Philanthropic News
 
SPRING 2011
In the News

IRS Proposes Expanded Information Sharing with States
The Internal Revenue Service has issued proposed regulations authorizing it to disclose information to state regulators about section 501(c)(3) organizations regarding certain proposed revocations of tax-exempt status.
Read more...

The CO-OP Program - A New Class of Nonprofits?
Under the Health Care Reform Bill of 2010, eight billion dollars has been allocated to jumpstart a new program which will provide loans and grants to qualified nonprofit health insurance organizations offering competitive health plans in the individual and small group markets. People are paying attention.
Read more...

Proposed Uniform Act Could Place New Burdens on Charities
The folks that brought us the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) and the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA) are setting their sights on the laws of charitable solicitation and state government oversight of charitable activities.
Read more...

What To Do About “Hot” Art: Museums May Consider Title Insurance
Twenty-five years ago, a wealthy widow donated her husband’s art collection to the Dallas Museum of Art. Now her son is suing, claiming the Museum spirited the paintings out of France. How can museums protect against future claims when they accept donations?
Read more...

Senator Schumer Proposes Expansion of the Tax-Free IRA Charitable Rollover
Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) introduced the Public Good IRA Rollover Act of 2011 which would make permanent the charitable IRA rollover incentive and do away with the cap on the deduction. The potential for increased donations to private foundations and public charities is enormous.
Read more...

Notable State Legislation
Florida House Bill 805 and Senate Bill 902 – unattended donation bins disclosure requirements
Hawaii House Bill 1006
amendments to state charitable solicitation law
Iowa Senate Study Bill 1029
- amending the Charitable Solicitations Act
New York Senate Bill 2695 and Assembly Bill 1441 - certification of professional fundraisers who complete approved ethics course
New York Assembly Bill 3174 – unattended donation bins disclosure requirement
New York Assembly Bill 1279
– amends the Penal Law and Not-for-Profit Corporation Law to prohibit funding of terrorist activities
Oklahoma House Bill 1949 – permits use of personal information by bona fide tax-exempt charitable or religious organizations
Tennessee House Bill 1135 and Senate Bill 1796 – reporting requirement for organizations receiving disaster-related contributions
Washington House Bill 1485 – changes to Charitable Solicitations Act
Read more... 

Issues & Trends

State Charity Regulators Focus on Fundraising Technology and State Regulation
State charity regulators from across the country recently gathered at Columbia Law School to explore the gap between current regulation and the problems posed by the use of new technologies that facilitate charitable giving in innovative ways.
Read more...   

States Attempt to Legislate Limits to Charities’ Overhead Costs-Again!
In what appears to be an effort by the states to circumvent the Supreme Court’s consistent prohibition against them regulating amounts (and percentages) that nonprofit organizations spend on fundraising and overhead costs, state legislators have been introducing new types of legislation that would require nonprofits to keep their overhead below a certain percentage in exchange for certain governmental “privileges.”  
Read more...   

Recommended Resources

AFP's Fundraising Day New York
On June 10th, AFP holds Fundraising Day New York (FDNY) , the largest one-day conference in the world on philanthropic topics.
Read more...

Independent Sector
Since 1980, Independent Sector has served as a meeting ground for leaders in the philanthropic community.
Read more...

Give2Asia
Give2Asia, which works to improve life in Asia, has launched The Fund for Japan Tsunami and Earthquake.
Read more...  

 
 
50 Years
Perlman & Perlman Spotlight

Allen Bromberger discusses how social entrepreneurs are taking the for-profit / nonprofit hybrid model to a new level in his article A New Type of Hybrid, in the Spring 2011 issue of the Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Allen Bromberger is invited to join a select group of experts in a two day think-tank session at Independent Sector in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 2011. Participants will consider two initiatives: addressing the tax status of public benefit enterprises engaged in profit-making activities and obstacles to engagement in effective advocacy efforts by the nonprofit and philanthropic community.

Tracy Boak will speak at the Direct Market Association 2011 Nonprofit Critical Issues Conference in Washington, D.C. on April 15, 2011.  Her first topic, "Charity Watchdogs: What They Do, What They Don't, and What You Can Do About It" focuses on third party charity watchdogs and her second topic "The Fundraising Law Rites of Spring: A Review of the States' Legislative Season" is also included in the conference webinar.

Catherine Oetgen presents “Legal Issues and Compliance for Nonprofit Organizations” at the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues’ 2011 Urban Debate National Championship and Conference at the Hilton Midtown, New York, NY on April 15, 2011.

Seth Perlman will speak on "Complex Fundraising Issues" at the Georgetown Law Center 28th Annual Conference Representing and Managing Tax-Exempt Organizations at the Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel on April 29, 2011.

Cliff Perlman presents the workshop "Do Good While Doing Well: Integrating Philanthropy with Sweepstakes, Contests and Promotions" at the Association of Fundraising Professionals Fund Raising Day New York at the New York Marriott Marquis on June 10, 2011.

Seth Perlman presents the workshop "Getting Started as a Consultant" at the Association of Fundraising Professionals Fund Raising Day New York at the New York Marriott Marquis on June 10, 2011.

Perlman & Perlman Spotlight

Crowdrise: "If You Don't Give Back, No One Will Like You"

At the social networking website Crowdrise, anyone with a passion for a cause can initiate their own fundraising campaign.
Read more...