Surviving Rough Waters: How the Nature Conservancy Bounced Back From Scandal
A decade ago, the group was rocked by investigations by Congress, the IRS, and the EPA, and donations withered. A structural overhaul — and a big dose of transparency — helped restore the public’s trust.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
Brookings Scholar Resigns in Flap Over Corporate Funding
An economist long affiliated with the Brookings Institution has resigned from the Democrat-leaning think tank after being assailed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren for research she contends was influenced by a corporate sponsor, writes The Washington Post.
White House Asks Supreme Court to Take on Contraception Rule
The Obama administration is calling on the justices to weigh in on faith-based charities’ adherence to the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate, reports the Associated Press.
Gay-Rights Focus Turns to Stopping Violence and Intolerance
With a favorable ruling from the Supreme Court on gay marriage, activists are setting their sites on transgender issues, fighting discrimination in places like Uganda, and getting more financial support.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
Planned Parenthood Funds Intact in Adopted Spending Bill
With Democrats joining a portion of the Republican majority, Congress cleared a stopgap spending measure Wednesday that will keep the federal government running through December 11 and fully funds Planned Parenthood, reports The Washington Post.
Hearing Raises Issue of Planned Parenthood Leader’s Salary
U.S. News & World Report and The New York Times examine Cecile Richards’s compensation following a hearing Tuesday in which House Republicans raised the issue.
Charity Groups Assail Donald Trump’s ‘Backdoor Tax on Giving’
The Republican presidential contender would curtail charitable deductions for high-income people by expanding the “Pease limitation.”
Nonprofits Must Adapt or End Up in ‘Ash Heap,’ Diana Aviv Says
The departing Independent Sector leader calls for more government oversight of charities and more efforts to attract diverse leaders.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
Opinion: Economics of Insurance Doom Obamacare Co-ops
A Bloomberg columnist writes that the economics of health insurance stack the odds against financial sustainability for the nonprofit coverage co-ops established under the Affordable Care Act, four of which have gone under since the start of the year.
Minnesota Hospitals’ Charity-Care Costs Plunge 22%
Medical centers in the state saw the biggest drop in the cost of unpaid care in 20 years in 2014 as a lower uninsured population sent charity-care expenses down sharply, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Don’t Let the States Trample on the Right to Donor Anonymity
A case sent to the Supreme Court for possible review should alarm charities as state regulators seek more information on contributors.
By HOWARD HUSOCK
Contributor
Grassley Demands Details on Red Cross Response to GAO Review
Senator Charles Grassley is asking the Government Accountability Office for more information on what he termed the American Red Cross’s “apparent unwillingness to fully cooperate” with a federal review of its emergency relief work, ProPublica reports.
NYC Bill Would Compel Fiscal Disclosure by Charity CEOs
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is opposing a proposal before the City Council to require the heads of taxpayer-funded nonprofits to submit conflict-of-interest and financial-disclosure forms, Politico New York reports.
$3-Trillion U.N. Development Plan Sets Ambitious Agenda for Nonprofits
Charities and foundations are expected to do much of the work to fight poverty and curb climate change around the globe.
By Megan O’Neil
Contributor
Economic Matchmaker Revs Up Next Phase of Philanthropy in Detroit
Ryan Friedrichs, the city’s new director of development, discusses his efforts to get residents, foundations, and local government singing the same tune.
By Eden Stiffman
Senior Editor
Planned Parenthood Fights Funding Threats With Nationwide Events
The embattled women’s health nonprofit will hold scores of rallies across the country Tuesday as part of its effort to demonstrate support and regain the political initiative amid a partisan controversy over its provision of fetal tissue for medical research, The New York Times writes.