Friday, August 12, 2005

Emerging Issues: Philanthropy: Research Shows that Families Need to Talk More About the Legacy of Values as part of their Estate Planning

This Emerging Issues Blog is from the Council on Foundations

Emerging Issues: Philanthropy: Research Shows that Families Need to Talk More About the Legacy of Values as part of their Estate Planning: "Friday, August 12, 2005
Research Shows that Families Need to Talk More About the Legacy of Values as part of their Estate Planning
The convergence of several dynamic forces – the anticipated and said to be huge (estimates range from $25 to $41 Trillion) intergenerational wealth transfer, the increasing longevity of many Americans, our complex and extended family structures – and their implications over the next few decades caused the German insurance and financial services firm Allianz Group to conduct a nationwide online and telephone survey into the inter-generational views concerning “inheritance” and “legacy” between Baby Boomers (adults aged 40-59) "

HEN News : Hertfordshire Mercury News : Andy's Thames trip is no cruise: he's swimming it!

HEN News : Hertfordshire Mercury News : Andy's Thames trip is no cruise: he's swimming it!: "Andy's Thames trip is no cruise: he's swimming it!

A KNEBWORTH man hoping to raise �150,000 for charity by swimming the River Thames should reach the finishing line this weekend.

Father-of-three Andy Nation, 55, is making the epic 147-mile (236.5km) journey in aid of the Anthony Nolan Trust.

On Sunday he hopes to reach Teddington Lock in west London — 13 days after setting off from the source of the Thames in Lechlade, Gloucestershire, on Monday last week."

Hey, Silicon Valley--you can't take it with you | Perspectives | CNET News.com

Hey, Silicon Valley--you can't take it with you | Perspectives | CNET News.com: "nother scorching summer. But not even the dog days can wilt the movable feast that is Manhattan's art scene.

So it was that during a round of museum-hopping on a recent trip to New York, my attention turned to the list of benefactors who had helped acquire and house many of these treasures over the years.

The donor roll call reads like something out of a musty edition of Who's Who in America. Names like Vanderbilt, Carnegie, Frick and Rockefeller recall another time and another New York. These were the folks who helped create what later became this nation's cultural capital."

floating eyeball � Nonprofit Blogging

floating eyeball � Nonprofit Blogging: "Nonprofit Blogging
July 13, 2005 on 1:26 pm | In nonprofits, blogging |

Media hierarchies are tumbling. Blogging and social network technologies are driving innovations in communication for nonprofits, businesses and others concerened with collective, public good.

Nonprofit Blogs: Strategic Communication for Mission, Outreach and Fundraising

This memo was written to help nonprofit consultants and volunteers advance strategic web communication. It briefs readers on the rapidly changing ecosystem of web communication, mainstream news media and ideas for nonprofits to capitalize.

Special thanks to Bill Shinn, Kris Bell and the rest of the uslp crew for helping me understand this stuff.

Feedback would be sweet!"

SitNews - Column:'Death tax' debate alive and kicking in Senate By ANN McFEATTERS

SitNews - Column:'Death tax' debate alive and kicking in Senate By ANN McFEATTERS: "eath tax' debate alive and kicking in Senate
By ANN McFEATTERS
Block News Alliance



August 11, 2005
Thursday


WASHINGTON - Once again, we are about to be hit with an emotional barrage of misleading 'information' about the nation's urgent need to deal with the federal estate tax, which President Bush dubs the 'death tax' and demands 'must be repealed forever.'"

Nashville City Paper

Nashville City Paper: "Super Bowl’ of conventions could bring city more events
By Chris Lewis, clewis@nashvillecitypaper.com
August 12, 2005

If you’re planning to visit the Bluebird CafĂ©, cross Sunday off the calendar. The world-famous writers’ room is one of several venues in Music City reserved for private parties to shower the VIP treatment on a special breed of conventioneer this weekend.

The Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau, which arranged for a special Bluebird concert featuring songwriters Tim Nichols and Craig Wiseman, knew it had to book the venue early, said CVB President Butch Spyridon.

On Sunday, cities and hotels from all over the United States are sending representatives to town to wine, dine and entertain attendees of the annual convention of the American Society of Association Executives.
"

Norfolk-based charity gets a boost from movie ''Smile'' (HamptonRoads.com/Pilot Online)

Norfolk-based charity gets a boost from movie ''Smile'' (HamptonRoads.com/Pilot Online): "NORFOLK — The movie ''Smile'' opens in Norfolk today, giving a local charity a little face time on the big screen.

