IRS Offers Tips for Year-End Giving

IRS Offers Tips for Year-End Giving: RS Offers Tips for Year-End Giving

IRS Videos: Exempt Organizations Select Check: English | Spanish
Fair Market Value of Charitable Donations: English | Spanish | ASL

Podcasts: Exempt Organizations Select Check: English | Spanish

IR-2012-102, Dec. 19, 2012

WASHINGTON — Individuals and businesses making contributions to charity should keep in mind some key tax provisions that have taken effect in recent years, especially those affecting donations of clothing and household items and monetary donations.

N.Y. Nonprofits Can Now E-File - TheNonProfitTimes

N.Y. Nonprofits Can Now E-File - TheNonProfitTimes: Charities registered with the New York State Attorney General’s Charities Bureau (AGCB) may now file their reports online. New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced the move will allow release

Charity Is Charity, Tax-Wise

Charity Is Charity, Tax-Wise: Under current tax arrangements, donations of time and money are treated equally. The way to see this is that both types of donations reduce the income of the donor. A cash donor gets to reduce his or her income earned outside of the charity. A volunteer gets to reduce the income that can be imputed to her for the services provided to the charity.

Opinion: Pro and Con on Charitable-Deduction Limits - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Opinion: Pro and Con on Charitable-Deduction Limits - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Opinion: Pro and Con on Charitable-Deduction Limits

December 17, 2012, 10:43 am

Detailed arguments for and against abolishing or limiting tax breaks for charitable gifts are aired in dueling Wall Street Journal pieces by a senior fellow at a prominent libertarian think-tank and the head of the nonprofit umbrella group leading the lobbying effort to preserve the deduction.

The Charitable Deduction and Why It Needs to Stay - NYTimes.com

The Charitable Deduction and Why It Needs to Stay - NYTimes.com: WHATEVER else we do about the tax code, we need to save the charitable deduction, which has done so much good in our country and springs directly from some of our deepest values.

United Front? Convergent and Divergent Voices in the Charitable Deduction Debate - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

United Front? Convergent and Divergent Voices in the Charitable Deduction Debate - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: The cavalry charge to Capitol Hill by advocates and lobbyists to protect the charitable tax deduction from congressional tinkering or elimination represents a large army of institutions and people who see the deduction as the lifeblood of the nonprofit sector. The lobbyists draw on a mammoth array of institutions that are either public charities or churches and their employees, volunteers, and contributors. If these institutions and people are mobilized and if they speak with one voice, it is all but impossible to imagine the lawmaker who will stand up on the House or Senate floor and proclaim himself the champion of reducing or eliminating the charitable tax deduction. Who would possibly have the temerity to stand up against the united onslaught of charity and philanthropy defending the charitable deduction against any and all slights, especially when backed by the $623 billion in assets of nearly 100,000 foundations recognized by the IRS?

Lobby Day Held to Protect Charitable Deduction, Begin Discussion of Larger Role of Philanthropy in Society - Press - AFP

Lobby Day Held to Protect Charitable Deduction, Begin Discussion of Larger Role of Philanthropy in Society - Press - AFP: Arlington, VA - Hundreds of representatives from the philanthropic sector converged on Capitol Hill Dec. 4-5 to urge Congress to protect the charitable deduction and begin a broader discussion about the role of philanthropy and how to solve the larger, long-term problems that America faces.

The Charitable Giving Coalition, co-chaired by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), held its first “Protect Giving—DC Days” as a way to educate Congress about the importance of the charitable deduction as legislators consider tax reform and deficit reduction. Congress is looking at whether or not to retain, modify or eliminate the charitable deduction, which could result in the loss of billions of dollars of contributions that charities rely in order to provide critically needed services to millions of Americans.

In Charitable Deduction Debate, Who Speaks for Charities? - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

In Charitable Deduction Debate, Who Speaks for Charities? - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: The Times article leaves readers with the mistaken impression that the Alliance for Charitable Reform speaks for charities and foundations. In reality, there are voices other than the Alliance speaking for charities. The Alliance is a project of the Philanthropy Roundtable, the association of politically conservative foundations chaired by Michael Grebe, the president and CEO of the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. Consistently opposing President Obama’s charitable deduction proposals but feeling no warmth toward the Republican position of establishing a dollar cap on the total amount of deductions, the Alliance is no fan of increasing the top tax rates on the rich. As ideological conservatives, the Alliance—and the Roundtable—tend to oppose federal government initiatives (such as what they describe as the “costly” national health reform initiative) in favor of reducing federal spending, emphasizing more reliance on voluntary charitable action, albeit supported by an uncapped charitable deduction.

Charitable deduction lifeblood of nonprofits | Tulsa World

Charitable deduction lifeblood of nonprofits | Tulsa World: Last Tuesday, representatives of 225 nonprofits descended on Washington, warning elected officials that tampering with the charitable tax deduction would limit or even eliminate their ability to serve those in need.


Their efforts are a little like "Whale Wars" - an earnest mobilization to save something really big that if lost cannot be replaced. Hundreds of nonprofits nationwide, like the Parent Child Center of Tulsa, have sent out urgent appeals to supporters urging them to write their congressman. If they sound panicked, they are.

State, Not Aid Group, to Run N.Y. Governor's Sandy Fund - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

State, Not Aid Group, to Run N.Y. Governor's Sandy Fund - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: State, Not Aid Group, to Run N.Y. Governor’s Sandy Fund

December 10, 2012, 8:51 am

The Empire State Relief Fund., established by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to help victims of Superstorm Sandy, will be overseen by a government agency rather than a large aid charity, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Capitol Alert: Bills to target disclosure by nonprofits giving to CA campaigns

Capitol Alert: Bills to target disclosure by nonprofits giving to CA campaigns: December 3, 2012
Bills to target disclosure by nonprofits giving to CA campaigns

A pair of Democratic state senators announced today plans to introduce legislation aimed at requiring more disclosure of campaign contributions made by nonprofits.

PHILANTHROPY 2173: In re: philanthropy rules, pay attention to the states

PHILANTHROPY 2173: In re: philanthropy rules, pay attention to the states: I'm up past my eyeballs working on the Blueprint 2013. In it I write about the critical role that state governments will play next year in providing incentives to, tracking, and regulating nonprofits and foundations. The last few days have carried these stories:

1) The New York Attorney General will post data online about nonprofits' fundraising and spending in response to the October storm

Lawmaker Wants To Create “New York State Natural Disaster Relief Fund” | Albany Watch

Lawmaker Wants To Create “New York State Natural Disaster Relief Fund” | Albany Watch: Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, R-Canandaigua, is proposing to create a state natural disaster relief fund to help families impacted by Superstorm Sandy and prepare for future disasters, Gannett’s Haley Viccaro reports.

Patricia McGuire: Charity Must Prevail

Patricia McGuire: Charity Must Prevail: Now comes the spectre of a more frontal assault on charity -- the potential for a reduction in the charitable gift income tax deduction as part of the "fiscal cliff" negotiations. Reducing or eliminating the charitable gift deduction would devastate thousands of charities and crystallize the nation's long retreat from a clear national commitment to "habits of the heart."

Deduction cap proposal alarms charities _ especially colleges, who rely more on wealthy donors | Fox News

Deduction cap proposal alarms charities _ especially colleges, who rely more on wealthy donors | Fox News: Colgate cast a wide net. But like most big fundraising campaigns, particularly in higher education, the lion's share came from wealthy benefactors rewarded in return with a combination of altruistic satisfaction, naming rights — and a big tax deduction.

Now that tax deduction may be in jeopardy, and some in higher education are worried.

Charities Would Lose $10-Billion Under Tax Cap, White House Says - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Charities Would Lose $10-Billion Under Tax Cap, White House Says - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Charities Would Lose $10-Billion Under Tax Cap, White House Says

December 3, 2012, 9:25 am

By Doug Donovan

President Obama won’ t support an annual limit on deductions, including those for charitable giving, as the White House issued an estimate that such a break would cost charities at least $10-billion a year.

That will come as a relief to nonprofit leaders who say such limits are essentially the same as ending charitable deductions.

Capitol Hill Power Analysis: The Nonprofit Guide to the 113th Congress - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Capitol Hill Power Analysis: The Nonprofit Guide to the 113th Congress - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: The lame-duck session of Congress will likely grapple with the fiscal cliff, but plenty of issues, including elements of the fiscal cliff, will probably roll over onto the plate of the incoming 113th Congress. That means it is going to be a bigtime high-pressure moment for nonprofit lobbyists to work Capitol Hill to protect programs and push new legislation important to the nonprofit sector. The nonprofit issues on the plate of the incoming 113th Congress will be tough and contentious. Nonprofits are going to have to lobby quickly and smartly. That means mobilizing people to influence key legislators on important committees whose positions will dictate what gets considered in 2013 and how.

Small Charitable Donations Bill moves to House of Lords

Small Charitable Donations Bill moves to House of Lords: Amendments to the Small Charitable Donations Bill that will make the gift aid small donations scheme more accessible to smaller and newer charitable and community organisations have been passed by the House of Commons as the Bill heads to the House of Lords.

