Ascend Fund Aims to Elect More Women, With a Boost From Melinda Gates
The collaborative dedicated to helping women get elected to public office, called the Ascend Fund, announced it first grants to two organizations that recruit and train candidates.
By Alex Daniels
Senior Editor, Foundations
Calif. Bill Would Require Greater Disclosure of Donor-Advised-Fund Activity
The legislation could create momentum for national efforts to boost the transparency of donor-advised funds.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Stop Focusing on the Charitable Deduction. Tax Policy Isn’t Causing the Long-Term Slide in Giving.
Philanthropy is ultimately driven by what donors can and want to do, not what politicians want to spur them to do.
By Suzanne Garment and LESLIE LENKOWSKY
Nonprofits and Foundations Poised to Score Victories in Tax Legislation
The bill would repeal a “parking tax” that many charities fought against and simplify the excise tax that foundations must pay.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Nonprofit Leaders Express Worries Over Tax Law and Possible Recession
A survey conducted by the Center for Effective Philanthropy found that very few nonprofits have talked to grant makers that support them about the impact of the downturn — but many more would welcome that conversation.
By dan.parks
Contributor
New Group Aims to Boost Interest in and Efficacy of Impact Investing
A group of nine private and corporate foundations and family offices have pooled $12 million to help ensure that the investments are truly serving the public good and that support for the practice grows.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Fidelity and Schwab Ban Gifts From Donor-Advised Funds to NRA-Affiliated Charities
The two biggest donor-advised-fund sponsors in the United States made the move following reports of IRS investigations into the gun rights group’s network of nonprofits.
By MICHAEL THEIS
Contributor
Grant Makers Face Uphill Battle as They Push for a Kinder Form of Capitalism
The Ford Foundations and others have made headway in their efforts to get companies to care about more than shareholder returns, but doing so requires reversing decades of policies and popular economic theories.
By Alex Daniels
Senior Editor, Foundations
Nonprofits Should Reach Out to Candidates, Urges Klobuchar Campaign Representative
Myron Frans said organizations need to be assertive to get their messages heard. He was the only campaign representative at a candidates’ forum organized by Independent Sector.
By Jim Rendon
Executive Editor
Nonprofits Should Focus More on State Lawmakers, Speaker Says
Bernadette Downey, of Share Our Strength, told attendees at the Upswell gathering that working with state legislatures has helped her group ensure more hungry kids can access school-meal programs.
By Jim Rendon
Executive Editor
Community Foundations Plan Responses to Mass Shootings
“You know, random acts of violence never crossed my mind,” says one leader, but the times have changed. Community foundations are exploring ways to raise money and get it where it needs to go, fast.
By Alex Daniels
Senior Editor, Foundations
68% of Voters Favor Political Candidates Who Would Help Charities
The study, by Independent Sector, also found that 75 percent of voters favor new rules that would make it harder for politicians to misuse charities “to avoid disclosure and rules on campaign-finance limits.”
By dan.parks
Contributor
Mastercard Commits $26 Million to Keep People From Being Left Behind in the Tech-Driven Economy
An additional $7.5 million from Mastercard and the Rockefeller Foundation will help people secure public benefits they are entitled to.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Speakers at an Urban Institute event said that to be successful, foundations need to take a broad approach.
By Jim Rendon
Executive Editor
Nonprofits Urge More Attention in Presidential Race to National Service and Other Causes
Ahead of the debate Tuesday night, an alliance of nonprofits is trying to get candidates to commit to a national service agenda. Meanwhile, causes of all kinds are seeking to influence the Democratic campaigns.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Don’t Delay Deductions for Gifts to Donor-Advised Funds
Two legal scholars respond to an op-ed suggesting that DAF donors get a tax deduction only when their money leaves the fund to support charitable work.
By Daniel Hemel and Law Professor