The Council on Foundations is seeking input on what the Council should look for in a new president and CEO. Wouldn’t it be great if the Council really incorporated nonprofits’ suggestions into its search process?
Happy 47th Birthday, You Old Economic Opportunity Act, You!
Forty-seven years ago, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act that launched the War on Poverty. It also led to the creation of an immeasurably valuable part of the nonprofit infrastructure that we take for granted today-Community Health Centers, VISTA, Head Start, Community Action Agencies, Legal Services, and much more. Born in 1964, the Economic Opportunity Act is somewhere between a Baby Boomer and a Generation X’er, but the nonprofit capacity it built serves all of us.
PBS Travel Guru Rick Steves is Donating His Tax Cut to Charity
There is a growing movement among wealthy Americans to protest Bush-era tax cuts. Some, like Warren Buffett, are speaking out. Others are redirecting their tax-cut largesse back to the commonweal.
Study Finds That Some CEOs Made More Money in 2010 than Their Company Paid in Taxes
With nonprofits seeing their government funding cut to the bone—and beyond—more attention is being paid to taxes and whether everyone is paying their fair share. A new study finds that at least 25 U.S. corporations paid less in taxes last year than they gave their CEOs in compensation.
D.C. Nonprofit Accused of Using HIV-AIDS Funds to Outfit a Strip Joint
Another item for the “misappropriation of public funds” files. The ED of a nonprofit in Washington, D.C. allegedly took city dollars and used them to turn a warehouse into a strip club that he later sold for millions.
“Radical” Ideas for Reformulating U.S. Affordable Housing Policies
Shelterforce magazine challenges all of us to think about radically different approaches to U.S. housing policy. For example, take a look at this Alan Mallach piece for a particularly challenging, pragmatic piece of “radical” rethinking.
Mayor Bloomberg’s Administration Imposes a “Beg-to-Play” Requirement on Nonprofit Day Care Contracts
Say it costs $100 to provide a certain amount of day care services in New York City. Mayor Bloomberg’s Administration for Children’s Services will only pay $93.30. The official city policy appears to be structural underfunding of day care services—and possibly other nonprofit services as well. That means nonprofits will have to hunt for private funds in order to qualify for City day care grants or contracts.
Apple’s Steve Jobs Lacks the Philanthropic Pedigree of His High-Tech Billionaire Peers but May Be Doing Just as Much Good
Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Paul Allen and others made their billions in Silicon Valley and turned into youngish philanthropists. Apple’s Steve Jobs, now stepping down as CEO, seems to eschew self-aggrandizing philanthropy, or perhaps any philanthropy at all. You got a problem with that?
New York and Arizona to Investigate Sham 9/11 Charities: It’s About Time!
In the wake of an Associated Press investigation, two states are going after 9/11 scam charities. Why did it take them 10 years to catch on? And where is the IRS?
How Social Media Transformed a Nonprofit Medical Professional Society
This past summer, a media-studies graduate student helped the American Society of Nephrology—a professional organization of medical professionals who specialize in kidney disease—more fully embrace social media. Her experiences in planning, implementing, and tracking ASN’s rollout of its social media operation make for a handy road map for any type of nonprofit organization looking to deepen connections with members, donors, volunteers, and the public.
Abrupt Departure of Leadership at High-Profile San Diego Nonprofit
The Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation in San Diego loses its top two leaders. The organization says it wants its leadership to better reflect the community in which it operates.
MBA Students Matched with Nonprofits as Apprentice Board Members
Business students at Rice University join the boards of nonprofit organizations for a 12-to-18 month fellowship. The program seems to be working well for the students and the nonprofits alike.