Last week umbrella bodies celebrated some success in campaigning to reduce the bureaucratic burden of the Bill as the Chancellor introduced amendments to make the GASDS more accessible. At the third reading of the House of Commons yesterday these amendments were passed.

Should the Charitable Tax Deduction Be Eliminated? - US News and World Report

Should the Charitable Tax Deduction Be Eliminated? - US News and World Report: Should the Charitable Tax Deduction Be Eliminated?
Policymakers are considering doing away with or reducing the tax break for charitable giving

PBO Report “Federal Cost Estimate of Bill C-399: Volunteer Tax Credit”

PBO Report “Federal Cost Estimate of Bill C-399: Volunteer Tax Credit”

Nonprofits defend tax break - Nov. 20, 2012

Nonprofits defend tax break - Nov. 20, 2012: WASHINGTON (CNNMoney) -- Charities and nonprofits are digging in their heels on Capitol Hill as they prepare to defend tax breaks for charitable donations that are under threat from the fiscal cliff.

Mass. Nonprofit Leaders: Sector to Suffer if Congress Doesn’t Act

massnonprofit.org ::: November 9, 2012 — Unless Congress acts before January, when federal budget cuts are due to take effect and personal taxes set to increase, Massachusetts nonprofits will lose tens of millions of dollars, severely impacting many, but charitable giving statewide should remain steady, nonprofit leaders say.

Charitable Tax Breaks Could Take Hit During Lame-Duck Session Of Congress

Charitable Tax Breaks Could Take Hit During Lame-Duck Session Of Congress: Congress could choose to change the limitations on charitable tax deductions during its lame-duck session aimed at tackling expiring tax laws and automatic budget cuts, according to the Independent Sector.

President Obama has long proposed changes to charitable-giving tax breaks that would limit deductions to 28 percent for individuals earning more than $200,000 and married couples earning more than $250,000, according to Bloomberg. The current deduction limit is 35 percent.

The AFP Blog: Thinking Bigger—and Beyond—the Charitable Tax Deduction

The AFP Blog: Thinking Bigger—and Beyond—the Charitable Tax Deduction: On December 4th and 5th AFP will be participating in a lobby day on the hill with our partners in the Charitable Giving Coalition. If you’re in Washington, DC, those days, I strongly encourage you to participate!

Associations ‘Concerned’ about Fate of Group Tax Returns: Associations Now

Associations ‘Concerned’ about Fate of Group Tax Returns: Associations Now: As the IRS considers changes in longstanding group exemption procedures, an ASAE survey shows widespread worry about the impact on tax-exempt organizations.

City Drops Controversial Training Requirement For Nonprofit Groups // The Alternative Press: NJ's Daily Hyperlocal Newspaper

City Drops Controversial Training Requirement For Nonprofit Groups // The Alternative Press: NJ's Daily Hyperlocal Newspaper: PATERSON, NJ – Mayor Jeffrey Jones has waived a controversial new plan to require nonprofit groups to spend $300 on training at William Paterson University (WPU) in order for them to be eligible to get federal housing money through the cit

Expedited Exemptions For Sandy-Related Charities - TheNonProfitTimes

Expedited Exemptions For Sandy-Related Charities - TheNonProfitTimes: The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced an expedited review and approval process for organizations seeking tax-exempt status to provide relief for victims of Hurricane Sandy, though the IRS still encourages people to use existing organizations currently working on immediate aid efforts.

Charity Regulators (Finally) Eye Overvaluation Of Donated Goods - Forbes

Charity Regulators (Finally) Eye Overvaluation Of Donated Goods - Forbes: lizabeth Korsmo is an assistant attorney general in New Mexico and heads that state’s Charities Bureau. By all gossip–and there’s a lot–she is a key player in a coordinated but unpublicized effort by charitable regulators across a number of states to crack down on nonprofits who greatly exaggerate the value of donated goods to make themselves look bigger and better than they really are.

Donor-Advised Funds Surge Past Pre-Recession Highs - Planned Giving - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Donor-Advised Funds Surge Past Pre-Recession Highs - Planned Giving - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Donor-Advised Funds Surge Past Pre-Recession Highs

By Holly Hall

Donor-advised funds last year grew for the first time since 2007, the best year the funds had before the recession took hold, according to a study released today.

Using data from 652 organizations, the National Philanthropic Trust examined the performance of the funds, which allow people to set up charitable accounts, take an immediate tax deduction, and channel money to whatever charities they want whenever they want.

Most Key Lawmakers for Nonprofits Win Re-Election - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Most Key Lawmakers for Nonprofits Win Re-Election - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: But the oversight subcommittee’s chairman, Charles Boustany of Louisiana—who has been holding a series of hearings about charity regulation—faces a runoff election next month as required by state law because no candidate won a majority of votes. He will face Rep. Jeff Landry, also a Republican congressman. They are contesting a new district that was drawn after Louisiana lost one seat due to redistricting.

OSCR publishes paper to help Scottish charities release restricted funds | Third Sector

OSCR publishes paper to help Scottish charities release restricted funds | Third Sector: Guidance explains how to unlock assets that cannot be used because of outdated restrictions

The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator has published a guidance paper on new legislation aimed at making it easier for charities in Scotland to free up restricted funds for charitable purposes.

Under the Charities Restricted Funds Reorganisation (Scotland) Regulations 2012, which came into effect on Thursday, charities can apply to the OSCR to unlock assets that cannot be used because of outdated restrictions.

Bay Area nonprofits defend some tax breaks for the wealthy | California Watch

Bay Area nonprofits defend some tax breaks for the wealthy | California Watch: Bay Area nonprofits, which often advocate for some of the neediest Americans, are finding themselves the unlikely defenders of a politically unpopular stance: keeping some tax loopholes for the rich.

“It’s a paradox,” said Jan Masaoka, CEO of the California Association of Nonprofits, a coalition of more than 1,600 charities. “The nonprofit sector, which roots for the underdog, supports tax breaks to the wealthy because charitable deductions help us.”

Bay Area nonprofits defend some tax breaks for the wealthy | California Watch

Bay Area nonprofits defend some tax breaks for the wealthy | California Watch: Bay Area nonprofits, which often advocate for some of the neediest Americans, are finding themselves the unlikely defenders of a politically unpopular stance: keeping some tax loopholes for the rich.

“It’s a paradox,” said Jan Masaoka, CEO of the California Association of Nonprofits, a coalition of more than 1,600 charities. “The nonprofit sector, which roots for the underdog, supports tax breaks to the wealthy because charitable deductions help us.”

Charity Commission expected to open doors in December

Charity Commission expected to open doors in December: The Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission is closer to opening its doors after amendments to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission Bill were passed in the Senate yesterday, and then the amended Bill was passed in the House of Representatives today.

The start date for the ACNC will be announced in the coming weeks, it is expected to be in early December. It will be led by interim Commissioner Susan Pascoe.

Should Volunteers Be Offered Tax Incentives? - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active and engaged democracy.

Should Volunteers Be Offered Tax Incentives? - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active and engaged democracy.: The term “paid volunteers” sounds like an oxymoron. However, the U.S. does provide stipends for some “volunteers” through the AmeriCorps program of the Corporation for National and Community Service. In Canada, a member of parliament has proposed a tax credit to reward volunteers for their work and to incentivize more people to volunteer. MP Jean-Francois Larose, a member of the New Democratic Party (NDP), introduced the Volunteer Tax Credit bill in February and in September, Larose made what Charity Village called “an impassioned speech” in parliament. He got some expressions of support from Liberal parliament members, but members of the Conservative party “figuratively tore the bill apart.”

Charitable Deduction Isn’t ‘Loophole To Close’ - TheNonProfitTimes

Charitable Deduction Isn’t ‘Loophole To Close’ - TheNonProfitTimes: In the middle of an acrimonious election season, policymakers in Washington, D.C., are faced with a looming “fiscal cliff” and the very real possibility that their delay in dealing with a number of fiscal policies is finally catching up with the country.

The facts are stark and can be universally agreed upon: With the growth in entitlement spending and a tax code that grows more complex every year, this country faces a major need to look at all fiscal policy to determine what is the best path forward for long-term, sustained economic growth. Regardless of what mix of “revenue enhancements” and spending cuts are used, a healthy nonprofit sector will be a critical component to these changes.

Bennington Banner: Select Board sets new policy for nonprofit funding - Bennington Banner

Bennington Banner: Select Board sets new policy for nonprofit funding - Bennington Banner: BENNINGTON -- The Select Board has approved a new policy to deal with private, nonprofit agencies that seek town funding.

Those agencies can appear on the town ballot every March seeking funds if they gather signatures -- 5 percent of the registered voters are required -- on a petition. The town in the past has allowed agencies to stay on the ballot in subsequent years without gathering signatures if the funding request remains the same.

