Kylie, age 9, writes: Last year was such a great year. The board approved my grant request for Project HELP, and I presented a session called “Youth on Board” at the Exponent Philanthropy National Conference. I was the youngest person to present at the conference. I got to answer questions and even get interviewed afterward.... Read More
The Needmor Fund believes that foundations express their values through more than just where they give their money. How they behave as organizations and use their assets also reflects those values. The fund first became aware of conflict between its mission and its investments in the 1980s. Here’s their story. As stockholders, we are the... Read More
A job description is a general, global view of the job and its responsibilities. It should include the title of the position and a broad view of the requirements of the job; for example: The executive director is the chief executive officer and is responsible for carrying out the policies established by the board, interacting... Read More
A records retention policy, also known as a document retention and destruction policy, assists your foundation in following the federal laws that impose criminal liability on any organization that destroys records with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation. Foundations should be sure their policy follows state guidelines on how long paper and electronic records... Read More
The Internal Revenue Code (IRC) contains precise definitions for tax purposes of what is a charity and what is a private foundation. The difference is important because special rules and penalty taxes apply to private foundations but not public charities. Section 501(c)(3) of the IRC defines a charitable organization as follows: Corporations, and any community... Read More
In today’s litigious society, anyone—including your foundation and the individuals associated with it—may be the target of a lawsuit. Although state and federal laws may provide some protection for your board members and volunteers, this immunity will extend to your organization in only a few states. These laws often contain no protection for legal expenses,... Read More