Friday, January 28, 2005

Bill Gates' UN brand of philanthropy

Bill Gates' UN brand of philanthropy
Bill Gates’ UN brand of philanthropy
by Judi McLeod, Canadafreepress.com

January 28, 2005
Microsoft’s Bill Gates, global politics newest kid on the block, showed up in Davos, Switzerland at the World Economic Forum this week.
Flanked by the likes of former U.S. President Bill Clinton, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish rocker Bono for photo ops, Gates in a casual sweater and slacks is looking more and more like an aged Harry Potter.
Wherever the big guys hang out, Gates is there, even sending wife Melinda to Bilderberg.

FT.com / Your money / Your investments - Lessons in shouldering the burden of riches

FT.com / Your money / Your investments - Lessons in shouldering the burden of riches: "Lessons in shouldering the burden of riches
By Dido Sandler
Published: January 28 2005 14:18 | Last updated: January 28 2005 14:18

Life can be tough being a rich kid. Having grown up with all the family money and prestige, overshadowed perhaps by a phenomenally successful parent, many sink into a morass of personal problems.

This is no surprise. Wealthy entrepreneurs who have dedicated their lives to launching a business and making money often lack the time or emotional resources to provide their children with the love and guidance they need to develop into happy, resilient adults.
In addition, the inherited wealthy don't have to deal with the character-forming challenges that many other children face, such as facing "

Car Donation Rules Change

Car Donation Rules Change

WCCO: Bill Would Limit Compensation For Execs. Of Nonprofits

WCCO: Bill Would Limit Compensation For Execs. Of Nonprofits

Bill Would Limit Compensation For Execs. Of NonprofitsJan 27, 2005 3:05 pm US/CentralSt. Paul (AP) A state representative is going after the salaries of executives at some of Minnesota's best-known nonprofits. Marshall Republican Marty Seifert wants to limit the compensation of executives of nonprofits that receive state appropriations or large government grants.

The Jewish Journal Of Greater Los Angeles

The Jewish Journal Of Greater Los Angeles: "Nonprofits Refocus 2005 Funding Efforts
by David Finnigan, Contributing Writer
At the Israel advocacy group StandWithUs, executive director Roz Rothstein can look back wistfully on a seemingly more innocent time when fundraising was less convoluted for the four-year-old group.
�Life was simple when we had one brochure, one Web site and two or three people on staff,� Rothstein said. �Now, we have five Web sites, multiple speakers, brochures in multiple languages, over 10 people on staff, a shipping department and we are looking at opening up a New York office, as well as chapters around the country. We have a healthy budget and strong community support. The biggest challenge is always development.�"

CorpWatch:�Two World Forums, Two Visions

CorpWatch:�Two World Forums, Two Visions: "Two World Forums, Two Visions
by Pratap Chatterjee, Special to CorpWatch
January 27th, 2005

It's a hot summer day in Porto Alegre, Brazil. A small group of children splash and play in the polluted river beneath a towering smokestack. Meanwhile, hundreds of people work feverishly, putting the final touches on scores of temporary structures that will house the fifth World Social Forum (WSF). The buildings range from tiny refreshment stands to giant tents housing elaborate art built out of recycled materials.

Outside, young activists dressed in shorts and tank-tops are beginning to gather at Largo Glenio Peres for a meeting of activist and NGO workers that is expected to attract over 100,000 people. At the opening ceremony, which lasted all night, the international group was entertained by fire dancers, giant Australian-made puppets, an illuminated zeppelin that hovered overhead bearing a slogan calling for an end to poverty. There was also music of the Gilberto Gil, otherwise known as the Brazilian Minister of Culture."

Xinhua - English a monitoring system to safeguard Guangdong's charity causes

Xinhua - English: " BEIJING, Jan. 28 -- Deputies attending the Third Session of the 10th Guangdong Provincial People's Congress proposed setting up a monitoring system to safeguard Guangdong's charity causes, a Guangzhou Chinese language newspaper reported Thursday. "

The Coming Crash of the Nonprofit Sector



Top Story
January 2005 IMPACT

The Coming Crash of the Nonprofit Sector
by Mordecai Lee, professor with the Helen Bader Institute for Nonprofit Management at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; reprinted with permission from the September 2004 issue of the PA TIMES, monthly news publication of the American Society for Public Administration

Editor’s Note: The following editorial does not necessarily represent the views of GEO nor its staff, but is intended to help further discussion in the field.