The independent film tracks the journey of a high school student who volunteers for a group similar to Operation Smile, the Norfolk-based charity that repairs facial deformities of children around the world.

Writer-director Jeffrey Kramer says the movie – which stars Beau Bridges, Linda Hamilton, Mika Boorem, Yi Ding and Luoyong Wang – is fiction, yet “based on 80,000 true stories.” One of those stories comes from his daughter, who made a mission trip with Operation Smile to the Philippines when she was 15."

adn.com | sports : Catching attention for charity

adn.com | sports : Catching attention for charity: "Catching attention for charity

KIDS: Lynn Swann is spokesman for Big Brothers Big Sisters.

By VAN WILLIAMS
Anchorage Daily News

Published: August 12th, 2005
Last Modified: August 12th, 2005 at 04:35 AM


Most people remember Lynn Swann soaring through the air and making acrobatic catches during his sparkling NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers."

Abramoff Indicted in Casino Boat Purchase

Abramoff Indicted in Casino Boat Purchase: "Abramoff Indicted in Casino Boat Purchase
Lobbyist, Associate Charged With Fraud

By James V. Grimaldi
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, August 12, 2005; Page A01

MIAMI, Aug. 11 -- Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff and a business partner were indicted by a federal grand jury in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, charged with five counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy in their purchase of a fleet of Florida gambling boats from a businessman who was later killed in a gangland-style hit."

Bloomberg.com: U.S.-Abramoff Indictment May Echo in Other Cases, Ex-Prosecutors Say

Bloomberg.com: U.S.: "Abramoff Indictment May Echo in Other Cases, Ex-Prosecutors Say

Aug. 12 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. indictment of Jack Abramoff on fraud charges in Florida may reverberate throughout Washington as federal prosecutors increase pressure on the Republican lobbyist to cooperate in other investigations.

A federal grand jury in Fort Lauderdale yesterday charged Abramoff and business partner Adam Kidan with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud in connection with the purchase of a casino ship company in 2000. Prosecutors allege that the two provided false information on their loan application and used a counterfeit document to mislead lenders."

gwinnettdailypost.com-GA seeing record year for fundraising

gwinnettdailypost.com: "GA seeing record year for fundraising
08/12/2005

By Douglas Sams
Staff Writer
doug.sams@gwinnettdailypost.com

LAWRENCEVILLE — The University of Georgia collected $96.9 million in private donations in its recently completed fiscal year — the fifth consecutive year of record fundraising.
Contributions topped last year’s total by $19 million and pushed UGA’s capital campaign to nearly $350 million, according to a press release the University issued Thursday. The public phase of the $500 million campaign kicked off in April, though donations have been rolling in for nearly four years. "

Rocky Mountain News: Business-Nonprofits revamp fundraising

Rocky Mountain News: Business: "Nonprofits revamp fundraising

In tight, competitive market, groups seek to tailor approach

By Joanne Kelley, Rocky Mountain News
August 12, 2005

In an increasingly competitive market for charitable funds, some area nonprofits have adapted their fundraising strategies to lure more donations."

Donations to charities soar across the board - Yahoo! News

Donations to charities soar across the board - Yahoo! News: "Donations to charities soar across the board

By Frank Greve, Knight Ridder Newspapers Thu Aug 11, 1:42 PM ET

WASHINGTON - Donations to a broad array of U.S. charities soared in the first quarter of 2005, putting to rest fears that donors would bankroll tsunami relief at the expense of other causes.

'People gave to the tsunami above and beyond what they normally give,' said Jessica Harrington, the vice president for direct response at Schultz & Williams, a Philadelphia-based fundraising consultant. 'They saw it as an additional gift rather than an instead-of gift.'"

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Cisco: Giving Back Is "Good Business"

Cisco: Giving Back Is "Good Business": "Cisco: Giving Back Is 'Good Business'
CEO John Chambers says strong corporate citizenship isn't just charity, 'it's also a critical element of a company's brand and reputation'


Cisco Systems (CSCO ) Chief Executive John Chambers is known as one of tech's most successful CEOs. So it's no surprise his capitalist drive would extend even to the topic of corporate citizenship. Chambers argues that giving back to society brings benefits that far exceed any costs -- whether it's in terms of employee morale or strengthening the bran"

news - China Southern Chairman Outlines Further Charitable Giving Programs

news - China Southern Chairman Outlines Further Charitable Giving Programs: "China Southern Chairman Outlines Further Charitable Giving Programs

Nation’s Largest Airline Commitment “Unwavering” Says Airline Chairman
/noticias.info/ GUANGZHOU, China - August 11, 2005 - China Southern Airlines (NYSE: ZNH, HKSE: 1055, SHA 600029) - www.cs-air.com/en - the largest airline in The People’s Republic of China is pleased to outline its goals through its newly-announced charitable giving programs.

