit found that Kids Company, a high-profile nonprofit that collapsed in August, continued to receive multimillion-dollar taxpayer-funded grants despite warning signs about its management and spending, BBC News reports.
Harvard Raises $1 Billion for 2nd Consecutive Year
The university’s fundraising has reached the 10-figure mark in each of the two fiscal years since the public launch of its $6.5-billion capital campaign, Bloomberg writes.