Philanthropy Today - Philanthropy.com

These are items on other Web sites that are of interest to the nonprofit world. The Chronicle has no control over their content or availability. To reach the Philanthropy Today staff, send an e-mail message to daily.news@philanthropy.com

Compiled by Noelle Barton, Caroline Bermudez, Maria Di Mento, Audrey Hill, and Anne W. Howard.

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May 09, 2008

Churches Seek Court Test of Federal Ban on Electioneering

In a test of federal tax law, a conservative legal group is encouraging pastors to preach about election candidates in September, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The Alliance Defense Fund hopes a court case will result from this open defiance of tax rules, which bar churches from engaging in partisan politics, and that the restrictions will be struck down by the courts.

The planned September 28 protest comes in a year when the Internal Revenue Service has stepped up investigations of churches accused of political actions, the newspaper notes.

Barack Obama’s denomination, the United Church of Christ, is being investigated for allowing the candidate to speak to 10,000 of its members last year. Churches found guilty of violating the tax rules may be fined or lose their tax-exempt status.

“The government should not be telling the church what it should or should not be saying,” says the Rev. Steve Riggle, senior pastor of Grace Community Church in Houston.

The effort angered groups that seek to enforce the tax law forbidding partisan electioneering by churches. Said Rob Boston, a spokesman for Americans United for the Separation of Church and State: “If any pastor out there feels he is gagged or can’t speak on partisan politics, … forgo the tax exemption and say what you want.”

To learn more about issues affecting nonprofit causes in the 2008 election, see The Chronicle’s special campaign section.

Conservation Groups Protect Major Land Tract in California

A coalition of environmental groups has persuaded a developer to preserve 90 percent of the largest piece of undeveloped land in Southern California, reports The Los Angeles Times.

The historic Tejon Ranch, 60 miles north of Los Angeles, is eight times the size of San Francisco at 270,000 acres and is prime habitat for the endangered California condor and other species.

The coalition of environmental groups has agreed not to oppose development of the western and southwestern edge of the land.

As part of the agreement, a 12-member Tejon Ranch Conservancy will be established to ensure that the land will be preserved in perpetuity.

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Charity Brings Volunteering to Offices and Homes

Seeking to take the legwork out of volunteering, a Boston nonprofit organization brings volunteer opportunities to office and residential buildings, reports The Boston Globe.

The charity, Building Impact, hopes not only to increase philanthropic efforts but also to build community among its clientele.

“Between the commute in, the commute home, and really busy schedules, there are some clear barriers that prevent people from getting more involved in the community,” Lisa Guyon, executive director of Building Impact notes.

The five-year old organization operates in numerous commercial and apartment buildings in Boston and its suburbs.

Building Impact is a revenue-generating organization, drawing about 45 percent of its income through charging a licensing fee to the buildings where it operates. The remainder of the group’s $500,000 annual budget comes from foundations, corporate sponsors, and individuals.

Several landlords say they underwrite the service because on-site volunteer options are an important tenant amenity, much like a building gym or round-the-clock security.

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Opinion: Government Scrutiny of College Endowments

The increased scrutiny of college endowments by lawmakers and the Internal Revenue Service is drawing criticism from a senior editorial writer at The Wall Street Journal.

In an opinion article, Collin Levy notes that college endowments are often subject to donor restrictions and that colleges that flout the intentions of their donors could land in court.

What’s more, she writes: “The money flowing into university coffers was to be spent at the discretion of the school.”

She quotes Leslie Lenkowsky, a professor of philanthropy at Indiana University and Chronicle of Philanthropy columnist, who says: “This is private money. The whole idea that a donation should be regulated by government really challenges our notion of what philanthropy is supposed to be about.”

Prospecting: Fund-Raising News and Tips

Prospecting is an online fund-raising column published by The Chronicle of Philanthropy and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Among the recent posts:

Another sign of the bad economy: Wealthy baby boomers are cutting back on their giving.

The generation gap isn’t a major factor in determining how much people give, a new study has found.

Charities are combining appeals in honor of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

Many fund-raising appeals fall short because charity copywriters need to “write like a human.”

Give and Take, a Roundup of Nonprofit Blogs

Give and Take is a service of The Chronicle of Philanthropy that rounds up the best postings that appear on blogs about the nonprofit world.

Among the new items is a prediction about the future of corporate philanthropy.

Online Discussion Next Week: What Women Want

More and more women are making big gifts to charity, but nonprofit groups still struggle with how best to obtain donations and other support from women.

What can your organization do to reach female donors and volunteers more effectively? What can charities learn from companies that promote products and services to female consumers? And how can this approach help your charity connect with men as well?

Join The Chronicle on Tuesday, May 13, as it plays host to a discussion on this topic.

A marketing expert and author will answer your questions and improve your ability to raise money and effect change.

The discussion will be held at noon Eastern time on Tuesday and is open to everyone, not just Chronicle subscribers.

People who ask questions in advance have a better chance of receiving answers during the online discussion.

From The Chronicle: Fund Raising for the Cyclone Victims

A growing number of charities have sent supplies to Southeast Asia to help victims of the recent cyclone in Myanmar, The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports. But many aid workers continued to express concern that red tape and foot-dragging on the part of government officials were delaying their ability to provide assistance.

Plus: The United Nations suspended transportation of relief supplies to Myanmar Friday after the military government seized food and equipment it had already sent, but then the U.N. announced it would resume flights on Saturday, The New York Times reports.

(Free registration is required to view the New York Times article.)

From The Chronicle: Foundation Update

Catch up on The Chronicle’s coverage of the Council on Foundations in our conference notebook, which includes dozens of reports from reporters and editors who attended the major sessions at this week’s meeting.

May 08, 2008

Mass. Lawmakers Consider Taxing Big Universities

In Massachusetts, legislators are considering taxing higher-education institutions with endowments over $1-billion, arguing that the universities don’t do enough for their surrounding neighborhoods considering their vast wealth, reports The Boston Globe.

The measure would impose a 2.5 percent annual tax assessment on Amherst College, Boston College, Boston University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Smith College, Tufts University, Wellesley College, and Williams College. It is estimated the tax would bring $1.4-billion into the state’s coffers.

“It’s mind boggling that one entity not paying taxes has $34-billion. How do you justify that?” said Rep. Paul Kujawski, a Democrat and the plan’s chief supporter, referring to Harvard’s endowment, the largest in the nation. “When people can’t afford to live. How do you justify not taxing them?”

Critics called the proposal misguided. “You’d be taxing success here,” said Kevin Casey, Harvard’s associate vice president for government, community, and public affairs. “Over time, this would put us at a real competitive disadvantage, which would drastically hurt the Commonwealth.”

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