S.C. Investigates School-Choice Nonprofit Over Grantees
The state’s tax agency is investigating claims that Palmetto Kids Scholarship Program, an organization that awards tuition grants for special-needs children, has offered financial aid to parents in exchange for donations, according to Columbia, S.C., daily The State.
Cooper Union Faces N.Y. Inquiry After Introducing Tuition
State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is looking into how the venerable Manhattan private college Cooper Union ran into the financial trouble that led it to begin charging undergraduate tuition for the first time in its 150-year history, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Hospitals Saved $7.4 Billion on Charity Care in 2014
The Department of Health and Human Services study issued Tuesday estimated that hospitals spent $27.3 billion on uncompensated care last year, $7.4 billion less than what the cost would be if the rate of uninsured Americans had stayed at its 2013 level, Reuters writes.
Alamo Nonprofit Sues for Control of Artifacts at Texas Site
The Daughters of the Republic of Texas, which managed the Alamo for 110 years before the state of Texas announced plans to take over operations, is suing to retain ownership of more than 30,000 books and artifacts at the historic San Antonio site’s library, the Associated Press reports.
Nonprofit Mailers Scramble, Again, to Fight Postal-Rate Increases
The Postal Regulatory Commission gave nonprofit magazine publishers extra time to lobby by twice rejecting a proposed new pricing structure.
By Holly Hall
Contributor
Starbucks’s Schultz Opens New Front in Helping Veterans Enter Work Force
His family foundation is leading an effort to prepare soldiers for civilian jobs, even before they leave military service.
By Megan O’Neil
Contributor
Suitors Line Up for Newly Available Nonprofit Hospital Chain
Several potential buyers are interested in purchasing some or all of the six Daughters of Charity hospitals following the collapse of for-profit Prime Healthcare Services’ bid to take over the entire California chain, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
Nonprofit Tax Changes Are Possible This Year, Says House Aide
While a broad overhaul is unlikely, tighter limits on payout requirements for donor-advised funds and other provisions could advance.
By Alex Daniels
Senior Editor, Foundations
Postal Panel Wants Review of Rate Hike Blasted by Nonprofits
For the second time in less than two weeks, the Postal Regulatory Commission has ordered the U.S. Postal Service to review a planned rate increase on periodical mailings that could significantly raise costs for nonprofit magazine publishers, reports Postalnews.com, an industry news site.
Red Cross Case Raises Questions About How Nonprofits Handle Complaints
A growing number of nonprofits have hired ombudsmen to settle disputes fairly and confidentially, but critics say these officials often lack teeth and even help suppress dissent.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
Blue Shield of California Loses State Tax-Exempt Status
The California Franchise Tax Board quietly stripped the state’s third-largest health insurer of its tax-exempt status in August without citing reasons for the unusual move, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Calif. Ban on Judges’ Boy Scouts Membership Raises Questions
California judges who are members of the Boy Scouts of America have until January 2016 to cut ties, but some say that ruling interferes too much in their private lives, according to NPR.
Nonprofits Don’t Need More Regulation
Federal and state laws already do enough to police bad behavior; so do boards.
Health Giant Prime Drops Plan to Buy Calif. Hospital Chain
For-profit medical network Prime Healthcare has abandoned its proposed purchase of a financially distressed nonprofit hospital system in California, blaming the collapse of the $843 million deal on terms imposed by state Attorney General Kamala Harris, the San Jose Mercury News and the Los Angeles Times report.
Supreme Court Reinstates Notre Dame Contraception Suit
The justices on Monday revived the Catholic university’s lawsuit objecting to the Affordable Care Act’s provision for birth-control coverage, throwing out a lower-court ruling against the institution, Reuters reports.
N.Y. Mayor Amassing Donations for Nonprofit Promoting Agenda
Mayor Bill de Blasio is quietly stepping up fundraising for his nonprofit Campaign for One New York to support advertising and social-media drives promoting major policy goals, The New York Times reports, citing unidentified sources with knowledge of the mayor’s moves.