Seth Korman: Why Religious Groups and Charities May Soon Be Able to Lobby, Campaign, and Endorse Candidates

Seth Korman: Why Religious Groups and Charities May Soon Be Able to Lobby, Campaign, and Endorse Candidates: "Yet the Supreme Court's recent decision in Citizens United v. FEC alters this parity, and affords corporate America 'electioneering' rights, or the privilege to endorse and advocate for political candidates in the months, weeks, and days before an election.

This creates an apparent dichotomy: Both for-profit corporations and nonprofit 501(c)(3)s are creatures of the state, artificial entities created to further commercial and socially valuable interests. Yet now the former can lobby and advocate, whereas the latter must remain on the political sidelines."

Timeline: Bingo start to finish | Dothan Eagle

Timeline: Bingo start to finish | Dothan Eagle: "The genesis of Houston County’s current gaming controversy began in 1994 when voters approved a local charitable bingo amendment. The enabling legislation defined bingo as “The game, commonly known as bingo, where numbers or symbols on a card are matched with numbers or symbols selected at random.”
Over the years, technology evolved and gaming advocates contend the game can now be played electronically, and that the word “card” can mean an electronic grid. Gambling opponents say the intent of the law was to allow small sessions of charitable paper bingo at places such as the local VFW, Elks Club or other establishments."

Vermont Legislature weighs public, private rights for university donations | The Burlington Free Press | Burlington, Vermont

Vermont Legislature weighs public, private rights for university donations | The Burlington Free Press | Burlington, Vermont: "MONTPELIER — When the right to know and the right to privacy conflict — as they occasionally do when private charity overlaps with public business — it sometimes falls to the Legislature to decide which right takes precedence."

massnonprofit.org ::

massnonprofit.org ::: "The new Massachusetts privacy law, due to take effect March 1, 2010, means that all nonprofits, in addition to all businesses, must take steps to protect personal information they collect. The good news is that doing so won’t break the bank."

Vermont panel supports donor privacy protection | burlingtonfreepress.com | The Burlington Free Press

Vermont panel supports donor privacy protection | burlingtonfreepress.com | The Burlington Free Press: "MONTPELIER — Donors who want to make anonymous contributions to the University of Vermont or the state colleges would be assured of confidentiality under a proposed exemption to the state’s public-records law."

President Revives Call for New Charitiable-Deduction Limit - Government - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

President Revives Call for New Charitiable-Deduction Limit - Government - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "President Obama renewed his proposal to cap the value of charitable deductions for wealthy taxpapers in the fiscal 2011 budget plan he presented today—refashioning it as a way to help provide tax relief to middle-income Americans."