FRSB acts on complaint about Institute of Fundraising - Third Sector

FRSB acts on complaint about Institute of Fundraising - Third SectorWatchdog insists on detailed answers to questions about outdoor fundraising code

The Institute of Fundraising has responded to a number of concerns about its outdoor fundraising code of practice after being prompted to do so by the Fundraising Standards Board.

Andy Strangeway, a campaigner for outdoor access rights, complained to the FRSB that the institute had broken its own code of professional conduct by failing to answer a series of questions he asked about its outdoor fundraising code.

Charity Commission to issue guidance on Equality Act - Third Sector

Charity Commission to issue guidance on Equality Act - Third Sector: "Regulator responds to fears that the act might make restrictions on beneficiary classes unlawful

The Charity Commission has agreed in principle to issue supplementary guidance for the voluntary sector on how to comply with new equality legislation."

Charities not excluded from paying GST

Charities not excluded from paying GST: "Charities not excluded from paying GST
Wed, May 19, 2010
AsiaOne




CHARITABLE organisations, like any person in Singapore, are to pay the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on goods or services from a GST registered supplier, whether the good or service is bought or donated.

Finance Minister Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam said that this is to ensure tax neutrality between donations in cash or in kind.

This was in reply to Member of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC Mr Seah Kian Peng's question on the amount of GST paid by charitable organisations over the last five years and whether this is an impediment to philanthropy activities in the country."

Orange to give 90% of text donations to charities

Orange to give 90% of text donations to charities: "Communications company Orange has announced an increase in the proportion of text donations it passes to charities.

As of this week (17 May), the operator is giving 90 percent of all text message donations between 15p and �10 to non-profit organisations registered with the Charity Commission and HMRC"

As Asia emerges, so do philanthropists | beyondbrics | FT.com

As Asia emerges, so do philanthropists | beyondbrics | FT.com: "Asia’s emerging wealthy elite don’t have a wide reputation for giving to charity, but new data shows they have not been getting the credit they deserve.

India this week become the first BRIC country to be ranked a major donor by Save the Children, reflecting widening philanthropy in the world’s fastest growing economy after China. It is now on a par with donors like Italy, Germany, Romania and South Korea."

Civil Society - Governance - News | Navca opens merger talks with NCVO and others

Civil Society - Governance - News | Navca opens merger talks with NCVO and others: "Navca has opened talks with NCVO, ACRE, Urban Forum and Volunteering England regarding potential collaborations and even possibly a full merger.

The national umbrella body for local Councils for Voluntary Service has initiated the talks in light of the prospect of drastic public spending cuts decimating its income."

England footballers give World Cup match fees to charity | Football - Times Online

England footballers give World Cup match fees to charity | Football - Times Online: "England’s footballers will donate their World Cup match fees to charity for the first time.

In doing so, Fabio Capello’s squad, which left Heathrow for their training camp in Austria this morning, will raise more than �1 million for charities such as WellChild, Children’s Hospices UK, the Bobby Moore Fund, the PFA and the Team England Footballer’s Charity Outreach Programme."

Long arm of IRS affects even average Canadians

Long arm of IRS affects even average Canadians: "'The estate tax applies to all U.S. citizens' assets worldwide,' says American Citizens Abroad, a Genevabased lobby group of American expats. When an American dies, a non-U. S. citizen spouse can be left with a smaller estate once U.S. tax obligations are met."

Civil Society - Governance - News | Nick Hurd is new charities minister

Civil Society - Governance - News | Nick Hurd is new charities minister: "Conservative MP Nick Hurd will be announced today as the voluntary sector’s new minister, Civil Society has learned.

After a year and a half as shadow charities minister, Hurd has now secured the role within the new coalition government."

PND - News - Philanthropic Initiative Launches Center for Global Philanthropy

PND - News - Philanthropic Initiative Launches Center for Global Philanthropy: "Philanthropic Initiative Launches Center for Global Philanthropy

The Boston-based Philanthropic Initiative, Inc. (TPI) has announced the launch of a Center for Global Philanthropy in response to the recent surge in international philanthropy.

The new center will work to improve the understanding of global philanthropy, increase the effectiveness of donors giving outside the United States, and strengthen the practice of strategic philanthropy in other countries. Paula Doherty Johnson, a former research fellow at Harvard University's Global Equity Initiative, will lead the center."

Afghan Government Shuts Down 20 Aid Groups - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Afghan Government Shuts Down 20 Aid Groups - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Afghan Government Shuts Down 20 Aid Groups

The Afghan government shut down 20 foreign aid charities working in that country this week, saying the groups did not provide regular reports on their work and finances to the government, says Reuters."

Civil Society - Home | Election | Sector leaders vow to help Cameron create his Big Society

Civil Society - Home | Election | Sector leaders vow to help Cameron create his Big Society: "NCVO has today begun arranging a sector summit to examine what the new government will mean for the sector and the communities it serves, and invited charity leaders to attend.

