Legislators Request that AG’s Office Investigate Sweet Briar - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Legislators Request that AG’s Office Investigate Sweet Briar - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: "Yesterday, a bipartisan group of four Virginia legislators announced that they are circulating a letter in the general assembly to be sent to Attorney General Mark Herring asking that the AG’s office investigate the grants that were allocated to Sweet Briar College students for the current academic year under the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG). Apparently, they are concerned that the school allowed around $770,000 in VTAG money to be allocated to 250 students when discussions about closing were already in progress."



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Recent court decision supports better open data on America's nonprofits - Sunlight Foundation Blog

Recent court decision supports better open data on America's nonprofits - Sunlight Foundation Blog:



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Canadians unsure of charitable tax credits - Brandon Sun

Canadians unsure of charitable tax credits - Brandon Sun: "(Special) - Canadians are a philanthropic people, giving generously each year to their favourite causes and charities, but many may not be aware of the tax benefits associated with charitable donations and may not file a claim for them on their tax returns.
A report by H&R Block has found that most Canadians are not aware of the new first-time donor tax credit which was introduced in the 2013 federal budget."



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Ottawa to match personal donations to Nepal earthquake fund | CTV News

Ottawa to match personal donations to Nepal earthquake fund | CTV News:



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FASB Proposes Major Changes in Nonprofit Accounting | Accounting Today News

FASB Proposes Major Changes in Nonprofit Accounting | Accounting Today News: "The Financial Accounting Standards Board has issued a proposed accounting standards update to improve the information provided in not-for-profit financial statements and notes to financial statements that could have major implications for nonprofit organizations."



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Lessons Learned from Recent Natural Disaster Relief Funds: Part 1 of 3 | Planned Giving Design Center

Lessons Learned from Recent Natural Disaster Relief Funds: Part 1 of 3 | Planned Giving Design Center: "With the United States’ emergence from the Great Recession, Americans’ giving to charity has increased over the last four years. In 2013, individuals contributed more than $240 billion (Giving Institute, 2014). With population, urbanization, world economies and the frequency of natural disasters all increasing, established relief organizations are expanding and new charities are popping up after every event."



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New tax rules expected to be a boon for charities - News - News, commentary and analysis from The Globe and Mail

New tax rules expected to be a boon for charities - News - News, commentary and analysis from The Globe and Mail: "Malcolm Burrows, head of philanthropic advisory services at Scotia Private Client Group, said some of the greatest wealth in Canada is held in private companies and in real estate investments. Proposed tax changes in the federal budget will be “very significant” in helping more of it flow to charities as people move into retirement and sell their assets, he said."



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Tax Proposals for Exempt Organizations to Watch in 2015 - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Tax Proposals for Exempt Organizations to Watch in 2015 - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: "We are only through the first quarter, and 2015 has already seen a slew of legislative proposals that could considerably impact exempt organizations. From the president’s FY 2016 budget proposal, to last year’s Tax Reform Act of 2014 (TRA 2014), to a new proposal requiring that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) give exempt organizations notice before their exempt status is revoked for non-filing, nonprofits are in the midst of a legislative landscape potentially poised for reform.

As we look to the weeks and months ahead, there are several major pieces of legislation that nonprofits should be monitoring:"



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Are the Changes to Michigan’s Nonprofit Governance Rules Improvements? - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Are the Changes to Michigan’s Nonprofit Governance Rules Improvements? - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly:



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AFP Submits Comments to Senate on Tax Reform, Charitable Incentives - Press - AFP

AFP Submits Comments to Senate on Tax Reform, Charitable Incentives - Press - AFP: "AFP Submits Comments to Senate on Tax Reform, Charitable Incentives
AFP has submitted comments to the Community Development and Infrastructure Working Group of the Senate Finance Committee, calling on the Senate to keep the charitable deduction in its current form and look for other incentives to encourage charitable giving, including the IRA Rollover Provision."



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Nonprofits study law changes, including expansion of liability protection to paid directors - Crain's Detroit Business

Nonprofits study law changes, including expansion of liability protection to paid directors - Crain's Detroit Business: "A trio of new laws amending the state's Nonprofit Corporation Act has nonprofits and their lawyers wading through a raft of provisions to figure out their effect.

Public Acts 557-559, which took effect in January, made updates to reflect current nonprofit practices and also made the act more closely parallel the state's Business Corporations Act."