B.C. puts a cork on wine fundraisers | CTV British Columbia News

B.C. puts a cork on wine fundraisers | CTV British Columbia News: A B.C. liquor law banning charities from auctioning off donated wine has left some philanthropists with a sour taste in their mouths.

The law came to light when the Belfry Theatre in Victoria was denied a Special Occasion License for its annual wine fundraiser.

Organizers received a letter from the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch informing them that B.C.’s “laws and policies expressly prohibit organizations from soliciting bottles of liquor from individuals to be auctioned for charity.”

Campaign finance watchdog may sue Arizona group - latimes.com

Campaign finance watchdog may sue Arizona group - latimes.com: alifornia's campaign finance watchdog plans to decide on Wednesday whether to sue a mysterious Arizona nonprofit that pumped $11 million into two California initiative campaigns last week.

The legal action could become a test of a new state regulation requiring nonprofits to disclose the identity of their donors if they know the money is going to be used in a California campaign.

The IRS And Permissible Activity - TheNonProfitTimes

The IRS And Permissible Activity - TheNonProfitTimes: The presidential election is just a couple of weeks away and people sometimes get desperate as the days get closer. Federal tax law strictly prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from engaging in activities to support or oppose candidates for public office.

However, there are still a number of ways that 501(c)(3)s can be involved in the political process without running afoul of the law.

Unfortunately, the line between prohibited and permissible activities is murky and can be easily crossed if proper managers of the 501(c)(3) are not careful in how they plan and execute the activities. Now might be a good time to review the rules that will help you stay on the right side of the line while involved in the process.

Charity Commission changes stance on transfer of assets

Charity Commission changes stance on transfer of assets: Charities seeking to transfer assets after dissolving to set up a charitable company with the same directors will now require Charity Commission approval to do so, the regulator has advised.

In a letter from the Commission's chief legal adviser Kenneth Dibble to the Charity Law Association's chair, Ann Black, Dibble said the Commission has recently dealt with a number of cases where unincorporated charities have sought to do this - usually to enable them to start trading.

Fundraising bodies show united front before sceptical MPs

Fundraising bodies show united front before sceptical MPs: Regulatory confusion

Liberal Democrat MP Greg Mulholland cited Lord Hodgson’s report condemning the confused regulatory landscape, and asked if the three membership bodies were sorting that out as instructed and “getting on better now”.

Lewis said they each had a distinct role in the regulatory framework – the Institute as legislator, the PFRA as police, and the FRSB as judge – and that this model was the right one. Alistair McLean added that the challenge laid down by Lord Hodgson was significant, but that good progress had already been made by the three organisations in making it easier for the public to understand.

The fundraising bodies were appearing before the committee as part of its inquiry into the regulation of the charitable sector and the Charities Act 2006.

Pittsburgh’s approach to tax-exempt nonprofits could be model for others in state | TribLIVE

Pittsburgh’s approach to tax-exempt nonprofits could be model for others in state | TribLIVE: Pittsburgh could serve as a model for the rest of the state in determining how much money tax-exempt nonprofits should pay for city services each year, one of the city’s financial overseers said Monday.

Pittsburgh ordered to renew nonprofit talks - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh ordered to renew nonprofit talks - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: State overseers ordered Pittsburgh on Tuesday to begin a new dialogue with nonprofit groups on payments in lieu of taxes and to develop a new, public formula for determining how much those payments should be.

The Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority approved the city's 2013 budget and five-year plan with the condition that Mayor Luke Ravenstahl form a task force on nonprofits by Dec. 31 and submit a report by June 30.

Fed govt cuts red tape for charities | The Australian

Fed govt cuts red tape for charities | The Australian: CHARITIES will have their paperwork reduced after the federal government announced changes to the commonwealth grant guidelines.

Assistant treasurer David Bradbury announced the measures, that will build on moves to set up a national regulator of charities, at a not-for-profit sector conference in Sydney on Wednesday.

Legislation to formally set up the regulator is before the Senate and it is expected to start operating from December.

HMRC takes the stand over gift aid small donations Bill

HMRC takes the stand over gift aid small donations Bill: The cost to the Exchequer of unlinking the gift aid small donations scheme from gift aid would be around �30m, said the HMRC at a public committee meeting yesterday.

Representatives from HMRC joined Sajid Javid, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, in addressing the 19-member committee which will decide on amendments to the Small Charitable Donations Bill before it is read in Parliament, which is expected to take place by Christmas.

Charity Commission expected to start registering CIOs next January

Charity Commission expected to start registering CIOs next January: The Charity Commission hopes to start registering charitable incorporated organisations from January 2013.

It follows years of delays in the launch of the charitable incorporated organisations (CIO) since it was first mooted in the Charities Act 2006.

Parliament is expected to lay the necessary statutory instruments to bring charitable incorporated organisations into effect next week.

Should Nonprofits Aim to Overturn the Prohibition on Charities Promoting Candidates? - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active and engaged democracy.

Should Nonprofits Aim to Overturn the Prohibition on Charities Promoting Candidates? - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active and engaged democracy.: Nonprofits are led by ideals and values for changing the world. Vote with the ideals and values that lead you.” So reads the campaign tagline of the California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits), which is asking its nonprofit members to mobilize their staff and board members, as well as volunteers, to vote with their mission. Last month, the new nonprofit PAC CForward (which is also a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, and so not a charitable nonprofit) actually endorsed eight politicians, all Democrats except for one candidate for state senator in Tennessee, as pro-nonprofit candidates for public office.[i] The PAC of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has been making donations to political candidates for some years, leaning somewhat toward Republican incumbent politicians with oversight responsibilities of the nonprofit sector at the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.[ii]

Pa. rules nonprofits' payments to Pittsburgh are public record - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pa. rules nonprofits' payments to Pittsburgh are public record - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Because of a ruling Tuesday from the state Office of Open Records, the public is a step closer to finding out which nonprofits make payments in lieu of taxes to financially strapped Pittsburgh.

Watchdog Plans Review of Charity Fundraising Appeals - Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Watchdog Plans Review of Charity Fundraising Appeals - Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: A prominent charity watchdog is stepping up its efforts to protect donors from fundraising appeals that include misleading or false statements.

The BBB Wise Giving Alliance said this week it will begin to review direct-mail solicitations, commercials, and telemarketing scripts from randomly selected charities beginning in January. The group will also review materials from nonprofits that have been the subject of complaints to its local chapters or that have been singled out in media reports.

Watching the Charity Watchdogs: Vignettes from the NAASCO Annual Meeting - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active and engaged democracy.

Watching the Charity Watchdogs: Vignettes from the NAASCO Annual Meeting - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active and engaged democracy.: Regardless of which candidate wins on November 6th and no matter what Congress and the President decide to do or not do regarding sequestration, the unresolved question of how to bolster nonprofit accountability through sector self-regulation and governmental oversight will persist. Neither party has a bead on the issue. In fact, neither party nor their bevy of candidates for office seems to have anything to utter on the topic.

Whatever conversation there is on this topic occurs in meetings of the state charity officers located in attorney generals offices. These are the government officials for whom charity accountability is their bread and butter. The one-day public session of the National Association of State Charity Officials (NASCO) on October 1st didn’t include much commentary from the state charity officials themselves, who were relatively close-mouthed about their work (for fear of getting into specifics about ongoing investigations). But the various presentations and Q&As revealed much about the current debates in nonprofit accountability—and some issues that should be debated thoroughly in the sector. What follows is a series of vignettes documenting what we heard at the NASCO gathering.

Paul Clolery: Red Cross, United Way, Other Charities Tell Candidates What They Want

Paul Clolery: Red Cross, United Way, Other Charities Tell Candidates What They Want: With the presidential election just weeks away and the two major candidates starting the debate cycle, 22 of the leading executives of the nonprofit sector have a message for both President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney.

The message: Tell us what the government plans to do, to abandon, to fund and then get out of the way.

OpEdNews - Article: Endorsed by the CForward PAC, How Progressive Are the Nonprofit Eight?

OpEdNews - Article: Endorsed by the CForward PAC, How Progressive Are the Nonprofit Eight?: The First PAC for the Nonprofit Sector--CForward

In September, eight nonprofit leaders running for elective office received the endorsement of CForward, the 501(c)(4) organization and PAC founded by Robert Egger, a nationally known nonprofit advocate, with a mission "To support candidates who provide detailed plans for how they would partner with nonprofits, social enterprise businesses and micro-credit programs to create jobs and strengthen the economy". The eight CForward candidates all met the minimum threshold criteria of having worked for a nonprofit, served on a nonprofit board, included mentions of nonprofits in their campaign materials and platforms, and committed to appointing nonprofit liaisons.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 28, 2012: Report Details Use of Payments in Lieu of Taxes by Nonprofits | PRNewswire | Rock Hill Herald Online

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 28, 2012: Report Details Use of Payments in Lieu of Taxes by Nonprofits | PRNewswire | Rock Hill Herald Online: The great majority of PILOT revenue comes from universities and hospitals, most PILOT activity occurs in the Northeast, and a small number of multi-million dollar PILOTs account for the majority of all revenue received nationwide, according to Payments in Lieu of Taxes by Nonprofits: Which Nonprofits Make PILOTs and Which Localities Receive Them, authored by Daphne A. Kenyon, Adam H. Langley and Patricia C. Bailin.