In a detailed interview, China Southern Airlines Chairman Mr. Liu Shaoyong outlined the airlines programs … "

Herald.com | 08/11/2005 | Boomers still want to change the world

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Herald.com | 08/11/2005 | Boomers still want to change the world: "Posted on Thu, Aug. 11, 2005

THE BUSINESS OF AMERICA

Boomers still want to change the world

BY ROSABETH MOSS KANTER

rkanter@hbs.edu

World, get ready! The Baby Boomers are becoming the Senior Boomers, and they want to change you again.

The generation that marched in Washington in the 1960s will soon be marching into hospitals, schools and homeless shelters seeking opportunities to serve. The activists who staffed the civil rights and women's movements four decades ago now want to eradicate diseases, transform education or alleviate global poverty.

Americans of all ages increasingly express their desire to perform some sort of service to their communities and nation. But those who came of age in the 1960s lead the charge, according to a recent survey by the MetLife Foundation and Civic Ventures."

PND News - Impact Fund Helps Nonprofits Manage Volunteers

PND News - Impact Fund Helps Nonprofits Manage Volunteers: "Impact Fund Helps Nonprofits Manage Volunteers

The Atlanta-based UPS Foundation and two leading U.S. companies are collaborating to launch a grantmaking fund to help nonprofits manage volunteers more effectively.

Established with a $1 million, three-year grant from the UPS Foundation, and in development for the past year, Impact: A Fund for Change Through Volunteerism will pool resources from the foundation, Home Depot, and Capital One Financial with resources provided by local funders in five states to encourage organizations to work together to address challenges in volunteer management they previously have tackled alone. Eventually, the fund expects to issue calls for proposals for both national and local projects, based on the particular interests of participating funders. Management and staff support for the initiative will be provided by the National Human Services Assembly."

HoustonChronicle.com - Doctors push St. Luke's to forgo $25 million gift

HoustonChronicle.com - Doctors push St. Luke's to forgo $25 million gift: "Doctors push St. Luke's to forgo $25 million gift
Move to rename tower for a lawyer famed for his medical lawsuits hits raw nerves
By TODD ACKERMAN
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital's famed medical tower will soon be renamed for a Houston lawyer who has made millions taking the health care industry to trial.


The plan to rename the edifice after John O'Quinn in recognition of a $25 million donation by his foundation has infuriated many St. Luke's doctors, who last week began circulating a petition against it and Monday night convened an emergency meeting of the medical executive committee."

Air Scamerica - Editorials/Op-Ed - The Washington Times, America's Newspaper

Air Scamerica - Editorials/Op-Ed - The Washington Times, America's Newspaper: "high-ranking executive siphons off government money intended for inner-city children. The company tries to wash its hands of the problem. Where is the New York Times to cover the story? Where are Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton to demand money and an apology?
We're talking about Air America's emerging charity scandal. Liberals wish it would go away. It won't, not least because over the weekend it emerged that New York state attorney general Eliot Spitzer has opened an investigation. "

The Connecticut Post Online - Opinion-"Full audits urged of bribe case firms

The Connecticut Post Online - Opinion: "Full audits urged of bribe case firms

State and federal agencies are urged to act swiftly to audit the financial books of Progressive Training Associates, the Bridgeport job training agency whose executive director and founder pleaded guilty last week to bribery and embezzlement charges.

It's imperative — and certainly in the taxpayers interest — to determine how much in state and federal funding may have been misused or wasn't used for the vocational training for low-income people that PTA offered.

Warren Keith Godbolt, the agency's CEO and chief operating officer, admitted during a guilty plea in U.S. District Court in Bridgeport that from January 2002 and continuing through January 2005, he and another person embezzled between $70,000 and $120,000 of PTA's funding"

Whittier Daily News - Opinion-Stop charitable funds siphons

Whittier Daily News - Opinion: "Stop charitable funds siphons

HERE'S a message to all the board members working long, volunteer hours keeping charitable organizations in the black:

Something's gone terribly wrong if your charity isn't receiving at least half of the dollars generated by fund-raising events.

