Foundations, For Better or For Worse
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Most of us don’t question the basic operating procedures of private foundations. They are what they are. But if not for a turn of events a century ago, the common…
Read More Why the IRA Charitable Rollover is a Big Deal
It’s not often that good news comes out of Congress these days. But the nonprofit sector should give Congress credit for a provision in the federal budget that was passed…
Read More Friends Don’t Let Friends Start Nonprofits
I’m often approached by people asking for advice on creating a new nonprofit. My response, inevitably: Don’t do it! I say this not because I question the power of nonprofits…
Read More Never Can Say Good-bye
There’s an old proverb that it takes one person to throw a stone in a well, but ten to get it out. I think the nonprofit equivalent is that it’s…
Read More Fidelity Charitable Reveals Its Arrogance, But Not Its Salaries
[Note: This post was published in the December 1, 2015 on-line edition of The Chronicle of Philanthropy.] It’s common knowledge that transparency rules the day for disclosure of the salaries…
Read More Goldilocks and the Three Boards
As fairy tales go, “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” is fairly benign. She’s not eaten by a wolf. She isn’t fed poisoned apples. The worst thing that happens to Goldilocks…
Read More No Transparency, No Clue
I live in New Hampshire, where presidential candidates more or less take up residence for the year before our primary. They’re all around us now. Trust me. Come December I…
Read More Just Bag It
The other day I got an email from a local nonprofit organization announcing “an amazing opportunity.” That certainly piqued my interest – for a few seconds. What was this amazing…
Read More Budget Resolution
It happens all the time. A private-sector businessperson takes over as board treasurer and meets with the nonprofit staff to go over the new budget. In that meeting, the new…
Read More Real Change
[This post was co-published in Inside Philanthropy on September 10, 2015.] A friend of mine rolls her eyes whenever I speak skeptically about the value of charitable endowments. “You’re neglecting the…
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