China’s Communist Leaders Tighten Grip on Activist Groups
Chinese civic organizations are coming under increasing constraints as the government under President Xi Jinping moves to narrow the bounds of acceptable activism, The New York Times writes.
House Bill Would Ban Gift Tax on Donations to Nonprofits
Citing the Internal Revenue Service’s abortive 2011 effort to enforce a little-observed law levying gift taxes on donations to 501(c)(4) groups, Republican Rep. Peter Roskam introduced legislation Thursday that would bar the agency from collecting the tax on any contribution to a nonprofit, reports The Washington Times.
Philadelphia Churches Blast Mandate to Document Tax-Exempt Status
Church leaders in Philadelphia are pushing back against a city requirement that nonprofits file documents justifying tax exemptions on their property, with the head of a group of black clergy threatening legal action, reports The Philadelphia Inquirer.
We Can’t Crowdfund Government Programs
Donors in Kansas City and elsewhere are happily contributing to campaigns to raise money for bike-share programs, but will they pay for more essential needs?
By MARK ROSENMAN
Contributor
Chapman U. Settles Suit Alleging Exploitation of Older Donor
The Southern California institution said Wednesday that it has reached an agreement to end a lawsuit brought earlier this month by a 98-year-old donor who claimed the university took advantage of his advanced age to secure a $12-million gift for a new building, the Orange County Register reports.
New Charity Guidelines Deal With Online Fraud, Overhead, and Executive Pay
Independent Sector released a set of 33 principles as part of its ongoing effort to fend off tighter government regulation of nonprofits.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Small L.A. Theater Groups Blast Minimum-Wage Plan for Actors
Oscar-winning actor Tim Robbins was among dozens of representatives of small Los Angeles-area theaters who turned out at a Hollywood meeting to oppose a proposed $9-an-hour minimum wage for actors, arguing that the requirement would put many nonprofit stages out of business, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Calif. Lawmaker Renews Effort to Set Charity-Care Standards
Backed by health-care advocacy groups and the California nurses’ union, a state senator has introduced legislation to tighten regulations on how nonprofit hospitals define and report the community benefit they provide, the weekly East Bay Express writes.
N.J. Charity’s Sandy Grant Fuels Probe of Lawmaker’s Spouse
The New Jersey Attorney General’s office is investigating a dispute between a housing nonprofit and a state legislator’s husband, whom the charity claims sought Hurricane Sandy relief funds to turn a shore bungalow into a luxury home, according to NJ Advance Media.
St. Louis Homeless Shelter Fights Order to Limit Intake
A long-serving shelter in St. Louis is resisting efforts by local officials and nearby property owners to sharply restrict the number of people it can take in, writes The New York Times.
Conn. Eyes Greater Financial Disclosure in Hospital Sales
Gov. Dannel Malloy proposed legislation that would require top officials at nonprofit hospitals being bought by for-profit entities to disclose financial benefits they would receive from the deals, the Associated Press writes.
Maine May Ask Politically Active Nonprofits to Disclose Donors
A Maine lawmaker has introduced a bill to require nonprofit groups that spend money on state political campaigns to disclose their own donors, the Sun Journal of Lewiston reports.
Hungary Hits Critical Advocacy Groups with Tax Probes
At least seven Hungarian nonprofits that have taken foreign funds or criticized Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government have been targeted by authorities for special tax investigations, and dozens more groups are facing audits, according to The Washington Post.
Calif. Official Approves Hospital Deal but Sets Conditions
Attorney General Kamala Harris’ imprimatur hinges on for-profit Prime Healthcare pledging to keep the six Daughters of Charity hospitals it wants to acquire open for at least 10 years and matching their level of charity care, the Los Angeles Times writes.
Embattled Aid Charity IRD Dismisses Board and Slashes Staff
International Relief and Development, a global aid group under fire over how it used federal funds designated for humanitarian and development projects abroad, has dismissed its board of directors and laid off 21 employees, The Washington Post reports.
Clinton Foundation Defends Taking Foreign Contributions
In a statement Wednesday, the Clinton foundation said the gifts from foreign governments, criticized by some as ethically questionable in light of Hillary Clinton’s prospective presidential run, are subject to “strong donor integrity and transparency practices” and help save lives, The Wall Street Journal writes.