Eileen R. Heisman, of the National Philanthropic Trust, says the poor economy makes it tough to predict how charities would be affected by President Obama's tax plan.

Bob Daemmrich, for The Chronicle

Marta B. Peláez, who runs a domestic-abuse shelter in San Antonio, says demand for aid is rising fast as the economy's woes deepen.

Steve Gooch/The Oklahoman

Larry Jones, founder of Feed the Children, is involved in a court battle with his charity's trustees.

From the issue dated March 12, 2009 About Giving PRESIDENT OBAMA'S PROPOSAL to limit the tax deductions wealthy Americans can take, including on charitable donations, has alarmed nonprofit leaders but also opened up a broader debate. CORPORATE GIVING will take a hit this year, but at a conference held by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy, four leaders of company foundations said their organizations would maintain or increase their donations in 2009. ECONOMISTS AND FUND RAISERS are trying to gauge the possible consequences of President Obama's proposal to limit charitable giving. GOOGLE.ORG, the technology giant's charitable arm, is reorganizing and changing leadership, leaving many observers to question the future direction of the company's philanthropy. LEONA HELMSLEY'S ESTATE does not have to be distributed exclusively to charities devoted to the care and welfare of dogs, a New York judge has ruled. HALF OF WEALTHY AMERICANS would continue their giving even without a tax deduction for charitable donations, according to a new Bank of America report. GRANT MAKERS should direct at least half of the money they distribute to poor people and minorities, a report from the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy proposes. EMERGENCY GRANTS made by grant makers for social-service needs: a sampling ONLY TWO OF THE LARGEST AMERICAN FOUNDATIONS plan to increase their giving this year, according to a Foundation Center review of grant makers' public statements. THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE has begun investigating the problem of individuals' "misreporting" cash contributions to charity. THE FACE OF PHILANTHROPY: Students at a St. Louis nursing college travel to poor villages around the world to learn new skills and help people in need. RECENT GRANTS by foundations, corporations, and other grant makers. RECENT GIFTS to nonprofit organizations and institutions. About Managing FEED THE CHILDREN, one of the country's largest antipoverty groups, has become mired in a court dispute pitting the group's founder against his daughter, an official of the group, and several members of the board. MAKING GOOD ON A CAMPAIGN PLEDGE, President Obama has included in his 2010 budget priorities proposals for increased spending on national service and the creation of a "social-innovation fund." THE GOOD GOVERNANCE of charities is a growing concern among grant makers, many of whom are putting money and energy into efforts to improve the performance of nonprofit boards, according to a report from BoardSource. MANY LAID-OFF EMPLOYEES are turning to volunteer work as a way to fill their time, stay engaged, and perhaps even beef up their résumés as they search for a job. NONPROFIT GROUPS say President Obama's call to service prompted a surge in volunteers. MERGERS, AN OPTION viewed with increasing interest by charity leaders, occur nearly as often among nonprofit organizations as they do in the business world, a study by the Bridgespan Group suggests. INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT has been the focus of his work at both nonprofit and for-profit enterprises, making Jeffrey Jordan a good fit for leadership of the Catholic Medical Mission Board (New on the Job). PEOPLE: Appointments and promotions in the nonprofit world. AWARDS: Honors for people and organizations in philanthropy. About Fund Raising CHARITIES THAT SERVE addicts, prisoners, and the mentally ill are seeing the same increase in requests for help as food pantries and homeless shelters are, but not the same outpouring of support from donors. LEGAL-AID SOCIETIES are feeling a particular pinch, as a significant source of their income — interest on money lawyers hold in escrow for clients — takes a nose dive in the recession. GIVING TO COLLEGES rose more than 6 percent in the 2008 fiscal year, propelled by large donations made in the final months of 2007, the Council for Aid to Education reported. MOST EVANGELICAL CHURCHES and organizations met or exceeded their fund-raising goals for 2008 despite the recession, a new survey has found. UPDATE ON CAMPAIGNS for endowments, capital improvements, and other needs. INTEREST RATES for planned gifts, issued by the Internal Revenue Service. About Technology AN INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE RULING that a charity Web site had crossed the line into improper politicking could have broad implications for charities' relations with affiliated advocacy groups, experts say. HOPING TO TRADE LAUGHS FOR DONATIONS, an online fund-raising campaign by the Nonprofit Technology Network could end with the group's director playing her trombone in San Francisco's Union Square. AN ONLINE PET PHOTO CONTEST that charged donors a dollar for each vote cast for their favorite animal pictures raised more than $500,000 for the Humane Society of the United States. A SEATTLE CHARITY that provides free voice mail to homeless people teamed with government agencies to distribute warnings about the salmonella outbreak and the recall of peanut products. Books and Opinion VINCE STEHLE proposes a switch to nonprofit status as a way to save the newspaper business. STEPHEN J. DEL ROSSO JR. suggests what progressive grant makers should do now that they are no longer the "loyal opposition." LESLIE LENKOWSKY questions the wisdom of increased government involvement in supporting the nation's charities. ROBERT F. SHARPE JR. pans President Obama's proposal to decrease the tax deduction for charitable giving. NEW BOOKS: Lessons learned directly from Mother Teresa, a streamlined approach to governance, and a management guide from a veteran charity leader.