It happened in 1929 and again in the late 1990s. The stock market crashed. Exponential rates of growth simply cannot be sustained, regardless of what is being counted. Simple math and statistics guarantee either a crash, or some other shattering change to modify the direction of the line on the curve of the growth chart.

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Komen Foundation honored - 2005-01-19 - Dallas Business Journal

Komen Foundation honored - 2005-01-19 - Dallas Business Journal: "Komen Foundation honored
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation has been named the 2005 Outstanding Foundation by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. "

USATODAY.com - Most ID theft takes place offline

USATODAY.com - Most ID theft takes place offline: "Most ID theft takes place offline
By Mindy Fetterman, USA TODAY
Identity theft is less likely to happen online than through traditional means, like losing or having your wallet stolen, according to a survey released Wednesday.
And when the identity of the thief is known, it's more likely to be one of your relatives."

Charity's leader says misuse of funds was honest mistake | ajc.com

Charity's leader says misuse of funds was honest mistake | ajc.com: "Charity's leader says misuse of funds was honest mistake

By COREY DADE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/27/05
An Atlanta minister with ties to DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones acknowledged Wednesday that his charity used portions of a $185,000 state grant, meant for teaching computer skills to youths, to reimburse his church's expenses.
But Bishop Wiley Jackson Jr., senior pastor of Gospel Tabernacle, contended that misuse of the funds was an honest mistake and said a state law forbidding the practice is 'foggy.'"

TheStar.com - A significant week for philanthropy

TheStar.com - A significant week for philanthropy: "A significant week for philanthropy


Researchers at Cardiff University have concluded that Monday of this week was the most depressing day of the year. Yet this Monday might � just possibly might � prove to have been a turning point in the fortunes of the most deprived of the world's continents.
Monday was when the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave $75 million (all figures U.S.) a year for 10 years to the Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunisation (GAVI) which Gates helped to set up in 2000. It was an act of philanthropy of the highest � and most cost-effective � kind which will save hundreds of thousands of young lives in the developing world.
In 2002, around 10.5 million children under 5 died, of whom 1.4 million perished from diseases that could have been prevented by vaccines. The timing is coincidental, but the Gates initiative is a reminder that even the death toll after the tsunami, horrific though it was, is on a lesser scale than this most preventable of scourges. "

Philanthropy Inc

Philanthropy Inc: "Philanthropy Inc
Microsoft's Bill Gates and his wife make it their business to give in a big way to programs for global health, education and more. The work is breaking records and saving lives.


Times Headlines

Amazon Decides to Become a Bricks-and-Mortar Booster


SBC's Earnings Tumble 17% on Expenses


Eastman Kodak Posts Loss but Digital Sales Soar


Philanthropy Inc


Lawmakers Urge Longer Probe of IBM, Lenovo


more >


Most E-mailed

SpongeBob and Friends: Splendor in the Kelp


Man Faces Charges in Metrolink Collision


Real fireworks


> more e-mailed stories








CONTRIBUTIONS

BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION WORLD HEALTH ORG

PHILANTHROPY

THE NATION

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

GATES WILLIAM H III

BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION











By Sam Howe Verhovek, Times Staff Writer


SEATTLE � John D. Rockefeller once brooded that giving away money intelligently was more difficult than making it. Bill Gates, who has surpassed the oil titan as history's biggest philanthropist, doesn't completely agree.

'I think both making money and giving it away well are quite difficult � probably equally so,' the 49-year-old computer software giant wrote in an"

The Chronicle, 1/26/2005: How Nonprofit Executives Can Overcome Shyness and Inexperience to Woo Potential Supporters

The Chronicle, 1/26/2005: How Nonprofit Executives Can Overcome Shyness and Inexperience to Woo Potential Supporters: "How Nonprofit Executives Can Overcome Shyness and Inexperience to Woo Potential Supporters
By Rebecca Gardyn

Mary Kate O'Leary has a master's degree in counseling psychology, a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, and extensive experience as a program director for nonprofit children's-services organizations.

