The Rockwell Fund, Inc., a private foundation in Houston, TX, recognized the significant infrastructure needs of local zip code assistance ministries, organizations named for the restrictions they placed on themselves to serve only those within their adjacent zip codes. Although these organizations were providing excellent direct services to the communities, many were lacking the support... Read More
Simple Actions Family Foundation is a young foundation inspired by decades of family values. My husband, Eric, and I, together with our two daughters in their early twenties, created our family foundation in 2008. We knew from the start that we would be creative about its setup and implementation to reflect the goals at the... Read More
Just as each company has its own personality, each company has its own way of giving. That said, companies can get the social thumbs-up in two common ways: through corporate philanthropy and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Corporate philanthropy includes a range of voluntary charitable activities, such as giving cash, contributing products or services, volunteering, or... Read More
Writes Ken Berger, former president of Charity Navigator: A while ago, a researcher on the nonprofit landscape created a list of every “information intermediary” (including Charity Navigator, GuideStar, BBB, etc.) and calculated there were over 100 of us. . . . Whatever barriers to entry there were in starting such groups have largely dissolved, given... Read More
Executive Order 13224, issued by President George W. Bush on September 25, 2001, was entitled “Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions with Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism.” It includes a long list of individuals and organizations perceived to be associated with terrorism. If a foundation is found to be supporting any individual... Read More
Board members should be aware of three key legal requirements that may impact foundation investments. Avoid jeopardizing investments The board has the legal responsibility to manage the foundation’s assets in a manner that avoids imprudent investments. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may penalize the foundation if it is found to be engaging in investments that... Read More