As chronicled by Staff Writer Esther Chou in Monday's front- page story, some have ended up with as little as 14 percent of monies raised. That's just too little payback for the planning, participation and just plain hard work that goes into fund- raising."

‘Boardroom is not where corporate governance is born’ - Newindpress.com

‘Boardroom is not where corporate governance is born’ - Newindpress.com: "‘Boardroom is not where corporate governance is born’
Thursday August 11 2005 00:00 IST

CHENNAI: True movement on corporate governance will not happen from the board of directors of companies, but from mature NGOs, according to Nachiket Mor, executive director, ICICI Bank.

He was addressing a gathering at the Director’s Power Breakfast Series 2005 organised by the Asian Centre for Corporate Governance, here on Wednesday.

Advocating the cause of non-governmental organisations in re-examining the corporate governance aspects, Mor said, “It should be public interest driven. India needs to follow the similar trend in Korea where NGOs set the agenda for corporate governance issues.”"

New Statesman - The hot look everyone wants

New Statesman - The hot look everyone wants: "In the current climate of fear and uncertainty, acts of charity help us feel better about ourselves. But mixing caring with posing is itself a dangerous business. By Joshua Blackburn

Once upon a time, Britain was a society of conspicuous consumption. Today, as the hangover from Live 8 fades, it is compassion that we flaunt: celebrities launching charities . . . charities creating fashions . . . businesses which simply love to love. Our heritage of Victorian philanthropy has given way to a new culture of caring designed for the consumer age.

For celebrities, consumers and businesses alike, charity is the 'hot look' that everyone wants. We have created a conscience industry that is fast transforming our notion of charity into a lifestyle concept, conveniently packaged and highly desirable. For £1.95, your silicone wristband tells the world, 'I care' - about what, it doesn't always seem to matter."

BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Tycoon honoured for philanthropy

BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Tycoon honoured for philanthropy: "Tycoon honoured for philanthropy
Sir Tom Farmer used his fortune to help others

Scottish businessman Sir Tom Farmer has been awarded a prestigious international award for philanthropy.

The founder of the Kwik-Fit car repair business is one of six people who will receive the Andrew Carnegie Medal 2005.

The ceremony is due to take place at the Scottish Parliament on 4 October - the first time the awards will have been held outside the US.

The accolade is given to people deemed to have dedicated their private wealth to public good"

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Charity blues - Parry Sound North Star

Mention of the AFP State of Fundraising Survey

Charity blues - Parry Sound North Star: "Charity blues
by Sarah Bissonette

PARRY SOUND - Many area charities worked harder and hosted more fundraising events in 2004 than in previous years, yet they didn't raise substantially more money.

'I think there's a lot more charities and charity events that are looking for funding than in the past,' said Parry Sound Kinsmen Club director Wade Perkins.

According to the State of Fundraising, a study released in July by the North American-wide Association of Fundraising Professionals, Parry Sound area's charities fit in with the 12 per cent across Canada that received the same amount of donations in 2004 as in 2003. Meanwhile, many area organizations also fell into the same category as the 69 per cent that met their financial goals.

In addition, the study found that 62 per cent of charities in Canada raised seven per cent more in 2004 than in 2003."

Myths About Online Volunteering / Myths About Virtual Volunteering

Myths About Online Volunteering / Myths About Virtual Volunteering: "Myths About Online Volunteering (Virtual Volunteering)


Online volunteering means unpaid service that is given via the Internet. It's a method of volunteering I have been using, studying, documenting or promoting since 1995, first independently, then with the Virtual Volunteering Project, and then with the UN's Online Volunteering service. It's also known as virtual volunteering, online mentoring, ementoring, evolunteering, cyber volunteering, cyber service, telementoring, and on and on.

Now, 10 years on, I'm stunned at how many myths are still out there about the concept. Here is a list of 12 of the most common myths, and my attempt to counter them:

Slovak news: Non-profit organizations receive Sk878 million from taxes

Slovak news: Non-profit organizations receive Sk878 million from taxes: "Non-profit organizations receive Sk878 million from taxes

SLOVAK non-profit organizations received Sk878.4 million (€22.54 million) from the two-percent tax that individuals and companies could allocate from their taxes until the end of July, news wire SITA wrote.

Robert Merva, spokesman for the Slovak Tax Directorate, further announced that corporate entities allocated Sk579.4 million (€14.87 million); the rest came from personal income taxes."