But what she didn't have four years ago, when she became the head of Girls and Boys Town of Central Florida, a charity in Oviedo that serves abused and abandoned children, was fund-raising experience.

She quickly learned that her new leadership role brought the added responsibility of forming and maintaining relationships with big donors."

Panel says no to legal e-bingo - billingsgazette.com

Panel says no to legal e-bingo - billingsgazette.com: "Panel says no to legal e-bingo
Associated Press
CHEYENNE - Electronic bingo wound up a loser after a legislative committee voted overwhelmingly Wednesday against the game, which had proliferated in Wyoming during the past decade before a judge struck it down earlier this month.
The House Travel Committee voted 7-2 against legalizing video bingo as outlined in House Bill 264.
Gambling generally is illegal in Wyoming, but charitable and fraternal organizations can conduct bingo and certain other games of chance to raise money for benevolent purposes. "

Comments Solicited On Governance, Oversight of Nonprofits :: PNNOnline :: the nonprofit news and information resource

Comments Solicited On Governance, Oversight of Nonprofits :: PNNOnline :: the nonprofit news and information resource: "Comments Solicited On Governance, Oversight of Nonprofits
Posted by: laurakujawski on Thursday, January 27, 2005


The Panel on the Nonprofit Sector invites the nonprofit community to comment on recommendations from its five Work Groups regarding actions to strengthen governance, ethical conduct, and accountability within the sector through a comment period for nonprofits.


Over the past seven weeks, more than 100 members of the Work Groups have held intensive discussions that have culminated in a preliminary set of recommendations for consideration by the Panel on the Nonprofit Sector. The recommendations of these Work Groups are posted on the Panel on the Nonprofit Sector Web site. (www.NonprofitPanel.org) "

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

Interactive Narratives: More Tsunami Graphics

Interactive Narratives: More Tsunami Graphics: "More Tsunami Graphics

Here's a list of infographics and multimedia specials on the tsunami in Asia: Germanys leading online magazine Spiegel online has two sets of grapics, few of them animated (Spiegel 1, Spiegel 2). The online edition of Spanish El Mundo has a multimedia special including six infographics. The Guardian explains the tsunami and earthquakes. BBC online also offers a special.
More infographics and multimedia specials on the disaster can be found here:
USA today
Washington Post
The Globe and Mail
Sydney Morning Herald
CBC
Discovery Channel
CNews
MSNBC
CNN
NY Times
Los Angeles Times "

CNN.com - FBI probing Alabama Boy Scout organization - Jan 25, 2005

CNN.com - FBI probing Alabama Boy Scout organization - Jan 25, 2005: "BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (AP) -- Boy Scout volunteer Tom Willis knew something was wrong when he saw that 20 youngsters on the list for a scouting program all had the same last name: Doe.
Willis said it appeared someone was listing fake members to boost enrollment, perhaps to bring in more funding from agencies like the United Way or to make paid Boy Scout recruiters look better."

Redlands Daily Facts - Business

Redlands Daily Facts - Business: "Red kettles' reach record donations
ATLANTA - Even with no Target, the Salvation Army hit a bull's-eye with its holiday collections.
The charity this week reported that its red kettle campaign generated at least $94.4 million in nationwide donations, a record amount."

Economist.com | Global health

Economist.com | Global health: "The world�s richest charity confronts the health of the world�s poorest people

AP

THREE-QUARTERS of a billion dollars is a lot of almost anybody�s money. Almost anybody, that is, except Bill Gates. Even for him it is scarcely small change. That, however, is the size of the donation announced this week by the foundation that bears his name and that of Melinda, his wife. The money is going to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI).
The Gates foundation is the richest charity in the world. Its endowment is worth $28 billion. Its annual income is that of a small country. And its founders are on a mission. The more "

Beacon Journal | 01/26/2005 | The saving grace of smart philanthropy

Beacon Journal | 01/26/2005 | The saving grace of smart philanthropy: "The saving grace of smart philanthropy


From an editorial in Tuesday's Washington Post:
It can be frustratingly hard to turn money from the rich world into progress against global poverty. An aid program can finance the purchase of school textbooks or the construction of a well. But the books are lifeless without competent teachers.... Equally, the well won't help much if... the politics of the village leave the poorest without access to it. But there's one type of aid that escapes many of these obstacles. Vaccination programs can protect millions of people from debilitating diseases. And once the vaccines are delivered, the gains are locked in: No matter how tough the environment, vaccinated people's health will still be protected."

