The following awards have been presented for work in advocacy, fund raising, nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, and other areas. Education fund raising. The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (Washington) has presented several awards that recognize outstanding doctoral and other…
Cancer Survivor’s Wish Creates Video Game
Players who enter the world of Ben’s Game must destroy cancer cells and collect the seven shields that offer protection from the common side effects of chemotherapy. Winning is far from easy, as fearsome creatures like the Qball Monster and the Robarf Monster guard the charms that protect against…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
Software Company Makes Stock Offering
Blackbaud, a Charleston, S.C., company that produces fund-raising, accounting, and school-administration software, plans to sell 9.1 million shares of common stock in its initial public offering, according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 1. The company…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
Nonprofit Hospitals Under Examination in Congress and in Court
Nonprofit hospitals are coming under increasing scrutiny in Congress and in the courts over their performance. Underlying the questioning is whether the hospitals provide sufficient services to warrant their exemption from taxes, and some experts say that additional attention may soon be given to…
By Harvy Lipman
Contributor
A New York man has pleaded guilty to criminal charges of acting as a professional fund raiser without registering with state authorities as required by New York law. Dominic J. D’Alfonso, of North Syracuse, acknowledged that his company, Upstate Telemarketing, had solicited donations for at least…
By GRANT WILLIAMS
Contributor
9/11 Disaster Fund Set to Award Grants
The American Red Cross plans to solicit proposals from nonprofit organizations nationwide for a $50-million program to help people affected by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The effort will draw upon funds from the Red Cross’s Liberty Disaster Fund, which was established after the…
By Ian Wilhelm
Contributor
Charities Say Congressional Plans Could Put the Brakes on Car Donations
Washington Nonprofit groups that benefit from car-donation programs are scrambling to preserve what has become a small but steady source of income while responding to Congressional concern that donors are claiming inflated deductions and that charities are getting too little financial benefit.…
By Lauren Kafka
Contributor
Overhauling Oversight of Charities and Foundations: Key Ideas Offered by Senate Aides
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST:Ideas raised by Senate aides: Laws designed to prevent conflicts of interest and “self-dealing” among foundations would also apply to charities. Penalty fees for those found guilty of legal abuses would be increased. Current law: Although charities are covered by provisions to…
Charities’ Election Defections
The contentious presidential race has prompted many donors to redirect their contributions to politicsJanine Kraus, a fund raiser at the Coral Reef Alliance, thought she was about to pull off a major coup this ALSO SEE:» Related articles: about Charities and Elections spring by securing a $35,000…
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Contributor
Bits: Microsoft To Contribute $3-Million to NPower
The Microsoft Corporation, in Redmond, Wash., will contribute $3-million in cash over two years to NPower, a network of 12 nonprofit organizations across the country that provide technology assistance to other charities. Two guides to completing the Form 990-PF informational tax returns that…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
Kiosks Dispense Legal Assistance
Going before a judge without a lawyer and filling out the necessary paperwork for the court can be complicated, but a charity in Santa Ana, Calif., has turned to technology to help make self-representation less intimidating. The Legal Aid Society of Orange County has created the Interactive…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
North Carolina Puts Grants List Online
The Office of the State Auditor in North Carolina has added to its Web site a database of nonprofit organizations that receive funds from the state and the amount of money they receive. Visitors to the site can search the information for the 2004 fiscal year by city, county, the name of the…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
A Disaster Movie About Global Warming Prompts Flurry of Nonprofit Promotions
In the span of five days, an abrupt freeze causes New York City to be covered in a sheet of ice while Los Angeles is razed by tornadoes. As those disasters unfold in The Day After Tomorrow, a 20th Century Fox movie that opens in theaters on Memorial Day weekend, environmental groups will be trying…
By Leah Kerkman
Contributor
Bits: Indiana Website Lists Charities Using Professional Solicitors
The Indiana attorney general’s office is now able to share through its Web site financial information from charities that use professional solicitors to raise money in the state. The information is being collected as part of a new state law that requires fund-raising companies to file annual…
By Cassie J. Moore
Contributor
Software Guide Helps Charities Customize
The Nonprofit Open Source Initiative has released a new guide, “Choosing and Using Open Source Software: A Primer for Nonprofits,” to help charity managers and technology-assistance providers use open-source software effectively. Open-source software gives users access to the “source code” of an…
By Cassie J. Moore
Contributor