United Way Donations Increase

United Way Donations Increase: "United Way Donations Increase
Private Gifts, Not Federal Workers', on Rise After Scandal

By Jacqueline L. Salmon
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 10, 2005; Page B07

The local United Way's most recent fundraising drive raised $39 million, increasing for the first time since a scandal hit the organization nearly four years ago.

Officials of the United Way of the National Capital Area said they were pleased with the 2 percent increase, especially because it was driven by pledges from Washington area corporations.


'That's clearly the key to our future,' said Charles W. Anderson, chief executive of the local United Way."

EducationGuardian.co.uk | Students | Charity case

EducationGuardian.co.uk | Students | Charity case: "Charity case

After spending a year volunteering for an environment project in Belize, Luke is keen to join a charity. But is his gap year experience and his degree in geography enough? Debbie Andalo finds out

Wednesday August 10, 2005
The Guardian

Luke, 22, has just returned from a gap year volunteering for an environment project in Belize. He left university with a 2:1 in geography and is keen to work for a charity.

1 Competition for charity jobs is fierce. Luke must forget about any dreams he has of stepping into a campaigning or field worker post - he will have to start at the bottom. First, he must make sure he has built up at least a year working as a charity volunteer so that he understands the ethos of the sector. It is essential he is computer literate and can get to grips with Microsoft Word; PowerPoint, Excel and the database programme Access. He might then apply for administrative posts with a salary starting at around £15,000."

Thomas W. Langfitt, 78, Former Leader of Pew Charitable Trusts, Dies - New York Times

Thomas W. Langfitt, 78, Former Leader of Pew Charitable Trusts, Dies - New York Times: "Thomas W. Langfitt, 78, Former Leader of Pew Charitable Trusts, Dies

By WOLFGANG SAXON
Published: August 10, 2005

Thomas W. Langfitt, who led the Pew Charitable Trusts to prominence in the 1980's and 90's, died on Sunday at his home in Wynnewood, Pa. He was 78.

Xinhua - English-Businesses urged to give more to charity

Xinhua - English: " BEIJING, Aug. 10 -- The carnage wrought by Typhoon Matsa has prompted at least one businessman to give more to charity.

Bai Qinghua, chairman of a Shanghai tour company, saw the typhoon rip through the city and surrounding areas last weekend.

As a result, Bai's company, the Easy Business Travel Co Ltd, has teamed up with the China Charity Federation."

Island Packet Online: Island computer club aids other nonprofits byte by byte

Island Packet Online: Island computer club aids other nonprofits byte by byte: "Island computer club aids other nonprofits byte by byte

BY JUSTIN PAPROCKI, The Island Packet
Published Wednesday, August 10th, 2005

When organizers of The Deep Well Project wanted to start a Web site, they turned to the Hilton Head Island Computer Club.

Free of charge, the club pulled resources from its membership to quickly put a site online for its fellow nonprofit organization at deepwellproject.org.

'They totally designed our Web site and are helping us maintain it,' said Betsy Doughtie, Deep Well's executive director. 'They've been a great help.'

Non-profit wages catching up

Non-profit wages catching up: "Non-profit wages catching up
By MICHAEL McBRIDE
mtmcbride@muncie.gannett.com

MUNCIE - Employment in Indiana is growing fastest in the non-profit sector, according to a recent report by the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs and the Center on Philanthropy at IU.

And the wages those employees earn are catching up with wages in the for-profit and government sectors.

So are the benefits, according to Julie Hankins, director of emergency services for the past six years at the Muncie office of the American Red Cross."

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

UK National Audit Office - Conferences - Working with the Third Sector

UK National Audit Office - Conferences - Working with the Third Sector: "National Audit Office Conference
Working with the Third Sector – 30 June 2005

Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London

The National Audit Office (NAO) conference ‘Working with the Third Sector’ was held on 30 June 2005 at the QEII Conference Centre in Westminster, central London. The conference launched the NAO report ‘Working with the Third Sector’, published on 29 June. The conference and report highlighted that substantial improvements are needed in the way government departments provide funding to Third Sector Organisations (TSOs), sometimes referred to as Voluntary and Community Organisations (VCOs) to deliver public services.

A 2002 Treasury Review made numerous recommendations aimed at improving funding practices relating to TSOs. These recommendations have in the main been implemented, but this action has not been enough to bring about a widespread and substantive change in government funding practices. The government has committed itself to increasing the involvement of TSOs in public services. The report and conference emphasised that further progress is dependent on departments’ willingness to embrace new ways of working with the sector and to embed new practices across their funding streams. Meanwhile, third sector organisations also have a responsibility to improve their understanding and management of their funding."