Faith-based, Results-focused - Christianity Today Magazine

Faith-based, Results-focused - Christianity Today Magazine: "Faith-based, Results-focused
Jim Towey says Bush will push hard for compassion initiative in second term.
Interview by Tony Carnes | posted 01/20/2005 9:00 a.m.


On January 13, President Bush elevated Jim Towey, already Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, to be Assistant to the President. Christianity Today senior writer Tony Carnes interviewed Towey about the administration's plans to reinvigorate the faith-based initiative during Bush's second term.
President Bush's main legislative faith-based initiative, the Charity Aid, Recovery and Empowerment Act, failed to pass in 2001. Will you try again?
I hope, now that the president is not running for reelection, that some of those politics are out of the way. A Pew poll showed a 16-percentage-point difference in favor of government's granting money to faith-based organizations for social services."

Do they help charity? You bet

Do they help charity? You bet: "Do they help charity? You bet
Lars Jacoby
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 24, 2005 12:00 AM
After a successful poker tournament in November helped the Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club Foundation raise $10,000 for various charities, the group is at it again, hoping to re-raise not just money, but good feelings, too.

The foundation held its second Texas Hold'em poker tournament Saturday, raising about $5,000.

'What we try to do is to identify small local charities in Apache Junction and the Gold Canyon area that don't necessarily receive national exposure,' said foundation chairman Ray Braghetta, 61. advertisement"

In crackdown, several states are playing Texas fold'em

In crackdown, several states are playing Texas fold'em: "In crackdown, several states are playing Texas fold'em
Friday, January 21, 2005
BY BRIAN BAKST
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- David Bischoff thinks he got a raw deal last year when state gambling regulators raided his bowling alley and shut down his weekly Texas hold'em poker tournament, confiscating his cards and chips.
For months afterward, the threat of criminal charges hung over Bischoff -- and his card tables sat vacant -- until prosecutors concluded that Minnesota's laws against poker were too vague to enforce.

Minnesota is now one of several states where legislators are looking to rewrite their laws to strengthen their hand against card games at a time when poker is becoming an all-out craze. "

The Rising Nepal

The Rising Nepal

Philanthropy key to bridge rich-poor gap

By Our Correspondent
KATHMANDU, Jan. 21: Speakers at a launching of a study report on ‘Philanthropy and Law in South Asia Nepal Chapter’ Friday said that lack of regular monitoring in the laws and evaluation of non-profit organisations has made problems in philanthropy in the country.

They said that the disharmony between old law and its modern adoption, crucial role of religion and religious practices are other conflicts in the laws in South Asia

Israel21c

Israel21c: "Israeli researchers discover gene for altruism
By David Brinn January 23, 2005



According to Professor Richard Ebstein, volunteers in a soup kitchen might might possess a gene variant that gives them a good feeling from doing good.

Why are some people more prone to give charity or put themselves in danger in order to help others?

A team of Israeli psychologists claim they have the answer - they've located the first gene linked to altruistic behavior.

According to a study conducted by Prof. Richard Ebstein and colleagues at the Hebrew University and Herzog Memorial Hospital in Jerusalem, a link exists between people who appear selfless and seek to help others, and a gene variant on chromosome No. 11. "

The Southern Illinoisan

The Southern Illinoisan: "JAMES KILPATRICK: CASE OF THE DISENCHANTED DONORS

If and when it goes to trial next year, the civil suit of William Robertson, et als, v. Princeton University promises to be a jawdropper. The case dates from 1961, when the Robertson family made a huge gift to the university. Now the heirs want their money back, and Princeton won't return it.