Treasury Issues Proposed Regs Regarding Qualifying Grants to Foreign Organizations | Planned Giving Design Center

Treasury Issues Proposed Regs Regarding Qualifying Grants to Foreign Organizations | Planned Giving Design Center: Treasury has issued proposed regulations regarding the standards for making a good faith determination that a foreign organization is a charitable organization, grants to which may be qualifying distributions and not taxable expenditures. The regulations will affect private foundations seeking to make such good faith determinations.

Ten questions every director should ask about the T3010 - Resource Center - AFP

Ten questions every director should ask about the T3010 - Resource Center - AFP: Board members are responsible for ensuring that the organization they represent complies with Canada Revenue Agency legislation. Blogger Lisa Hartford lists questions that every board member should be asking of their organization’s CFO.

Regulator's statutory duty to raise public trust is 'barmy', says charity CEO

Regulator's statutory duty to raise public trust is 'barmy', says charity CEO: The idea that the Charity Commission has a statutory duty to raise public trust and confidence in charities is “barmy”, the chief executive of the Royal Television Society said yesterday.

Simon Albury told the regulator’s public meeting that the whole question of ‘reputation of charities’ is nonsense:

SOI Tax Stats - What's New

SOI Tax Stats - What's New: 2012 Spring SOI Bulletin—Statistics of Income (SOI) has released the 2012 Spring SOI Bulletin. Articles included in the publication provide the most recent data available from various tax and information returns filed by U.S. taxpayers.

Pittsburgh urged to examine nonprofit donations - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh urged to examine nonprofit donations - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: As Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl rolled out a no-tax-increase budget for 2013, state overseers Monday suggested that city council establish a task force to study the contentious issue of nonprofit contributions.

White House Philanthropy Event Was a Closed-Door Affair - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

White House Philanthropy Event Was a Closed-Door Affair - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: The event—hosted by the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation and attended by philanthropists, nonprofit leaders, government officials, and others—was not announced publicly and was closed to the news media.

There were no news releases, White House blog mentions, or Webcasts.

A few participants blew the event’s cover, however. One nonprofit group sent out a news release about its founder’s plans to attend

Donors to nonprofit campaign groups can remain secret - Washington Times

Donors to nonprofit campaign groups can remain secret - Washington Times: With the presidential campaign now entering in its final phase, a federal appeals court Tuesday overturned a ruling that could have curbed the ability of secret-money outside groups from running advertisements during that critical time.

The court said that nonprofit groups such as Crossroads GPS, the Republican group helmed by Karl Rove, do not have to disclose their donors, even if they run ads that clearly name a political candidate in the two months before an election.

Ottawa strips tax-exempt status from 67 charities, including B.C. food bank

Ottawa strips tax-exempt status from 67 charities, including B.C. food bank: OTTAWA — The Canada Revenue Agency has stripped the tax-exempt status from 67 charities, including a B.C. food bank that used a higher chunk of its donations to cover the president’s wages and expenses than it did buying food for clients.

The Small Charitable Donations Bill should be index-linked | Third Sector blog | Third Sector blogs

The Small Charitable Donations Bill should be index-linked | Third Sector blog | Third Sector blogs: he GASDS, and the Small Charitable Donations Bill that will bring it into existence, have been criticised because of the bureaucracy involved, particularly the need for a good Gift Aid record before you can take part, and the need to collect at least �1 in Gift Aid for every �2 raised under GASDS.

But the scheme actually has another, perhaps more serious flaw: it’s not index-linked.

This issue is the kind of detail that doesn’t sound exciting, but has the potential to mess up the whole thing.

Charity Regulator Start Date In Doubt | Pro Bono Australia

Charity Regulator Start Date In Doubt | Pro Bono Australia: The start date of Australia’s first charity regulator on October 1st is in doubt after the Greens announced their intention not to pass the establishing legislation without amendment and until the concerns raised by the Not for Profit sector have been addressed.

National charity regulator gets the nod | The Australian

National charity regulator gets the nod | The Australian: National charity regulator gets the nod

From: AAP
September 12, 2012 6:59PM



A FEDERAL parliamentary committee has given the tick of approval to plans for a national regulator for the charities and not-for-profits sector.

The joint committee on corporations and financial services has released its report on the government's Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Bill 2012 and two related bills.

Labor wants to establish a national regulator for the charities and not-for-profits sector.

No need for new charities regulator: Coalition

No need for new charities regulator: Coalition: The Coalition will oppose the Gillard government's proposed charities regulator, and would dismantle it if elected to government.

Labor says its proposed Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission will reduce the administrative burden on the not-for-profit sector by harmonising and centralising regulation.

Gessler drops nonprofits' filing fee to $1 - Denver Business Journal

Gessler drops nonprofits' filing fee to $1 - Denver Business Journal: Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler will drop most filing fees for nonprofit organizations to $1 as of Oct. 1, he announced Tuesday — which is expected to cost his office $1.1 million in annual revenue but that he hopes will help nonprofits.

FRSB to be fundraising regulation’s public face - Charity fundraising news - News - Civil Society

FRSB to be fundraising regulation’s public face - Charity fundraising news - News - Civil Society: he Institute of Fundraising, PFRA and Fundraising Standards Board have agreed that the FRSB will be put forward as the official public face for fundraising complaints following a challenge set forth by Lord Hodgson to simplify the system.

The chief executives and chairs of the fundraising umbrella body troika met yesterday in the first of a series of gatherings to discuss how to respond to Lord Hodgson’s challenge, in his Charities Act Review, to remove confusion from the present system.

Legislative focus on philanthropy in China set to accelerate | philanthropy-managment.com

Legislative focus on philanthropy in China set to accelerate | philanthropy-managment.com: According to a report in China Daily, China is speeding up legislation for the philanthropic sector, including setting clear rules for foreign NGOs. A report published in April by the China Charity and Donation Information Centre, affiliated with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, showed that less than 3% of 1,000 US-based non-profit organisations operating in China had registered with Chinese civil affairs authorities.

Crowdsourcing The Audit & Accounting Guide For Nonprofits � Sage Words

Crowdsourcing The Audit & Accounting Guide For Nonprofits � Sage Words: AICPA wants your input and perspective on changes to the Audit & Accounting Guide for Not-for-Profit Entities. They are currently seeking feedback and comments from “preparers, auditors and users of not-for profit entity financial statements and other interested parties”. You can find a notice of their intent and copy of the draft on their website here.

NPOs marred by legal loopholes |Highlights |chinadaily.com.cn

NPOs marred by legal loopholes |Highlights |chinadaily.com.cn: China is speeding up legislation for the rapidly growing philanthropic sector, including setting clear rules for foreign organizations, an expert from the legislation team said in Beijing on Saturday.

There are loopholes in the existing legal system, which has failed to set do's and don'ts for international non-profit organizations and provided only sketchy information for foundations' operations, Jin Jinping, director of the non-profit Organization Law Research Center at Peking University, said at an internati

Northern Irish regulator receives daily emails about charity misconduct - Charity governance and trustee news - News - Civil Society

Northern Irish regulator receives daily emails about charity misconduct - Charity governance and trustee news - News - Civil Society: The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland receives concerns about suspected charity misconduct and mismanagement on a daily basis from members of the public, says its annual report released this week.

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI) gained the power to investigate Northern Ireland charities last year and has conducted well over 100 investigations since.

Six Tips for Charitable Taxpayers | Planned Giving Design Center

Six Tips for Charitable Taxpayers | Planned Giving Design Center: Contributing money and property are ways that you can support a charitable cause, but in order for your donation to be tax-deductible, certain conditions must be met. Read on for six things the IRS wants taxpayers to know about deductibility of donations.

Upcoming Workshops for Small and Medium-Sized 501(c)(3) Organizations

Upcoming Workshops for Small and Medium-Sized 501(c)(3) Organizations: Upcoming Workshops for Small and Medium-Sized 501(c)(3) Organizations


These one-day workshops for small and medium-sized 501(c)(3) organizations are presented by experienced IRS Exempt Organizations’ specialists and explain what 501(c)(3) entities must do to keep their tax-exempt status and comply with tax obligations.

This introductory workshop is designed for administrators or volunteers who are responsible for tax compliance, and for organization representatives.

IRS Tells CUs How to Resolve Tax-Exempt Snafu

IRS Tells CUs How to Resolve Tax-Exempt Snafu: Credit unions that received a notice from the IRS informing them that their tax-exempt status had been revoked due to improper filing now have specific instructions on how to have it restored.

States That Can’t Legislate, Regulate - TheNonProfitTimes

States That Can’t Legislate, Regulate - TheNonProfitTimes: Legislation in Oregon last year would have threatened tax deductibility of donations to charities that didn’t meet administrative spending thresholds for three years got a lot of attention. Other moves targeting nonprofits have been brought by governors or in some cases administratively, outside the purview of state legislatures.