POLITICS-US: A Holy Trinity of Church, Boardroom and GOP?

POLITICS-US: A Holy Trinity of Church, Boardroom and GOP?: "POLITICS-US:
A Holy Trinity of Church, Boardroom and GOP?
William Fisher

NEW YORK, Aug 8 (IPS) - U.S. Pres. George W. Bush continues to seek broader support from the African American community -- most recently with a pledge to persuade corporate foundations to give more money to faith-based charities.

In a closed-door session at the White House with 17 black ministers and civic leaders -- his second such meeting since January -- Bush said the White House plans to sponsor a March summit to bring together corporate foundation leaders and faith-based social service organisations, many of which are affiliated with black churches. "

Monday, August 08, 2005

Washington Examiner: Business-"Non-profits - On the rebound-United Way rebuilds from the ground up

Washington Examiner: Business: "Non-profits - On the rebound
United Way rebuilds from the ground up
By PATRICK RUCKER
Examiner Staff Writer
Published: Sunday, August 7, 2005 9:18 PM EDT
E-mail this story | Print this page

The United Way operates with money but what it really runs on is trust.

Financial scandal at the United Way of the National Capitol Area shook that trust three years ago. Now everything the charity's reformist CEO Charles W. Anderson does is aimed at getting it back.

Almost 90 percent of the staff has changed since Anderson took over and he has rebuilt the board of directors. New oversight committees are in place and the bookkeeping is transparent."

NewsWatch-Study: Nonprofit jobs outpace private sector

NewsWatch: "Study: Nonprofit jobs
outpace private sector

A new study shows that while job growth in the for-profit sector in Maryland remained stagnant, the state's nonprofit sector continued to grow, adding 4,300 new jobs in 2003, the latest year for which statistics are available.

The study, by researchers at The Johns Hopkins University, showed that the number of Maryland residents employed by nonprofits grew to 228,031 paid workers by the end of 2003, up 2 over 2002. The nonprofit sector employs twice as many workers as the state's banking, finance and insurance industries combined, and more people work for nonprofits than work in manufacturing or construction."

The Chronicle, 8/18/2005: Charity Official Questions Fees Paid to Financial Advisers

The Chronicle, 8/18/2005: Charity Official Questions Fees Paid to Financial Advisers: "Charity Official Questions Fees Paid to Financial Advisers
By Holly Hall

A fund raiser at a Philadelphia cancer organization has roiled the charity world as he campaigns against what he calls 'blatantly unethical' fees paid to financial advisers who set up donor-advised funds.

Bruce Makous, a major gifts and planned-giving officer at the American Association for Cancer Research, says that many stockbrokers, money managers, and other financial advisers have a conflict of interest because they earn fees by steering donors to the funds, particularly those managed by commercial investment firms, and helping donors invest assets in the funds. As a result, he says, advisers don't always present donors with the full range of giving options available -- some of which might make more sense for them financially and produce more money for charity."

RedNova News - Health - A Taxing Question for Not-for-Profits

RedNova News - Health - A Taxing Question for Not-for-Profits: "A Taxing Question for Not-for-Profits

Congress is continuing to question whether not-for-profit hospitals are providing sufficient charity care to justify their tax- exempt status. But the question, framed too narrowly, misses most of the reasons not-for-profit hospitals merit tax exemption in the first place.

'It would be very dangerous to address a broken system such as ours by simply revoking the federal tax-exempt status of nonprofit hospitals. . . . [A] blanket revocation of federal tax-exempt status would revoke more benefit than the tax revenue stream it would produce to support the uninsured.'

-Nancy M. Kane, Professor of Management, Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, in testimony before the House Committee on Ways and Means, May 26"

The Electric New Paper - The Electric New Paper News

The Electric New Paper - The Electric New Paper News: "SINGAPOREANS are still sweet on charity, though some prefer to add some sarcasm to the spirit of giving.

Recent reports have noted that some volunteers are being abused following public disquiet over the recent National Kidney Foundation (NKF) saga.

But at least one charity here, the Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic, found out that many donors still open their hearts and wallets to them"

et - Full Story-The Third Pillar

et - Full Story: "the Third Pillar
In a society grown callous to the lot of the poor, how many of us are actually giving zakat? Are we doing so the right way? And can we trust governments or Islamic funds to manage the alms we give? A look at the debate over how zakat is used and whether giving it should become a matter of secular law."