In the rarefied air of major philanthropy, the case has its breathtaking aspects. These are among the charges brought by the Robertson family:

That Princeton 'improperly and systematically diverted to its own use and benefit more than $100 million from the Robertson Foundation and has fraudulently concealed its wrongdoing.'

That the university engaged in 'flagrant disregard of donor intent.'

That Princeton 'has acted unilaterally and covertly for decades to subvert the Robertsons' intent.'"

Echo Online :: News :: Wristband sales to support children

Echo Online :: News :: Wristband sales to support children: "Wristband sales to support children
Profits to fund scholarship at EMU institute
By Laina Shuey / Staff Writer
FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 2005


Photo by Alexis Fortner

The University will be selling green wristbands for $2 each starting in February. The profits will fund the EMU Children's Institute.
The national trend of wearing bracelets to support a foundation is about to sweep the campus of Eastern Michigan.

With the help of several departments on EMU�s campus, the University will be sponsoring the ordering of 10,000 green bracelets to support the Children�s Institute that will be going on sale in the next few weeks. "

STUFF : BUSINESS : FEATURES - STORY : New Zealand's leading news and information website

STUFF : BUSINESS : FEATURES - STORY : New Zealand's leading news and information website: "Whether it's the shirts for the local soccer team or saving whales, it seems companies are now looking for more than just a feel-good factor when it comes to donating to charity.

Instead of a cheque in the post, businesses want strategic partnerships, to build brand loyalty and to leverage off relationships with charities to create a win-win for both parties.
And though there is little doubt corporate New Zealand has been digging deep to help the victims of the Boxing Day tsunami, Victoria University marketing lecturer Jim Richard says taken as a whole, philanthropy, in its purest sense, is probably dead. "

Kansas City Star | 01/26/2005 | Nonprofits see mixed news in report

Kansas City Star | 01/26/2005 | Nonprofits see mixed news in report: "Nonprofits see mixed news in report

By DIANE STAFFORD

The Kansas City Star


�We needed to see where we stood in the (nonprofit) sector. Because of the survey, we made some key adjustments to keep and attract key people.�
Palle Rilinger, executive director of the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault


Like more than one-third of Kansas City area nonprofit organizations, Solace House asked its employees to work without raises last year.
The area's only agency dedicated to grief counseling for families who have suffered death losses saw demand for its services soar, but there weren't enough operating funds to add staff."

Channelnewsasia.com SINGAPORE : Guidelines have been issued on how the tsunami relief money raised in Singapore can be spent.

Channelnewsasia.com: "Red Cross issues guidelines to aid groups on use of tsunami fund
By Farah Abdul Rahim, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Guidelines have been issued on how the tsunami relief money raised in Singapore can be spent.

To ensure accountability, local aid groups must provide clear and detailed plans of their proposed reconstruction projects to tap the S$65 million fund. "

Guardian Unlimited Politics | Comment | Leader: Aid to Africa

Guardian Unlimited Politics | Comment | Leader: Aid to Africa: "The Gates way

Leader
Wednesday January 26, 2005
The Guardian

Researchers at Cardiff University have concluded that Monday of this week was the most depressing day of the year. Yet this Monday might - just possibly might - prove to have been a turning point in the fortunes of the most deprived of the world's continents. Monday was when the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave $75m a year for 10 years to the Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunisation (Gavi) which Mr Gates helped to set up in 2000. It was an act of philanthropy of the highest - and most cost-effective - kind which will save hundreds of thousands of young lives in the developing world, especially Africa. In 2002, around 10.5 million children under five died, of whom 1.4 million perished from diseases that could have been prevented by vaccines. The timing is coincidental, but the Gates initiative is a reminder that even the death toll after the tsunami, horrific though it was, is on a lesser scale than this most preventable of scourges. "

law.com - Article

law.com - Article: "With Charity for All?
Ashby Jones
Corporate Counsel
01-26-2005


In early 2003, Barron 'Buzz' Tenny, the executive vice president and general counsel of the New York-based Ford Foundation, sat down with the text of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the 2002 corporate governance reform law passed in the wake of the Enron Corp. and WorldCom Inc. meltdowns. The law primarily applies to public companies, but two provisions in it were also incorporated into the criminal section of the United States code: the expanded protections for internal whistleblowers and new standards on document retention. Tenny thought that other sections of the law might make sense for his organization too, such as the requirement that audit committee members are completely 'independent' -- governance-speak for no business ties with the foundation. "