Former Komen NYC Chief Tapped To Lead YWCA - TheNonProfitTimes

Former Komen NYC Chief Tapped To Lead YWCA - TheNonProfitTimes: YWCA USA today announced its first permanent chief executive officer in almost two years, plucking an executive who led Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s largest affiliate until four months ago.

How to Share Bad News with Your Supporters and Keep Your Choir�Engaged - Online Fundraising, Advocacy, and Social Media -

How to Share Bad News with Your Supporters and Keep Your Choir�Engaged - Online Fundraising, Advocacy, and Social Media -: You look forward to sharing victories with your community. Who wouldn’t? A big win offers a jolt of enthusiasm and shows that your hard work is paying off.

As any seasoned campaigners know though, advocacy work isn’t always smooth sailing. You are bound to hit patches of rough water. The way you address these challenges and how you share bad news with your community are critical to the long-term health and strength of your movement.

Law change hurts bingo groups | Amarillo Globe-News

Law change hurts bingo groups | Amarillo Globe-News: Now in its 30th year, charitable bingo is big business in Texas, generating $281 million in prizes and almost $3.5 million in tax money so far this year. But some Amarillo charities have seen their slice of bingo money shrink in recent years after a 2009 law allowed their building’s lessor, Austin-based Littlefield Corp., to charge them directly for upkeep.

New fining regime for street fundraising comes into force today

New fining regime for street fundraising comes into force today: Street fundraisers will have to abide by a new set of rules from today or face possible fines.

The Public Fundraising Regulatory Association has introduced its PFRA Rule Book (Street F2F) from today to drive up standards in street fundraising, as part of an attempt to improve the public perception of face-to-face fundraising.

Robert Egger: PAC for Nonprofits Endorses Candidates

Robert Egger: PAC for Nonprofits Endorses Candidates: CForward works on behalf of the nonprofit sector as a whole. It links nonprofit employees from divergent, and often competing interests in a unifying political strategy; elevating the essential role their combined work plays in the economy. Its goals are both audacious and achievable: organizing private citizens to use new media tactics to help educate and elect candidates who will make strategic use of the nonprofit sector to stabilize communities, attract investment dollars and help revitalize the economy and create jobs.

Congressional Hearing to Examine Complex Charity Operations - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Congressional Hearing to Examine Complex Charity Operations - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Congressional Hearing to Examine Complex Charity Operations

July 19, 2012, 10:37 am

By Suzanne Perry

A Congressional panel will hold the second in a series of hearings on tax-exempt organizations next week, this one focusing on charities that have complicated operations such as profit-generating arms.

Religious Charity On Philadelphia Homeless Feeding Ban: 'We're Going To Break The Law'

Religious Charity On Philadelphia Homeless Feeding Ban: 'We're Going To Break The Law': A Philadelphia religious charity is set on helping the homeless -- come hell or high water.

Chosen 300 Ministries is back on the streets providing food for homeless people after a judge has halted enforcement of a homeless feeding ban for about four months, NBC Philadelphia reports.

Paying trustees would damage charity sector, warn umbrella bodies - Governance - News - Civil Society

Paying trustees would damage charity sector, warn umbrella bodies - Governance - News - Civil Society: Opposition to proposals that would allow large charities to pay their trustees has gathered pace, with seven umbrella bodies writing to minister for civil society Nick Hurd, warning that it would be damaging for the charity sector.

Currently, a charity can pay their trustees only with permission from the Charity Commission or if it is allowed in their governing documents. However, as part of his review of the Charities Act 2006, Lord Hodgson has recommended that charities with an income of over �1m should be given the automatic right to pay

Large charities should be allowed to pay trustees without permission, says Hodgson

Large charities should be allowed to pay trustees without permission, says Hodgson: The issue is divisive, says Tory peer in his review of the Charities Act 2006, but charities above �1m income should not have to seek Charity Commission approval

Charities with incomes above �1m should be permitted to pay their trustees without getting permission from the Charity Commission, and all charities should be encouraged to reimburse trustees’ expenses, the Hodgson review says today.

It says payment is "a hugely divisive issue in the charity sector", with some saying it undermines the voluntary sector and others saying it would improve diversity and attract those with special skills.

Abolition of national exemption orders on doorstep collections could cost sector millions, charities warn

Abolition of national exemption orders on doorstep collections could cost sector millions, charities warn

Abolition of national exemption orders on doorstep collections could cost sector millions, charities warn

Abolition of national exemption orders on doorstep collections could cost sector millions, charities warn

Vic Philanthropy Partnership Plan | Pro Bono Australia

Vic Philanthropy Partnership Plan | Pro Bono Australia: The Victorian Government has released a plan to increase collaboration between philanthropy and government partnerships in the state.

The Guiding Principles for Collaboration between Government and Philanthropy was launched by Acting Premier Peter Ryan and the Office for the Community Sector with the Victorian Department of Planning and Community Development.

Court’s Health-Care Ruling Offers Little-Noticed Threat to Nonprofits - Leslie Lenkowsky - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Court’s Health-Care Ruling Offers Little-Noticed Threat to Nonprofits - Leslie Lenkowsky - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: The court’s logic in the health-care case makes it unmistakably clear that lawmakers have the authority to increase government control of tax-exempt groups. Of particular concern, the ruling opens the way to the adoption of measures such as limiting charity tax exemptions to groups that provide direct benefits to the poor and allowing tax deductions only for donors to those groups, proposals that have gained growing support in recent years among some members of Congress and other lawmakers.

The root of the potential problem for nonprofits lies in the way that Chief Justice Roberts crafted his majority opinion to uphold the health-care law.

Pittsburgh Passes Nonprofit Payment Plan, Memphis Mulls Same - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Pittsburgh Passes Nonprofit Payment Plan, Memphis Mulls Same - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Pittsburgh Passes Nonprofit Payment Plan, Memphis Mulls Same

July 3, 2012, 9:39 am

The Pittsburgh City Council approved a deal with a nonprofit coalition Monday that will provide the city with $5.2-million to $5.4-million in lieu of taxes over the next two years, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Russia Introduces Law Limiting Aid for Nonprofits - NYTimes.com

Russia Introduces Law Limiting Aid for Nonprofits - NYTimes.com: MOSCOW — In the latest move to rein in dissent, Russian authorities have introduced a draft law that would require nonprofit organizations that receive financing from outside Russia to publicly declare themselves “foreign agents” — a term that, to Russians, evokes cold war-era espionage and is likely to discredit the organizations’ work in the eyes of the public.

State May Require Non-Profits to Disclose Exec Pay - Easton, PA Patch

State May Require Non-Profits to Disclose Exec Pay - Easton, PA Patch: A proposed amendment to the state fiscal code bill — a piece of the overall budget package that sets out tax and regulatory framework — would require the Department of Public Welfare to collect data from non-profits that deliver services as part of a variety of state programs.

The department would be instructed to track executive pay and the pay of top employees, along with association dues, lobbying expenses, administrative costs and the indirect or direct costs of providing services.

Commission to start spot checks on accounts of big charities too - Civil Society - Governance - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits

Commission to start spot checks on accounts of big charities too - Civil Society - Governance - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits: The Charity Commission is to expand its system of spot checks on charities’ accounts to encompass organisations of all sizes, not just small charities.

The revised policy is revealed in the regulator’s 2011/12 annual report and accounts, published today. It states that instead of only conducting random checks on accounts of charities with income of less than �25,000, in future it will review a sample of accounts of charities of all sizes, to check that they meet relevant accounting requirements.

I.R.S. Action May Signal Impending Probe of Political Nonprofits - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

I.R.S. Action May Signal Impending Probe of Political Nonprofits - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: I.R.S. Action May Signal Impending Probe of Political Nonprofits

June 28, 2012, 10:37 am

The Internal Revenue Service is preparing to question some large 501(c)(4) advocacy groups about their political activities, signaling a possible investigation into whether the organizations are violating their nonprofit status, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Holly Paz of the I.R.S.’s tax-exempt division told a conference of certified public accountants Friday that the agency is working on a questionnaire to send to such groups. The agency has not set a date for when the queries will go out.

Tell Us What You Think of the Health-Care Ruling - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Tell Us What You Think of the Health-Care Ruling - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: The U.S. Supreme Court today upheld most of the health-care overhaul law, a decision that will please many foundations and nonprofit groups that have been working to put the new law into effect.

Montgomery school board bans nonprofits from distributing fliers at middle, high schools - The Washington Post

Montgomery school board bans nonprofits from distributing fliers at middle, high schools - The Washington Post: The Montgomery County Board of Education voted Monday to bar nonprofit groups from distributing fliers to middle and high school students, following protests over a leaflet sent home earlier this year that many students and educators considered anti-gay.

Boynton Beach: New rules for nonprofits cramp organizations but could mean tax revenue - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

Boynton Beach: New rules for nonprofits cramp organizations but could mean tax revenue - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com: oynton Beach has too many organizations doing good work in all the wrong places, city leaders say.