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Editorial: Call a tax hike what it is

Editorial: Call a tax hike what it is:



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CTG attacks HMRC for breaking promises over implementation of 20 per cent tax on direct mail

CTG attacks HMRC for breaking promises over implementation of 20 per cent tax on direct mail: "harities have been left unsure how to obey tax rules after HM Revenue & Customs failed to publish guidance explaining how it will implement changes in VAT on direct mail, the Charity Tax Group said today.

HMRC said last year that from the start of this month, charities would have to pay 20 per cent VAT on up to £400m of “single-sourcing” contracts for direct mail. Charities had previously believed these contracts were zero-rated for VAT."



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Canada’s New Rules on Estate Administration – Is Your Charity Ready? - Resource Center - AFP

Canada’s New Rules on Estate Administration – Is Your Charity Ready? - Resource Center - AFP: "As part of its Economic Action Plan, the federal government introduced legislation impacting estate donations in October 2014. These new rules, which apply starting in 2016 are expected to have a significant impact on Canada’s charities and donors—and not all of it is good"



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GR Update: Parliament Hill Day and "Friends in High Places" - Member News - Member - AFP

GR Update: Parliament Hill Day and "Friends in High Places" - Member News - Member - AFP: "The Public Policy Dialogue, a coalition of charities and associations including AFP, will hold a lobbying day on Parliament Hill in mid-May to share key messages about fundraising and the voluntary sector with legislators during this important election year."



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Editorial: Don't subject state public charities to the political winds | Reading Eagle - NEWS

Editorial: Don't subject state public charities to the political winds | Reading Eagle - NEWS: "Editorial: Don't subject state public charities to the political winds"



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Australian government pulls back from plans to abolish charity regulator

Australian government pulls back from plans to abolish charity regulator: "Australia’s coalition government has withdrawn from plans to abolish the country’s newly-formed charity watchdog, following calls by sector members for it to remain.

The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) was launched in December 2012 to register and regulate charities, but was due to be scrapped as part of a “red tape repeal day”. "



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It's not the Lobbying Act that is gagging charities - it's our internal politics | Voluntary Sector Network | The Guardian

It's not the Lobbying Act that is gagging charities - it's our internal politics | Voluntary Sector Network | The Guardian: "Since the Lobbying Act was introduced, a range of high-profile charities have spoken out against the so-called gagging law. We’ve heard about how the new legislation will create a “chilling effect” across our sector – curtailing legitimate campaigning activities and reducing our ability to speak truth to power on the important issues affecting the people we support. But for me, the way the sector is responding to the new rules is dishonest. "



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Government vs. charity: Does public spending crowd out private giving?

Government vs. charity: Does public spending crowd out private giving?: "ill, I recently found a chart that I think at least complicates the idea that government necessairly cannibalizes philanthropy. Jacob Funk Kirkegaard of the Peterson Institute for International Economics notes that people in countries with higher rates of government social spending aren't consistently any less likely to donate money or spend time volunteering. If anything, they're slightly more likely to, though the trend isn't very strong."



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How will David Cameron's volunteering plan affect charities? Open thread | Voluntary Sector Network | The Guardian

How will David Cameron's volunteering plan affect charities? Open thread | Voluntary Sector Network | The Guardian: "Prime minister says employees will have the right to take three days off for volunteer work under a Conservative government"



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The Significant Impact of Elected Officials on the Nonprofit Sector : FundRaising Success

The Significant Impact of Elected Officials on the Nonprofit Sector : FundRaising Success: "Two examples from the nation’s midsection show how elected officials can have a significant impact on the nonprofit sector in their jurisdictions. This is another illustration of the importance of advocating on behalf of nonprofit organizations and those they serve"



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N.C. Lawmakers Consider Slashing Nonprofits' Sales-Tax Break - The Chronicle of Philanthropy

N.C. Lawmakers Consider Slashing Nonprofits' Sales-Tax Break - The Chronicle of Philanthropy: "The North Carolina Senate is weighing legislation that would reduce the amount of sales tax nonprofits can annually recoup from the state from tens of millions of dollars to tens of thousands, The Times-News of Burlington, N.C., reports. Under current law nonprofits can be refunded up to $31.7 million a year in state sales-tax payments; Senate Bill 700 would set the cap at $70,370 and also dramatically cut refunds for local sales taxes."



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