Sunday, January 23, 2005

Zimbabwe News :: Zim Observer News Network

Zimbabwe News :: Zim Observer News Network: "Econet Zimbabwe raises $250m for tsunami victims
by STAFF EDITORS (1/22/2005)

ECONET chief executive officer Douglas Mboweni yesterday handed over $250 million to the United Nations Children�s Fund (Unicef) raised from contributions by the company�s cellular phone subscribers to help Tsunami disaster survivors. "

Yahoo! News - Martin wraps up 9-day mission to Asia parrying questions about why he went

Yahoo! News - Martin wraps up 9-day mission to Asia parrying questions about why he went: "Martin wraps up 9-day mission to Asia parrying questions about why he went

Sun Jan 23, 3:19 PM ET

BRUCE CHEADLE
HONG KONG (CP) - Prime Minister Paul Martin's weeklong visit to four countries and six cities in southeast Asia was bookended by a central question: Why was he there?

Canadian Press Photo


The seemingly straightforward querie tied the "

Portsmouth Herald Local News: Clothing drop box charity questioned

Portsmouth Herald Local News: Clothing drop box charity questioned: "Clothing drop box charity questioned
By Chris Bernard
cbernard@seacoastonline.com

EXETER - The yellow boxes stand out for their color but could easily be mistaken for similar boxes set out by Goodwill Industries or another charitable group.
On the surface, that�s what these clothing donation boxes are - giving sites put out by a nonprofit to aid those in need.
According to its Web site"

Boston.com / News / Local / Mystery donor aids academy

Boston.com / News / Local / Mystery donor aids academy: "Mystery donor aids academy
By Lynn Walters, Globe Correspondent | January 23, 2005
The recent $25 million donation to Phillips Exeter Academy by a benefactor who desires no credit is one of the largest of its kind ever bestowed upon an independent school, experts say.
ADVERTISEMENT

What makes the anonymous donation even more striking, they said, is its focus on faculty development, rather than brick-and-mortar edifices.
''Giving is often motivated by a desire to continue one's legacy in the form of your name on a building,' said Myra McGovern, director of public information for the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). ''So for someone to contribute this much without seeking that recognition, it is pretty remarkable. And, for it to be toward human development, it recognizes boarding school teachers go beyond the call of duty 24/7.'"

editorials - Battle Creek Enquirer - www.battlecreekenquirer.com

Editorials - Battle Creek Enquirer - www.battlecreekenquirer.com: "Foundation celebration has purpose
Seventy-five years of helping people around the world to improve their lives certainly is worth celebrating. And what a celebration the W.K. Kellogg Foundation has planned: Illustrious speakers; a new college scholarship initiative; creation of fully accessible playgrounds, and a program to help young people understand the importance of volunteerism are some of the special aspects of the year-long observance.
As exciting as it all sounds, the anniversary celebration is more than just a big party. Much of it is designed to help Battle Creek become a better community. Such renowned speakers as Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, Children's Defense Fund founder Marian Wright Edelman and others will share their messages in hopes of inspiring area residents to take active roles in their neighborhoods and communities. The foundation's establishment of a $4 million endowment at the Battle Creek Community Foundation to provide two-year scholarships to Kellogg Community College for up to 500 students annually will enhance educational opportunities for generations to come.
Most Battle Creek area residents recognize how much we have benefitted from the philanthropy of W.K. Kellogg and the foundation he created three-quarters of a century ago. While the Kellogg Foundation's reach is global, awarding $245 million in grants throughout the world in 2004, the Battle Creek area itself has been a huge beneficiary in terms of improved education, health care, opportunities for young people and more.
Many buildings and facilities throughout the area bear the Kellogg name, attesting to the cereal maker's generosity, but the Kellogg Foundation"