The churches, charter schools and social service agencies that offer aid and education also don't pay taxes. A new city ordinance, passed last week, bars some of them from expanding and blocks newcomers from prime commercial and industrial areas.

The idea is to free up space for taxpaying businesses.

Why Raise Taxes When You Can Raise Money? Governments Take a Dip in the Donor Pool - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active and engaged democracy.

Why Raise Taxes When You Can Raise Money? Governments Take a Dip in the Donor Pool - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active and engaged democracy.: A by-product of the Great Recession and the growing calls to restrain spending, governments at the state and local level are turning to traditional fundraising in a surprising number of ways. Of course, fundraising for public entities and services has happened for years, usually at arms-length via friends’ groups or foundations for state universities, libraries, parks and, increasingly, local schools. But as federal stimulus money ends and the economy continues its uneven path, state and local budgets remain embattled. Seeking private gifts, which are voluntary and convey the notion of marketplace approval, is a path increasingly being chosen or considered across the nation.

What Is Government up to?

Some government efforts are new and range from creative to questionable:

Why Raise Taxes When You Can Raise Money? Governments Take a Dip in the Donor Pool - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active and engaged democracy.

Why Raise Taxes When You Can Raise Money? Governments Take a Dip in the Donor Pool - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active and engaged democracy.: A by-product of the Great Recession and the growing calls to restrain spending, governments at the state and local level are turning to traditional fundraising in a surprising number of ways. Of course, fundraising for public entities and services has happened for years, usually at arms-length via friends’ groups or foundations for state universities, libraries, parks and, increasingly, local schools. But as federal stimulus money ends and the economy continues its uneven path, state and local budgets remain embattled. Seeking private gifts, which are voluntary and convey the notion of marketplace approval, is a path increasingly being chosen or considered across the nation.

What Is Government up to?

Some government efforts are new and range from creative to questionable:

State efforts to cap non-profit CEO pay drawing attention - NorthJersey.com

State efforts to cap non-profit CEO pay drawing attention - NorthJersey.com: So it's not surprising that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's plan to cap executive pay for state contractors at $199,000 annually has drawn attention across the non-profit world – including New Jersey.

Some advocates for charitable organizations question the need for state regulations.

IRS workshops help nonprofits retain tax-exempt status - JSOnline

IRS workshops help nonprofits retain tax-exempt status - JSOnline: The Internal Revenue Service is offering two workshops next week to educate tax-exempt organizations in Wisconsin about meeting their tax obligations and maintaining their tax-exempt status.

In the past two years, nearly 8,000 Wisconsin nonprofits have lost their tax-exempt status for not filing an annual Form 990 series return, the IRS said.

The IRS will hold a Stay Exempt 501(c)(3) workshop June 26 at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Union and June 28 at UW-Eau Claire. Both workshops are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and materials and lunch are included.

Small Charitable Donations Bill amendments 'don't go far enough' - Civil Society - Fundraising - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits

Small Charitable Donations Bill amendments 'don't go far enough' - Civil Society - Fundraising - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits: The Small Charitable Donations Bill has been published today with amendments following consultation, but it still has a long way to go in making its benefits accessible to more charities according to the Charity Finance Group (CFG).

While there has been "some movement" in terms of some of the stricter regulations included in the Bill, CFG's head of policy, Jane Tully said the organisation still has concerns over the Bill's ability to extend the benefits of the scheme to all charities.

Senators Question IRS Authority to Request Confidential Donor Information | Planned Giving Design Center

Senators Question IRS Authority to Request Confidential Donor Information | Planned Giving Design Center: Citing concerns over privacy protections, 11 Senators today pressed the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for additional answers on the agency's decision to request confidential donor information from organizations applying for tax exempt status. In a letter led by U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, the lawmakers said such action circumvented current statutory privacy protections and questioned the targeting of groups specifically seeking the approval or renewal of a tax-exempt designation under section 501(c)(4).

Forewarned Is Forearmed when It Comes to Audits

massnonprofit.org ::: Under the best of circumstances a state or federal audit, especially when conducted by the Inspector General’s staff, disrupts your agency’s operations, sometimes for months, and can be a significant cause for concern – for you and your board.

Sen. Hatch: IRS Must Preserve Privacy of Tax-Exempt Donations

Sen. Hatch: IRS Must Preserve Privacy of Tax-Exempt Donations: A group of Republican senators are calling on the IRS to preserve privacy protections for those donating to organizations applying for tax exempt status to protect them from “possible harassment and intimidation.”

Editorial: Social business blurs boundaries

Editorial: Social business blurs boundaries: As the space between charities and social businesses gets smaller, Stephen Cook asks if the tax regime should be reconsidered

As economic austerity threatens to become permanent, many charities are doing all they can to diversify income and become less reliant on grants and fundraising. That often means moving to a more commercial, social enterprise model.

What's next for Prince William County's nonprofits? | InsideNova

What's next for Prince William County's nonprofits? | InsideNova: Organizations that aren’t community partners, which receive county funding through the annual budget process, often receive incremental funds throughout the year from individual Prince William County supervisors. Vitter said a nonprofit like PWTSC has a difficult time determining how much they will need from year to year and rely greatly on the generosity of individual board members to achieve their mission in the community.

HMRC might target charities after tax relief cap U-turn, warns tax specialist

HMRC might target charities after tax relief cap U-turn, warns tax specialist: Bill Lewis of Bates Wells & Braithwaite says Revenue & Customs is likely to take steps to prevent tax avoidance involving charities

Charities might face a backlash from HM Revenue & Customs after Chancellor George Osborne’s U-turn on the tax cap for major donors, a charity law firm will warn its clients.

Nonprofits losing property-tax exemptions - NYPOST.com

Nonprofits losing property-tax exemptions - NYPOST.com: The city has yanked property-tax exemptions worth $38 million from more than 900 nonprofits that couldn’t prove they deserved the breaks or didn’t bother to respond to a city survey, The Post has learned.

The action by the Finance Department takes effect July 1 and comes after outreach efforts, warning letters and in-person visits by assessors trying to determine which organizations legitimately deserve the waivers, which ones are gaming the system, and which simply slipped under the radar.

Mark Rosenman: Nonprofits Missing From Big Battles

Mark Rosenman: Nonprofits Missing From Big Battles: Charities and foundations should be geared up to confront immediate and near-term policy battles of extraordinary consequence to them. Instead, they seem to be wearing blinders -- or simply fear controversy, no matter the stakes.

Congressional Republicans want a repeat of last summer's divisive struggle over raising the debt limit and are committed to pursuing new budget cuts. This comes after the House recently approved changes to last year's deficit-cutting sequestration agreement and shifted what was a shared annual burden of $109 billion entirely to domestic programs and actually raised the defense budget instead of cutting it.

Kansas Nonprofits Told to Sit Down and Shut Up - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active an engaged democracy.

Kansas Nonprofits Told to Sit Down and Shut Up - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active an engaged democracy.: There is important and distressing news for nonprofits coming from the state of Kansas, where Republican Gov. Sam Brownback has been implementing a string of policies that have been less than kind to the nonprofit sector. The latest from the Brownback administration is possibly the most significant and deleterious of the state’s cascading laws and regulations adversely affecting nonprofits: the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) has generated new boilerplate language for its contracts with service providers aimed at bolstering restrictions on state contractors using government funding for legislative lobbying. However, the language is much broader than that, and so vague as to put a muzzle over the free speech rights of nonprofits that are simply trying to advocate and educate for the sake of their constituents.

Government u-turns on charity tax relief cap - Civil Society - Finance - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits

Government u-turns on charity tax relief cap - Civil Society - Finance - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits: The government has buckled to pressure from the charity sector and dropped its plans to limit tax relief on charitable giving announced in March’s Budget.

New Jersey Launches Charity Lookup Mobile App - TheNonProfitTimes

New Jersey Launches Charity Lookup Mobile App - TheNonProfitTimes: New Jersey has become at least the second state to offer a mobile phone application that provides financial information about charities.

Internal Revenue Service Webinar Registration Page

Internal Revenue Service Webinar Registration Page: IRS Presenters:

Steven Grodnitzky, Tax Attorney, Manager, IRS Exempt Organizations Office

Emily Mangrum, Tax Law Specialist, IRS Exempt Organizations Office
When disasters strike new charities spring up to help the victims, and existing charities want to expand their activities to provide disaster relief. But often, these organizations don’t understand the complexities of starting and operating an organization to provide disaster relief.

Trustees 'should be free to seek total return investments without approval' - Civil Society - Finance - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits

Trustees 'should be free to seek total return investments without approval' - Civil Society - Finance - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits: The Charity Law Association has recommended trustees are given the legal freedom to invest on a total return basis without seeking prior Charity Commission approval, in its submission to the Charities Act Review.

In an 83-page 'first draft' submission to Lord Hodgson, who is carrying out the review, the CLA outlined measures it believes would help promote social investment, which also include enshrining parts of the Charity Commission's CC14 guidance in law.

