Fraud Concerns Prompt U.S. to Freeze Some Syria Aid Contracts
The government has put more than $200 million in contracts for humanitarian aid to Syria on hold amid fears that corruption is draining money from relief efforts, reports The Washington Post.
Charges Against Activists Behind Planned Parenthood Videos Dropped
Prosecutors in Houston dismissed all charges Tuesday against anti-abortion campaigners who targeted the organization in a series of guerrilla videos released last summer, the Houston Chronicle reports.
Hershey Trust Board Reaches Pact With Pa. Regulators
Trustees of the $12 billion charity that owns Hershey Co. have reached an unofficial agreement with the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office that could settle a long-running governance dispute and head off a court battle, Reuters reports.
Vice Presidential Contender Kaine Pushed for Cap on Tax Deductions
The Virginia senator Hillary Clinton chose as her running mate has pushed limits on all deductions, including those for charity and for high-income earners, and promoted conservation tax credits for donors.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Simpler System Will Let Charities Register in Multiple States at Once
The Single Portal Initiative is designed to reduce burdens placed on nonprofits to comply with a patchwork of state charity-registration laws.
By Megan O’Neil
Contributor
Oil-Price Drop Has Some Nonprofit Newsrooms Tightening Belts
Public broadcasters and nonprofit journalism outlets in the U.S. oil belt are bracing for funding cuts as lingering low prices buffet the economies of energy-producing states, Nieman Lab writes.
Mass. Bill Would Tax Nonprofits on Newly Acquired Property
Massachusetts nonprofit leaders are protesting the proposal to keep some real estate purchased by tax-exempt groups on the property-tax rolls for four years after the deal, State House News Service reports.
Defunct Muslim Charity Admits Funneling $1.4 Million to Iran
A representative of the Islamic American Relief Agency, which was closed more than a decade ago over alleged ties to terrorism, acknowledged in federal court Wednesday that the group violated U.S. economic sanctions targeting Iran, reports the Associated Press.
Judge Ups Sentence for Detroit Clergyman in Charity Theft
After prosecutors appealed the Rev. Timothy Kane’s original 12-month sentence, calling it too light, the priest was resentenced Tuesday to three to 20 years in prison for stealing from an anonymously financed fund to help the region’s poor, reports The Detroit News.
N.Y. Charity Chief Accused of Stealing Hundreds of Thousands
Authorities allege the former executive director of a nonprofit serving people with autism and other disabilities in New York City and Long Island siphoned money from the organization to pay credit-card bills and buy a million-dollar home, Newsday reports.
Christie Backtracks From Claim on Sandy Giving by Trump
A spokesman for Chris Christie said Monday that the New Jersey governor “misspoke” earlier in the day when he said Donald Trump donated to a state fund to help victims of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, a gift for which there is no documented evidence, the Associated Press reports.
Charity and Children Suffer as Hershey’s Board Fends Off Lucrative Merger Bid
Lax regulation and cronyism are once again in nonprofit play at the trust that controls one of the world’s biggest candy manufacturers.
By Ric Fouad
Contributor
Conn. Foundation Earmarks $1 Million to Counter Budget Cuts
The grants from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving aim to assist Connecticut nonprofits buffeted by deep cuts in state spending, writes the Hartford Courant.
Trump Running Mate Raised Hackles on Abortion, LGBT Issues
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s wife has nonprofit experience on children’s issues, but his conservative stances on social issues have alarmed some foundations and advocacy groups.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Suit Claims ‘Looting’ of Donations at Defunct Design Charity
A bankruptcy trustee responsible for recovering assets from Architecture for Humanity is seeking $3 million from the organization’s founders and board in a lawsuit alleging the nonprofit misused restricted donations to stay afloat, according to Fast Company.
Penn State Seeks Money From Sandusky Charity for Abuse Victims
The university filed a court claim for funds from insurance companies for the Second Mile, the youth nonprofit founded by convicted child molester Jerry Sandusky, to help pay a portion of the $92 million in settlements due to the former football coach’s victims, WJAC-TV reports.