Senate Confirms New Head for U.S. Humanitarian Agency
The nomination of Gayle E. Smith, an Africa expert and former national security aide to President Obama, to lead the U.S. Agency for International Development was overwhelmingly approved Monday, The New York Times reports.
Russia Bans Soros-Backed Foundations as Security ‘Threat’
Kremlin authorities placed billionaire philanthropist George Soros’s pro-democracy network on a list of “undesirable” foreign nonprofits, saying its work undermined Russia’s security and constitutional order, Reuters and CNBC report.
Colo. Shooting Further Roils Planned Parenthood Debate
The killing of three people Friday by a gunman at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, Colo., could escalate the political battles in Congress and on the presidential campaign trail over the women’s health nonprofit, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal write.
Senate Panel Scrutinizing Private Art Museums’ Tax Breaks
The Senate Finance Committee is seeking financial and operational information from several galleries and museums opened by wealthy art collectors to determine whether the centers provide enough public benefit to justify their tax exemptions, writes The New York Times.
Planned Parenthood Goes to Court in Tex. Over Medicaid Funds
Texas is the latest in a series of Republican-led states the nonprofit has sued this year for seeking to block federal reimbursements to its clinics for non-abortion health services, reports The New York Times.
Okla. Man Guilty of Defrauding Alzheimer’s Charity
A friend of former University of Arkansas football coach Frank Broyles was convicted Monday for fraud over a print job for Mr. Broyles’ Alzheimer’s-focused charity, reports the Tulsa World.
Tex. Tells Charities Not to Help Resettle Syrian Refugees
The request to nonprofits to scrap efforts to assist refugees arriving from Syria follows Gov. Greg Abbott’s pledge in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks to turn away any such resettlers, the Austin American-Statesman and Houston TV station KHOU report.
Ore. Donor Must Pay Taxes on Nonprofit’s Political Spending
A federal court has found a major Oregon political contributor liable for excise levies on money his charitable foundation spent on election ads, reports Willamette Week.
Court in India Stays Government Order Against Greenpeace
Greenpeace India said the court ruling blocked a government move to cancel the environmental group’s right to operate in the country, pending a final verdict on authorities’ allegations of financial impropriety, reports the Associated Press.
Jared Fogle Gets 15-Plus Years on Porn and Sex Charges
An Indiana judge exceeded prosecutors’ sentencing recommendation in sending the former Subway spokesman and charity head to federal prison for 15 years and eight months, The Indianapolis Star and The Wall Street Journal report.
Ga. Investigating Claim That Children’s Home Deceived Donors
State charity regulators have launched an inquiry into an Atlanta-area home for foster children that solicted hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations after ostensibly shutting down, according to Atlanta television station WSB.
Koch-Backed Conservative Groups Quadrupled Spending in 2014
Americans for Prosperity and Freedom Partners increased their spending from $57 million to $220 million in 2014, repeating a pattern of greater activity in election years, writes The Wall Street Journal.
New Mont. Rules Take Aim at ‘Dark Money’ in State Elections
The state is the latest to implement campaign-finance regulations to curb the impact of dark money from nonprofit organizations on state elections, reports the Associated Press.
Cal State to Stop Using Private Money to Up Presidents’ Pay
Trustees of the California State University system, which has been dogged by controversies over campus leaders’ compensation, approved a plan Wednesday to end the use of foundation funds to buttress presidential salaries, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Calif. Reviewing Whistle-Blower Complaint at San Francisco Museums
State Attorney General Kamala Harris’s office is investigating allegations of financial impropriety at San Francisco’s Fine Arts Museums in connection with a $450,000 payment to an ailing former staff member, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
NYC to Put $3 Billion Into New Effort for the Homeless
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a plan Wednesday to create 15,000 housing units paired with social services to combat persistent homelessness, with some of the estimated $3 billion cost in the form of subsidies and tax credits for nonprofits and developers to build some of the facilities, The Wall Street Journal reports.