100% to charity? Think again

100% to charity? Think again: "100% to charity? Think again

Christine Tan (right) buying a bookmark from Aisah Ibrahim but does she know how much of her gift from the heart goes to the home?
PETALING JAYA: You donated RM1 for a bookmark that carried the National Kidney Foundation’s (NKF) name, hoping that your contribution would make a difference to a renal patient.

But the truth is, only 10 sen of that ringgit went to the foundation’s coffers. "

News-Record.com - Greensboro, North Carolina: News: Museum woos corporate sector

News-Record.com - Greensboro, North Carolina: News: Museum woos corporate sector: "Museum woos corporate sector
Print this Article Print this article Email this Article Email this Article
By Margaret Moffett Banks
Staff Writer

GREENSBORO -- Bryan. Reynolds. Cone. Weaver.

For the most part, it has been the Triad's tried-and-true philanthropists who have bankrolled the International Civil Rights Center and Museum since 2001 -- along with a couple of million dollars from taxpayers.

In the future, that list of major donors might read more like a string of commercials:

Starbucks. Crayola. Xerox. Federal Express.

Officials with the sit-in museum are quietly courting corporations, so far the weakest link in its cadre of donors."

Malaysian National News Agency :: BERNAMA-Shahrizat: Charity Should Get At Least 70 Per Cent Donation

Malaysian National News Agency :: BERNAMA: "Shahrizat: Charity Should Get At Least 70 Per Cent Donation

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- Well-meaning individuals and parties should refrain from engaging services of professional fund raisers to minimise administrative costs to ensure at least 70 per cent donations go to charity.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said her ministry had distributed a circular stating that non-governmental organisations (NGOs) under her ministry should allocate a minimum of 70 per cent of any donation drive to the beneficiary.

'Today, everybody is embarking on all kinds of charity causes. If it is done ethically, honestly and the money goes to where it should go, then it's a very good paradigm shift...at least 70 per cent should go to charity beneficiary.

'A maximum of 30 per cent are allocated for administrative costs. So, they should not engage professional fund raisers,' she told reporters after opening the 'Nur Menara Ilmu Straight A's Programme' involving 640 exam-year primary and secondary school students from her Lembah Pantai parliamentary constituency."

Alliance expands mission (August 7, 2005)

Alliance expands mission (August 7, 2005): "Alliance expands mission

By KEVIN DENNEHY
and DAVID SCHOETZ
STAFF WRITERS
HYANNIS - They came together a few years ago bound by a common cause: to kill the wind farm.


Three bruising years later, the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound remains in that fight, a contentious struggle on a national stage marked by aggressive public relations campaigns and expensive lobbyists.

But now, the well-financed nonprofit organization, funded in large part by owners of property overlooking the sound,"

Workers drive corporate charity programs

BostonWorks - Jobs, Events, and Information from The Boston Globe: "Workers drive corporate charity programs

By Davis Bushnell, Globe Correspondent, 8/7/05


GLOBE STAFF PHOTO/BARRY CHIN
From left, Jon Roberts and Clyde Johnson of CVS Corp., Massachusetts General Hospital's Dr. Robert Brown, of the ALS Therapy Alliance, and CVS chief executive Thomas M. Ryan. The Rhode Island chain presented a $2 million donation to the alliance during a Red Sox game.

Employee-driven corporate giving campaigns are on the rise, energizing a process once directed by senior management alone.

Based on their own interests in charitable causes, ranging from food banks to cancer research, employees are increasingly sending word through the chain of command that these are causes that employers should also support.

And companies are responding by not only matching employee donations, but also by encouraging staff members to volunteer some of their free time to organizations needing assistance."

Washington Bureau - bizjournals.com

Washington Bureau - bizjournals.com:
snip snip>>
"Two other priorities for the small business community -- estate tax repeal and association health plans -- await action when Congress returns in September.

Groups that favor permanent repeal of the estate tax will spend August lobbying senators. The tax, which is levied on inherited assets, will be phased out in 2010 but will return in 2011 unless Congress takes additional action.

The House has passed legislation to make estate tax repeal permanent several times. The Senate will vote on this legislation as soon as it returns to Washington, but most observers doubt the bill will get the 60 votes needed to overcome procedural hurdles."

