The Nonprofit Congress is an initiative of the National Council of Nonprofit Associations (“NCNA”) and the state association network The initiative was founded in 2005 by Audrey Alvarado, former executive director of NCNA, and Robert Egger, President/CEO of DC Central Kitchen, in order to fulfill a threefold purpose: (1)...
Coto Drops AB 624 in Compromise with 10 California Foundations
Assemblyman Joe Coto (D – San Jose) agreed to drop his sponsorship of AB 624, legislation that would have required California’s largest foundations to disclose data about the diversity of their boards and grantees, in a compromise with ten of California’s largest foundations that have pledged to make a...
California Supreme Court Decision Allows Same-Sex Marriage
On May 15, 2008, the California Supreme Court overturned a state law that limited marriage to only opposite-sex couples. The majority opinion, written by Chief Justice Ronald George, stated: In light of the fundamental nature of the substantive rights embodied in the right to marry – and their central...
AB 624 – PRE Critical Issues Forum
The Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity (PRE) published Critical Issues Forum – Measuring What We Value in April 2008. The Forum was prompted by California Assembly Bill 624, legislation mandating the collection and disclosure by large foundations of data about their grantmaking to minority and low-income communities. In the...
Council on Foundations – 2008 Philanthropy Summit
The Council on Foundations is hosting Philanthropy’s Vision: A Leadership Summit 2008 in the Washington Metropolitan Area from May 4-7. The Summit represents the largest convening in the Council’s history. Monday’s Lunch Plenary, Philanthropic Partnership: Improving the Lives of Our Fellow Citizens, moderated by Gara LaMarche, featured Mary Robinson,...
Review: Grassroots Philanthropy: Field Notes of a Maverick Grantmaker
Grassroots Philanthropy: Field Notes of a Maverick Grantmaker by Bill Somerville* with Fred Setterberg is a book with a clear message to foundations: accomplish more through grassroots grantmaking. Somerville, President and Founder of Philanthropic Ventures Foundation and former longtime Executive Director of the Peninsula Community Foundation, suggests that this...
“Blue Avocado” Launched April 15
Jan Masaoka, former long-time Executive Director of CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, started her next big thing by launching Blue Avocado this morning. The online magazine for people involved with nonprofits is described by Jan in a message she sent to some of us bloggers: Blue Avocado is a new online...
Draft Instructions to 2008 Form 990 Released for Comment
The IRS released draft instructions to the 2008 Form 990 on April 7, 2008 and is seeking public comments on the draft. The instructions are for the redesigned Form 990 that organizations will file for their 2008 tax year (returns filed in 2009), which was released in final form...
California Assembly Bill 624 – Amended March 3, 2008
The controversial California Assembly Bill 624 was amended again on March 3, 2008, deleting the requirement that large private foundations (those with assets over $250 million) collect and report the following information: Business contracts awarded to businesses owned by lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender people. Percentage of grant dollars*...
Final 501(c)(3) and 4958 Regulations Released – Part II
The IRS released final regulations that clarify (i) the substantive requirements for tax exemption under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; and (ii) the relationship between the substantive requirements for tax exemption under section 501(c)(3) and the imposition of section 4958 excise taxes on excess benefit transactions. The...