AFP Offers Tax Incentive Recommendations to Finance Committee - Press - AFP

AFP Offers Tax Incentive Recommendations to Finance Committee - Press - AFP: On May 3, 2012, Andrea McManus, CFRE, chair of AFP, testified before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance during its hearing on tax incentives for charitable donations.

During her testimony, McManus offered the committee two recommendations:

Proposed accounting rules are contrary to charity law, conference told | Third Sector

Proposed accounting rules are contrary to charity law, conference told | Third Sector: Proposed accounting rules for charities put forward by the Accounting Standards Board are contrary to charity law, the Charity Finance Group conference heard yesterday.

Pesh Framjee, head of not-for-profit at Crowe Clark Whitehill, told the conference the ASB had outlined draft rules in a consultation that closed at the end of last month.

Nonprofit Sector’s Big (Often Feared) Question Briefly Arises at House Hearing - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active an engaged democracy.

Nonprofit Sector’s Big (Often Feared) Question Briefly Arises at House Hearing - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active an engaged democracy.: Was there anything important, exciting, worthwhile, or newsworthy at the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee hearing on nonprofits on Wednesday? For maybe five minutes of the morning’s hearing, due to typically pointed and knowledgeable questions from Los Angeles Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), a humdrum discussion turned electric, though only for those who caught the subtext of the issue Becerra was raising and the implications of the responses of Roger Colvineaux, an associate professor of law at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Political Nonprofits Must Reveal Donors, Court Says - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Political Nonprofits Must Reveal Donors, Court Says - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Political Nonprofits Must Reveal Donors, Court Says

May 16, 2012, 10:44 am

A U.S. Court of Appeals panel has declined to block a lower-court ruling ordering nonprofit advocacy groups that engage in campaign advertising to reveal their contributors, the Los Angeles Times reports.

IRS Urged to Reduce Paperwork Burden on Charities - Tax Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

IRS Urged to Reduce Paperwork Burden on Charities - Tax Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: The wide-ranging hearing, the first in a series of sessions expected to be held by a Ways and Means subcommittee that oversees the Internal Revenue Service, also featured a call to change the standards for getting charity status so that groups would have to prove they are making a positive contribution, rather than giving them an exemption simply because they avoid things like lobbying and engaging in untaxed business activities.

And the head of a prominent coalition of charities issued a plea for the renewal of tax breaks that encourage charitable giving.

L3C Proponents Eager for Proposed New Program Related Investments Regulations - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active an engaged democracy.

L3C Proponents Eager for Proposed New Program Related Investments Regulations - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active an engaged democracy.: The Internal Revenue Service has just released proposed regulations that aim to clarify the rules for program related investments (PRIs). The proposed regulations would tell foundations what kinds of PRIs might be characterized as a “jeopardizing investment” that could results in excise taxes on both the foundation and the foundation managers involved.

The tax cap is in danger of deterring innovative philanthropists | Voluntary Sector Network | guardian.co.uk

The tax cap is in danger of deterring innovative philanthropists | Voluntary Sector Network | guardian.co.uk: The tax cap is in danger of deterring innovative philanthropists

The are many examples of philanthropists undertaking high-risk, privately funded programmes that catalyse great social benefit

Enshrine social investment in charity law, says BWB - Civil Society - Finance - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits

Enshrine social investment in charity law, says BWB - Civil Society - Finance - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits: Charity law should clarify that it is a charitable purpose to measure social impact, and also provide a statutory power of social investment, say lawyers Bates Wells and Braithwaite in a submission to the Charities Act Review.

In a special submission to Lord Hodgson’s Charities Act Review focusing on social investment, BWB recommends a series of reforms it believes can strengthen the social investment market.

Tory rhetoric creates chilly climate for free speech - The Globe and Mail

Tory rhetoric creates chilly climate for free speech - The Globe and Mail: The Canadian government’s campaign of intimidation of environmental charities has begun to create a chill among charities who wish to participate in public-policy debates, according to a respected national representative of charities known as Imagine Canada.

MPs told to consider accountability of charities | Canada | News | Toronto Sun

MPs told to consider accountability of charities | Canada | News | Toronto Sun: OTTAWA - The federal government recently warned it will keep a closer eye on political activities and foreign funding in the charitable sector.

Now, MPs on the Commons finance committee are looking at ways of boosting charitable giving in Canada are hearing that improved overall accountability may help do the trick.

One advocate who testified for greater accountability at committee is Kate Bahen, managing director of Charity Intelligence Canada, a website that ranks Canada's top 100 charities - which receive over a third of all donations - based on transparency and accountability.

House Oversight Hearings on Nonprofits: What to Expect? - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active an engaged democracy.

House Oversight Hearings on Nonprofits: What to Expect? - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active an engaged democracy.: The House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee has announced plans to hold a series of hearings on the tax-exempt sector and IRS oversight of tax-exempt activities, the first to be held this week on May 16th. Leading the hearings will be Rep. Charles W. Boustany, Jr. (R-La.), who is chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight. We’re been waiting for days to see a list of witnesses, but it seems Boustany hasn’t publicly revealed who will and won’t be invited to sit at the table yet.

Tax-Exempt Organization Deadline Nears - Forbes

Tax-Exempt Organization Deadline Nears - Forbes: It’s important to remember that loss of tax-exempt status can spell disaster for some organizations: not only does it mean that the organization must file income tax returns and pay tax but perhaps more importantly, it means that donors cannot take tax deductions for contributions. The ability to claim a deduction is often the motivation for individuals to make a charitable donation; without it, many potential donors may go elsewhere (or not give at all). That means it’s crucial to stay compliant.

For most tax-exempt organizations, the key date is May 15. That’s the filing deadline this year for calendar year tax-exempt organizations (otherwise, it’s the 15th day of the fifth month following the close of the tax year).

Nonprofits applaud AG’s call for new partnership | Westfair Online

Nonprofits applaud AG’s call for new partnership | Westfair Online: New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman last week called for a new partnership between government and the nonprofit sector and pledged to work with lawmakers to tackle the inefficiencies that he said plague the state’s nonprofit regulations.
Schneiderman spoke at the 10th annual Not-For-Profit Leadership Summit on May 7 in Tarrytown, where earlier that day executives of several prominent local nonprofits launched the Nonprofit Association of Westchester, a coalition aimed at unifying the county’s 5,700 such organizations as they seek regulatory relief.

Congressional Hearing to Examine Nonprofit Tax Issues - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Congressional Hearing to Examine Nonprofit Tax Issues - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Congressional Hearing to Examine Nonprofit Tax Issues

May 9, 2012, 9:55 pm

By Suzanne Perry

A Congressional hearing has been scheduled next week to examine various tax issues affecting nonprofits, including Internal Revenue Service oversight of universities and nonprofit hospitals.

Schneiderman Unveiling “Nonprofit Revitalization Act” | Albany Watch

Schneiderman Unveiling “Nonprofit Revitalization Act” | Albany Watch: Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is announcing the Nonprofit Revitalization Act today during a speech in Tarrytown.

He’s giving the keynote address at a non-for-profit leadership summit hosted by the United Way of Westchester and Putnam.

Westchester Nonprofit Groups Seek Less Red Tape | The Daily North Salem

Westchester Nonprofit Groups Seek Less Red Tape | The Daily North Salem: Wayne and more than 700 other professionals gathered Monday at the DoubleTree Hotel in Tarrytown to discuss ways to reform and revitalize the nonprofit sector at the Not-For-Profit Leadership Summit X.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman gave the keynote speech, detailing many reform initiatives developed by nonprofit leaders and urging legislators to update arcane regulations.

Hurd expects tax cap resolution, but backs Treasury principle - Civil Society - Fundraising - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits

Hurd expects tax cap resolution, but backs Treasury principle - Civil Society - Fundraising - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits: Nick Hurd is confident that the Treasury will come to a reconciliation with charities over the tax relief cap issue, but has backed the fundamental aim of the cap, to limit tax avoidance.

Tax Extenders | Independent Sector

Tax Extenders | Independent Sector: LATEST NEWS

Ways and Means Subcommittee holds hearing on tax extenders
On April 26 the House Ways and Means Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee held a hearing on the expiring and expired tax extenders. Testimony was limited to House members who had introduced or co-sponsored legislation related to the tax provisions during the 112th Congress. Several House members testified in favor of the charitable tax extenders, including Rep. Wally Herger (R-CA), sponsor of legislation (H.R. 2502) to expand and make permanent the IRA charitable rollover, who said that “maintaining incentives for charitable giving is especially important in tough economic times.” Subcommittee Chairman Pat Tiberi (R-OH) said the hearing begins the process of reviewing the merits of the provisions, but noted that passing a tax extenders package is unlikely before the November elections.

Read the IS statement and learn more about how to submit a statement or comments for the record. Statements will be accepted through May 10, 2012.