Pennsylvanians enjoying fewer sales calls - PittsburghLIVE.com

Pennsylvanians enjoying fewer sales calls - PittsburghLIVE.com: "Pennsylvanians enjoying fewer sales calls


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By Glenn May
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, August 8, 2005

Patrick Kinley won a $50 settlement from a telemarketer who illegally called him at home, but the South Fayette retiree says the money pales next to the peace and quiet he has earned from being on the state and federal Do Not Call lists.

'The point is, it really stopped the harassment,' said Kinley, 63. 'Frankly, the program has worked wonderfully.'

Kinley is one of millions of people who joined the Do Not Call registry seeking relief from pesky phone solicitations for insurance, vacation time shares and other offers. His experience shows the success prosecutors have had going after some violators and the continuing struggle against unwanted calls from an industry bent on pitching its latest merchandise and services.

Pennsylvania's Do Not Call list was created in 2002. The federal government started its version a year later. Anyone who signs up for the state list is automatically added to the national registry"

The Debate Over Doing Good

The Debate Over Doing Good: "The Debate Over Doing Good
Some companies are taking a more strategic tack on social responsibility. Should they?

It's 8:30 a.m. on a Friday in July, and Carol B. Tomé is starting to sweat. The chief financial officer of Home Depot Inc. (HD ) isn't getting ready to face a firing squad of investors or unveil troubled accounting at the home-improvement giant. Instead, she and 200 other Home Depot employees are helping to build a playground replete with swings, slides, and a jungle gym at a local girls' club in a hardscrabble neighborhood of Marietta, Ga. Dressed in a white Home Depot T-shirt, a baseball cap, and blue capri jeans, Tomé tightens bolts, while others dump wood chips, mix concrete, and sink posts. The company, together with nonprofit playground specialist KaBOOM!, plans to build 1,000 more such kiddie parks in the next three years -- and spend $25 million doing it."

Some religions don't have a prayer

Some religions don't have a prayer: "Some religions don't have a prayer

Issues of church and state can be difficult. Even people of tolerance and goodwill often disagree over the application of the First Amendment's religion clauses in this or that context, while people who are totally invested in particular religious doctrines routinely try to rewrite constitutional history in the fond belief that doing so will allow them to 'correct' the religious views of others.

These disputes 'go with the territory' of constitutional government in a country with a religiously diverse citizenry.

Every once in a while, however, we get a church-state conflict that seems truly bizarre. It is interesting how frequently such cases arise in the Great State of Texas, but I digress.

On May 18, the Texas state comptroller ruled that the Red River Unitarian Universalist Church was not a 'religious organization' for tax purposes. The comptroller based her denial of tax-exempt status on the fact that 'the church does not have one system of belief' and does not require belief in a deity."

MercuryNews.com | 08/08/2005 | For Latinos, charity ball remains vital

MercuryNews.com | 08/08/2005 | For Latinos, charity ball remains vital: "For Latinos, charity ball remains vital

REWARDS GO FAR BEYOND GRANT MONEY, FEEDING STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY

By Teresa Alvarado

On July 9, the Mercury News mentioned an interesting question in an article about the Silicon Valley Charity Ball: whether an ``old-style ball is the best way to raise money in the valley, or whether donors would prefer a more low-key event with less overhead cost -- or even no event at all.''

The Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley annually presents the Hispanic Charity Ball. This is the 16th year the Hispanic Charity Ball will be celebrated. Through proceeds from this event, grants totaling over $800,000 have been made to more than 41 local non-profits serving the community in the areas of housing, domestic violence, English-language learning, career development, educational attainment, access to technology, youth leadership, arts education, math and science proficiency, and many other important areas of need. This has been crucial to the agencies we have funded."

The giving ship: Boat is a major part of Bagwell's community centered philanthropy - forsythnews.com

The giving ship: Boat is a major part of Bagwell's community centered philanthropy - forsythnews.com: "The giving ship: Boat is a major part of Bagwell's community centered philanthropy

By Harris Blackwood
Community Editor
Photo
Photo/Ron Logan

The Amistad, one of the largest crafts on Lake Lanier, has been used by many community groups for fundraising cruises.

Photo
Photo/Ron Logan

Owner Tommy Bagwell and his wife, Chantal, have supported many charitable endeavors through both personal contributions and allowing organizations to use their boat.


When Tommy Bagwell launched 'The Amistad' in 1975, the first party held aboard his three level houseboat was a Super Bowl party.

'I remember that the boat wasn't completely finished and in the morning it was so cold that the frost on the inside from the breathing was so frozen that you could scratch your name in it,' said Bagwell, who is chairman and CEO of American Proteins.