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.