The Seattle Times: Opinion: A conversation about Seattle's soul

The Seattle Times: Opinion: A conversation about Seattle's soul: "Q. How would you define Seattle as a good city?
A. I think Seattle is a good city. Here are some things that come to mind: conversation cafes, Town Hall, and the Confluence forums. Each of these programs orvenues tries to create space for diverse people to respectfully engage on matters of the common good. Add to that list Sustainable Seattle, It's Time to Talk (race relations dialogues), and the amazing new philanthropy in the Northwest, I think there are many current efforts that add to the 'goodness' of our city. "

Vail Daily News for Vail and Beaver Creek Colorado - News

Vail Daily News for Vail and Beaver Creek Colorado - News: "IRS liens Vilar for $24 million



Cliff Thompson
January 23, 2005

EAGLE COUNTY -Vilar Center namesake and former Beaver Creek resident Alberto Vilar has been slapped with a $24 million lien by the Internal Revenue Service for unpaid income taxes."

A 'Tsunami' in Private Giving | csmonitor.com

A 'Tsunami' in Private Giving | csmonitor.com: "A 'Tsunami' in Private Giving

Governments should learn from aid groups

The Monitor's View

Stand up, America, and take a deep bow for yourself. You have crossed a remarkable threshold in compassion.
Your private donations to the tsunami survivors - already more than $400 million - have exceeded your own government's financial aid ($350 million). In fact, at least one-third of American households say they have donated money to an aid group in tsunami-hit nations.

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This outpouring of charity from individuals, as well as from religious groups and corporations, wasn't just because of the scale of nature's wrath on Dec. 26 in the Indian Ocean.
Yes, the images of people and towns being washed away were heartbreaking.
Yes, the number of those killed within hours remains unimaginable (perhaps now 220,000); also, millions are still left destitute or without families.
No, this wasn't a disaster like war, famine, or an epidemic, which are often slow in their impact and, in most cases, can be prevented - thus often reducing the incentive for giving.
Rather, this 'tsunami' of charity was also possible because of several significant trends that foster hope about greater levels of compassion.
Reliable Internet giving
For one, the Internet and many private humanitarian groups have made it not only easier for people to give money efficiently and quickly, but those groups have also improved the level of t"

Ethical Investing | csmonitor.com

Ethical Investing | csmonitor.com: "


Special Projects > Ethical Investing


Invest to change the world



Special Projects > Ethical Investing


Invest to change the world




Laurent Belsie

Suppose you had all the money in the world.

For a deeply thoughtful person, the biggest question would not be how to increase your wealth but how to invest it in a way that provided the greatest benefit for the world. Even small investors often want their money to accomplish good, not just






Laurent Belsie

Suppose you had all the money in the world.
For a deeply thoughtful person, the biggest question would not be how to increase your wealth but how to invest it in a way that provided the greatest benefit for the world. Even small investors often want their money to accomplish good, not just "

NWAnews.com :: Northwest Arkansas' News Source

NWAnews.com :: Northwest Arkansas' News Source: "Bentonville-based retailer is usually low-key about charitable giving, allowing good works to speak for themselves. But that could be a thing of the past. 'We give more cash to charity than any company in America,' said company spokesman Jay Allen. The Wal-Mart Foundation will donate $158 million to community causes this year. 'We thought we�d do that, be modest about it and everything will be OK. But we need to go out and tell that story to people,' he said.
Wal-Mart is setting aside its humble stance because of growing criticism about the company�s treatment of workers and its impact on the communities where it locates, Allen said.
Cheering its good deeds is part a national public-relations campaign to repair Wal-Mart�s image. The company premiered its high-profile advertising blitz Jan. 13 by placing full-page advertisements in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and USA Today. Chief Executive Officer H. Lee Scott made a rare appearance on Good Morning America, defending the company�s practices. On the air and in the print ads, Scott said Wal-Mart is mischaracterized by critics.

NPR : New York AG Warns About Charity Telemarketers

NPR : New York AG Warns About Charity TelemarketersNew York AG Warns About Charity Telemarketers
by Jennifer Ludden

All Things Considered, January 22, 2005 · New York's State Attorney General has warned that telemarketers sometimes keep much of the money they solicit for charities. Hear Patrick Rooney of the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, and Walter Sczudlow of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.