IRS Reviews Tax-Exempt Status Revocations

IRS Reviews Tax-Exempt Status Revocations: IRS Reviews Tax-Exempt Status Revocations
by Mike Godfrey, Tax-News.com, Washington
04 May 2012

Following a request from the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) reviewed its Exempt Organizations function’s implementation of the provisions of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 related to the automatic revocation of an organization’s tax-exempt status.

IRS May Have Missed 15,000 Organizations That Lost Their Tax-Exempt Status

IRS May Have Missed 15,000 Organizations That Lost Their Tax-Exempt Status: The Internal Revenue Service identified 279,500 tax-exempt organizations that did not file a return or notice for three consecutive years, but it potentially did not identify more than 15,000 organizations that failed to file for three consecutive years, according to a new government report. Due to a programming error the IRS did not notify them that their tax-exempt status had been automatically revoked.

Gambling to benefit charity may reach all Ohio counties - Toledo Blade

Gambling to benefit charity may reach all Ohio counties - Toledo Blade: COLUMBUS — The menu of gambling options could be expanded again under proposed legislation to allow the creation of a government-sanctioned poker room in the name of charity in each of Ohio's 88 counties.

Government will not move on tax relief cap until consultation is completed | Third Sector

Government will not move on tax relief cap until consultation is completed | Third Sector: Sector representatives met Treasury ministers in what Acevo deputy chief executive Peter Kyle calls a sometimes 'heated' meeting

The government will not make any changes to the proposal to introduce a cap on tax relief for charitable giving before a consultation on the measure has concluded, charity leaders have been told.

CRA - Charities - Policy and Guidance - Fundraising by Registered Charities - Guidance

CRA - Charities - Policy and Guidance - Fundraising by Registered Charities - Guidance: Fundraising by Registered Charities
Guidance

Reference number
CG-013

Issued
April 20, 2012

This guidance updates and replaces the previous version of Guidance CPS-028, Fundraising by Registered Charities.

Tax relief cap would discourage leading philanthropist from donating in the UK

Tax relief cap would discourage leading philanthropist from donating in the UK: Balwant Singh, chief executive of Kusuma Trust UK, says its founder would be discouraged from donating even though he does not benefit from tax relief

One of the UK’s leading philanthropists and his peers would be discouraged from donating money in the UK because of the government’s planned tax relief cap, according to the chief executive of his UK foundation.

Exempt Organizations Educational Tools

Exempt Organizations Educational Tools: Exempt Organizations Educational Tools

Organizations, practitioners and others can use these prepared educational materials in newsletters, websites, etc., to communicate the compliance requirements that apply to tax-exempt organizations.

Articles:

Articles:

Tax-Exempt Entities Must File with the IRS
Tax-Exempt Organizations Should Avoid Political Campaign Intervention
Employment Tax Issues Important to All Tax-Exempt Entities
Tax-Exempt Nonprofts Must Meet Inspection and Disclosure Requirements
Divulge All Suspected Tax Exempt Status Abuses to the IRS
Contact the IRS if Your Organization is Going Out of Business

TVTechnology: FCC Proposed New Fundraising Rules for Public Broadcaster Charities

TVTechnology: FCC Proposed New Fundraising Rules for Public Broadcaster Charities: WASHINGTON: The Federal Communications Commission today invited comment on whether to allow public broadcasters to spend up to one percent of their airtime—about 88 hours per year—to conduct on-air fundraising activities for charities and other nonprofits. This proposal is a recommendation of The Information Needs of Communities report, released in June 2011.

Compensation Caps Proposed for Mass. Nonprofit Leaders April 24, 2012 — Two state legislators have filed a budget amendment, which, if passed and enacted into law, would impose compensation caps on top executives of Massachusetts nonprofits that receive state funds, based on their organizations’ annual operating budge

massnonprofit.org ::: Compensation Caps Proposed for Mass. Nonprofit Leaders

April 24, 2012 — Two state legislators have filed a budget amendment, which, if passed and enacted into law, would impose compensation caps on top executives of Massachusetts nonprofits that receive state funds, based on their organizations’ annual operating budge

Montana gives up $60 million by not taxing nonprofits, study says : The Billings Gazette - Montana & Wyoming News

Montana gives up $60 million by not taxing nonprofits, study says : The Billings Gazette - Montana & Wyoming News: HELENA — Montana forgoes more than $60 million in taxes annually by not imposing corporate income taxes on the largest nonprofit corporations based here, a legislative study shows.

Suzanne Bump sends a message to nonprofits: Party’s over - BostonHerald.com

Suzanne Bump sends a message to nonprofits: Party’s over - BostonHerald.com: State Auditor Suzanne Bump unleashed a warning broadside at nonprofits that abuse taxpayer funds, after the state yanked $1.7 million in taxpayer funded disabled-services contracts from an embattled Charlestown agency where auditors say executives ran up bills at restaurants, liquor stores and Disney World.

The IRS Starting Its 403(b) Plan Audits - TheNonProfitTimes

The IRS Starting Its 403(b) Plan Audits - TheNonProfitTimes: When the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced that it was going to start auditing 403(b) plans for the 2009 tax year, the notification received scant attention. After all, it’s pretty common for the IRS to start up a new audit cycle several years after the close of a particular tax year.

This time, however, things might be a bit different. That’s because the IRS gave nonprofits until December 31, 2009 to comply with the new regulations on plan documentation that it issued in 2007. At the time, some nonprofit managers took a close look at their plans, others just assumed they were in compliance, even if they purchased a packaged plan and didn’t hear anything from the plan provider.

The IRS Starting Its 403(b) Plan Audits - TheNonProfitTimes

The IRS Starting Its 403(b) Plan Audits - TheNonProfitTimes: When the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced that it was going to start auditing 403(b) plans for the 2009 tax year, the notification received scant attention. After all, it’s pretty common for the IRS to start up a new audit cycle several years after the close of a particular tax year.

This time, however, things might be a bit different. That’s because the IRS gave nonprofits until December 31, 2009 to comply with the new regulations on plan documentation that it issued in 2007. At the time, some nonprofit managers took a close look at their plans, others just assumed they were in compliance, even if they purchased a packaged plan and didn’t hear anything from the plan provider.

The IRS Starting Its 403(b) Plan Audits - TheNonProfitTimes

The IRS Starting Its 403(b) Plan Audits - TheNonProfitTimes: When the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced that it was going to start auditing 403(b) plans for the 2009 tax year, the notification received scant attention. After all, it’s pretty common for the IRS to start up a new audit cycle several years after the close of a particular tax year.

This time, however, things might be a bit different. That’s because the IRS gave nonprofits until December 31, 2009 to comply with the new regulations on plan documentation that it issued in 2007. At the time, some nonprofit managers took a close look at their plans, others just assumed they were in compliance, even if they purchased a packaged plan and didn’t hear anything from the plan provider.

NCCF helps officials to innovate philanthropic donations - ObserverToday.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - Dunkirk | The Observer

NCCF helps officials to innovate philanthropic donations - ObserverToday.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - Dunkirk | The Observer: he meetings are part of an annual effort, Foundations on the Hill (FOTH), attended by more than 200 community, private, and corporate foundation grantmaking representatives from across the country. These individuals traveled to the nation's capital to communicate philanthropy's value to federal lawmakers-and to show how the sector is using its financial resources to provide innovative solutions to some of the nation's most pressing social problems and helping communities recover from the recent economic downturn.

Wealthy are giving to near-dormant charities to avoid tax, PM spokesman says

Wealthy are giving to near-dormant charities to avoid tax, PM spokesman says: Statement comes in the face of mounting criticism of the proposed cap on tax relief for large donations

Wealthy individuals are avoiding tax by giving to charities that do little charitable work, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said yesterday.

He was speaking in defence of a Budget decision that, from April 2013, tax relief will be given only on donations that, including Gift Aid, are under �50,000 or 25 per cent of a person’s income, whichever is higher.

The Prime Minister's spokesman said that some individuals were exploiting the reliefs to reduce their tax burden.

New Publication on Tax on Unrelated Business Income of Exempt Organizations | Planned Giving Design Center

New Publication on Tax on Unrelated Business Income of Exempt Organizations | Planned Giving Design Center: The IRS has released Publication 598, Tax on Unrelated Business Income of Exempt Organizations, in which it describes which organizations are subject to the tax, return filing requirements, what an unrelated trade or business is, and how to calculate unrelated business taxable income.

Idaho Eyes Limits on Vanity Plates to Benefit Nonprofits - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active an engaged democracy.

Idaho Eyes Limits on Vanity Plates to Benefit Nonprofits - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active an engaged democracy.: n the ongoing debate over vanity license plates that benefit designated nonprofits, Idaho could step out among the various states by putting at least a tiny restriction on these specialty plates. The NPQ Newswire has regularly covered the proliferation of states issuing these plates (for example, see reports from South Carolina, Indiana, Arizona and Texas) for religious organizations and sometimes ideologically motivated nonprofits. The plates raise issues (for us and others) about using the state government’s imprimatur for private interests, including religious organizations and, in at least one case (Arizona), a political movement (the Tea Party).