IoF will hand over the Code to new regulator when it has ‘fundraising experts’ involved

IoF will hand over the Code to new regulator when it has ‘fundraising experts’ involved: "The Institute of Fundraising has said it will not hand over the Code of Fundraising Practice to the new Fundraising Regulator until it has fundraising experts within its governance structure, and has also expressed concerns about a “single reset button” Fundraising Preference Service.
Speaking today at the Westminster Social Policy Forum in London, Peter Lewis, chief executive of the IoF (pictured), said it is appropriate for the new regulator to set the Code but that the IoF will not hand over responsibility until the Fundraising Regulator has fundraising experts at committee level and on its staff team."



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Estate Donations - Deaths after 2015

Estate Donations - Deaths after 2015: "Estate Donations - Deaths after 2015
For deaths that occur after 2015, new rules will apply for charitable donations made by will and for donations of a direct distribution of proceeds from a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF), a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) or a life insurance policy as a result of a beneficiary designation (designation donation). "



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State of the Industry: Highlights from AFP-NYC’s 2016 Annual Meeting - NonProfit PRO

State of the Industry: Highlights from AFP-NYC’s 2016 Annual Meeting - NonProfit PRO: "Keynote speaker Jason Lee, general counsel for Association of Fundraising Professionals, shared some economic insights and updates for 2016. Among them was a reminder that a leading indicator of when the economy is down is how the nonprofit sector is performing. And since nonprofits can’t really help or grow the economy, they can at least, from a legislative position, work with the IRS to help ensure that the government does not create barriers that would restrict a donor’s ability to give. Recently, there were two wins for the sector"



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Beware Of Election Cycle Tax Plans - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times

Beware Of Election Cycle Tax Plans - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times: "The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) cannot grow the economy, but it can work toward preventing governmental barriers to generating income. That was the message of Jason Lee, general counsel of AFP, to those in attendance at Wednesday’s annual meeting of the New York City chapter."



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Sector bodies urge caution over extension of Freedom of Information Act to charities

Sector bodies urge caution over extension of Freedom of Information Act to charities: "Acevo and NCVO have warned the government against extending the Freedom of Information Act to charities.
In December the Cabinet Office minister, Matthew Hancock, told the Telegraph that he was in favour extending FoI to charities. But yesterday, in an opinion piece for the Sunday Telegraph, Sir Stephen Bubb, chief executive of Acevo, warned the measure was “a blunderbuss” that would “do nothing for transparency” and “ultimately harm good causes”. "



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IRS Withdraws Substantiation Proposal

"IRS Withdraws Substantiation Proposal Thanks to Thousands of Nonprofit Comments

Thanks to thousands of comments from nonprofits across the country, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has dropped its proposal to create a new substantiation form that could have had charities asking for donor's Social Security numbers.
"



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Legislation Introduced To Block IRS’s Donor SSN Rule - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times

Legislation Introduced To Block IRS’s Donor SSN Rule - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times: "A bipartisan House bill could pull the rug out from under a proposed amendment to Income Tax Regulations that has drawn the ire of nonprofits.

The Charitable Giving Privacy Protection Act (H.R. 4281), introduced on Thursday by Rep. Keith Rothfus (R-PA) and Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY), would prohibit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from requiring or accepting Social Security numbers of donors from organizations. T"



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Land Trust Alliance Praises Congressional Deal Backing Major Conservation Legislation | Land Trust Alliance

Land Trust Alliance Praises Congressional Deal Backing Major Conservation Legislation | Land Trust Alliance:



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Collecting Social Security Numbers from Donors | Exceptional Boards

Collecting Social Security Numbers from Donors | Exceptional Boards: "As the president and CEO of BoardSource, the leading organization dedicated to strengthening nonprofit board leadership and governance, I am very concerned about this proposed regulation which invites nonprofit organizations to begin collecting social security numbers from their donors."



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California’s New Regulations: The Start of a New Problematic Trend in State Charity Oversight? | Nonprofit Quarterly

California’s New Regulations: The Start of a New Problematic Trend in State Charity Oversight? | Nonprofit Quarterly: "California’s new charity oversight regulations, which include personal Director liability and forced asset transfer provisions, among others, could represent the beginning of a trend of more forceful state regulation of charities, particularly as states struggle with enforcing charitable registration requirements. On October 27, 2015, the California Office of Administrative Law approved amendments proposed by the California Attorney General’s Office (the “AG’s Office”) to the regulations regarding enforcement of the California Supervision of Trustees and Fundraisers for Charitable Purposes Act (the “Act”). The final amendments to the regulations are to become effective on January 1, 2016."



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Vogel: Smart Philanthropy | Vermont Public Radio

Vogel: Smart Philanthropy | Vermont Public Radio: "A recent report from Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell shows that on average, 70 percent of the money raised by professional fundraisers for Vermont charitable groups goes to the fundraiser, and only thirty percent goes to the nonprofit. So it’s easy to become cynical.

On the other hand, the needs that nonprofits try to address are critical. A recent study by the Vermont Community Foundation found that one in four Vermonters are not earning enough to make ends meet. And one in five Vermont families pays more than 50% of their income for housing."



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The Year Ahead: 2016 What To Expect - Fundraising | Third Sector

The Year Ahead: 2016 What To Expect - Fundraising | Third Sector: "The year ahead will bring increased regulation, continued media scrutiny and a reduced capacity to communicate with donors.

But at least it will also bring clarity about how the new regulatory system will operate.

Once the chief executive of the new Fundraising Regulator has been appointed by Lord Grade, the sector should get a sense of whether it will be more closely aligned with the expectations of government or those of charities."



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Contact Congress TODAY to Reinstate and Make Permanent the IRA Rollover - Press - AFP

Contact Congress TODAY to Reinstate and Make Permanent the IRA Rollover - Press - AFP

OP-ED: The Regulatory Creep of Grassroots Lobbying Public Disclosure Regimes | Nonprofit Quarterly

OP-ED: The Regulatory Creep of Grassroots Lobbying Public Disclosure Regimes | Nonprofit Quarterly: "Requiring public disclosure of an organization’s grassroots lobbying efforts may not be a new concept, but San Francisco’s recently adopted Proposition C is a reminder of the regulatory creep of lobbying disclosure regimes on nonprofit organizations across the nation. San Francisco is the latest of many jurisdictions demanding public disclosure of grassroots lobbying campaigns, and, despite the protestations of nonprofit organizations, these jurisdictions are routinely demanding disclosure regardless of the speakers’ means, methods, or modi operandi. In its haste to uncover the interests behind astroturf campaigns and to force disclosure on anyone who amplifies their voice with money’s assistance, government instead creates minefields of regulatory traps for the unwary and provides the public with almost uniformly useless information."



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Fundraising expertise must be at the heart of self-regulation - Institute of Fundraising

Fundraising expertise must be at the heart of self-regulation - Institute of Fundraising: "Sir Stuart Etherington’s report, Regulating Fundraising for the Future, set out a road map: the establishment of a new, more effective, regulator with universal reach across the sector and ability to use stronger sanctions on charities breaching fundraising standards – all things that our members told us that they wanted, and that we pushed for in our submissions to the review. "



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