Oil-Price Drop Has Some Nonprofit Newsrooms Tightening Belts
Public broadcasters and nonprofit journalism outlets in the U.S. oil belt are bracing for funding cuts as lingering low prices buffet the economies of energy-producing states, Nieman Lab writes.
Mass. Bill Would Tax Nonprofits on Newly Acquired Property
Massachusetts nonprofit leaders are protesting the proposal to keep some real estate purchased by tax-exempt groups on the property-tax rolls for four years after the deal, State House News Service reports.
Defunct Muslim Charity Admits Funneling $1.4 Million to Iran
A representative of the Islamic American Relief Agency, which was closed more than a decade ago over alleged ties to terrorism, acknowledged in federal court Wednesday that the group violated U.S. economic sanctions targeting Iran, reports the Associated Press.
Judge Ups Sentence for Detroit Clergyman in Charity Theft
After prosecutors appealed the Rev. Timothy Kane’s original 12-month sentence, calling it too light, the priest was resentenced Tuesday to three to 20 years in prison for stealing from an anonymously financed fund to help the region’s poor, reports The Detroit News.
N.Y. Charity Chief Accused of Stealing Hundreds of Thousands
Authorities allege the former executive director of a nonprofit serving people with autism and other disabilities in New York City and Long Island siphoned money from the organization to pay credit-card bills and buy a million-dollar home, Newsday reports.
Christie Backtracks From Claim on Sandy Giving by Trump
A spokesman for Chris Christie said Monday that the New Jersey governor “misspoke” earlier in the day when he said Donald Trump donated to a state fund to help victims of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, a gift for which there is no documented evidence, the Associated Press reports.
Charity and Children Suffer as Hershey’s Board Fends Off Lucrative Merger Bid
Lax regulation and cronyism are once again in nonprofit play at the trust that controls one of the world’s biggest candy manufacturers.
By Ric Fouad
Contributor
Conn. Foundation Earmarks $1 Million to Counter Budget Cuts
The grants from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving aim to assist Connecticut nonprofits buffeted by deep cuts in state spending, writes the Hartford Courant.
Trump Running Mate Raised Hackles on Abortion, LGBT Issues
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s wife has nonprofit experience on children’s issues, but his conservative stances on social issues have alarmed some foundations and advocacy groups.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Suit Claims ‘Looting’ of Donations at Defunct Design Charity
A bankruptcy trustee responsible for recovering assets from Architecture for Humanity is seeking $3 million from the organization’s founders and board in a lawsuit alleging the nonprofit misused restricted donations to stay afloat, according to Fast Company.
Penn State Seeks Money From Sandusky Charity for Abuse Victims
The university filed a court claim for funds from insurance companies for the Second Mile, the youth nonprofit founded by convicted child molester Jerry Sandusky, to help pay a portion of the $92 million in settlements due to the former football coach’s victims, WJAC-TV reports.
Utah Says It Will not Fully Enforce Law on Donor Disclosure
In settling a free-speech suit brought by three Utah nonprofits, the state’s attorney general agreed not to enforce provisions of a 2013 law requiring groups to identify all donors if they spend at least $750 in a year on efforts to influence an election, the Associated Press reports.
House Panel Subpoenas Advocacy Groups in Climate Fight
The Republican-led Science, Space, and Technology Committee is seeking documents from eight environmental nonprofits in the widening political battle over state investigations of ExxonMobil’s record on climate change, reports The Washington Post.
Hershey Trust Pressured to Expedite Governance Changes
Pennsylvania’s attorney general is threatening to take trustees of the $12.1 billion charity that controls Hershey Co. to court if they do not implement promised reforms by the end of the month, The Wall Street Journal reports.
FEC Finds Violations by Formerly Koch-Linked Nonprofits
Three groups formerly associated with Charles and David Koch’s conservative network have been fined by the Federal Election Commission for breaching campaign-finance rules in their funding of political advertisements, writes The New York Times.
IRS Reduces Fee for Short-Form Charity Application
The tax agency this month lowered the cost of applying for 501(c)(3) status using the 2-year-old 1023-EZ form from $400 to $275, writes Accounting Today.