And Citizens UK said it had had assurances from Nick Clegg on issues such as an illegal immigrant amnesty and payment of a living wage in government contracts, and would be seeking action on these promises.

Here are some of the detailed reactions to the news from the sector…"

India Journal: Charity Begins at Home - India Real Time - WSJ

India Journal: Charity Begins at Home - India Real Time - WSJ: "The elite club of high net-worth individuals with $1.5 million or more has around 115,000 members in India, according to a Bain & Co. report released in March. Charitable giving among this group of the country’s wealthiest people is 1.6% of household income, the lowest among all the income classes. Total charitable donations in India amount to 0.6% of the country’s GDP, moderately better than other emerging markets."

Nonprofit Groups Face More Scrutiny in China - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Nonprofit Groups Face More Scrutiny in China - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Nonprofit Groups Face More Scrutiny in China

Nonprofit activists in China say that new government scrutiny of charities is making it more difficult to do their work, says The Washington Post."

Bristol 10K runners raise thousands of pounds for charity | Bristol News

Bristol 10K runners raise thousands of pounds for charity | Bristol News: "THEY came, they ran and some even walked. And most of them puffed and panted – although some did not even break into a sweat.

But the thousands of runners who took part in yesterday's annual 10k run in Bristol all emerged as winners with thousands of pounds being raised for charity.

This was the third event of its type through the city's streets with a record 8,595 people taking part, compared with 6,500 last year.

The race winner was Kenyan Gordon Mugi, who finished in a course record of 28 minutes, 29 seconds and who was putting his tracksuit back on before some of the runners had even started."

CharityVillage NewsBytes: May 2010

CharityVillage NewsBytes: May 2010: "red dotCanadian fundraising salaries increase by 11.2% in 2009
May 10, 2010
Salaries for charitable fundraisers in Canada increased in 2009, according to the latest Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Compensation and Benefits Study. The average salary for Canadian fundraisers increased from $71,511 in 2008 to $79,554, an 11.2% increase. This growth stands in strong contrast to the 3.9% drop in salaries that was reported in last year's survey. Fundraisers working for health services enjoyed the highest average salary of $93,386, followed by those individuals employed by community development organizations ($92,529) and public broadcasting organizations ($92,500)."

Corporate philanthropy transcending cheque-book charity-Corporate Dossier-Features-The Economic Times

Corporate philanthropy transcending cheque-book charity-Corporate Dossier-Features-The Economic Times: "The Murthys are well known for their private simplicity and public generosity, and the Foundation, supported by Infosys Technologies, has made large grants
in the areas of healthcare, education and social rehabilitation since 1996.

Murthy takes her philanthropic cues from the House of Tatas"

Philanthropic vegetable vendor happy to be home - CNA ENGLISH NEWS

Philanthropic vegetable vendor happy to be home - CNA ENGLISH NEWS: "Taipei, May 9 (CNA) Vegetable vendor and philanthropist Chen Shu-chu returned home Sunday after being honored in New York by Time magazine for her charitable donations over the past decades."

Dalai Lama becomes the patron of Derry charity - Local & National, News - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk

Dalai Lama becomes the patron of Derry charity - Local & National, News - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk: "The Dalai Lama has become the patron of a Londonderry-based charity after meeting with its founder in India."

Stacking up Indian giving against other BRICs | beyondbrics | FT.com

Stacking up Indian giving against other BRICs | beyondbrics | FT.com: "New Delhi is struggling to bridge that gap through its own social welfare schemes, but many Indians say increasing philanthropic giving by wealthy companies and individuals will also be crucial if the country is to overcome its profound social problems.

On the face of it, India does not far badly on the philanthropy front. Bain & Co has recently estimated that Indians together donate 0.6 per cent of GDP to charities, higher than charitable giving levels in other emerging markets like Brazil (0.3 per cent of GDP) and China (0.1 per cent of GDP), but still far short of the 2.2 per cent donated in the US."

Civil Society - Governance - News | The ins and outs of Election 2010

Civil Society - Governance - News | The ins and outs of Election 2010: "Charities minister Angela Smith (pictured) lost her seat in yesterday’s election after Labour’s share of the vote in her Basildon constituency fell by nearly 10 per cent, giving Conservative candidate Stephen Metcalfe the victory with 43.9 per cent."

Civil Society - Governance - News | Sector predicts both uncertainty and opportunity in hung parliament

Civil Society - Governance - News | Sector predicts both uncertainty and opportunity in hung parliament: "Civil society organisations are facing a worrying period of insecurity as a hung parliament appears nigh on certain, many sector commentators warned today."

Minister smoothing the way for more cultural philanthropy | The National Business Review - New Zealand - business, markets, finance, politics, property, technology and more

Minister smoothing the way for more cultural philanthropy | The National Business Review - New Zealand - business, markets, finance, politics, property, technology and more: "New research from the Ministry for Culture and Heritage shows New we are not a great nation of philanthropists with less than 3% of all the gifts, grants and sponsorships being provided by individuals"

Charities 'must get better at measuring social returns' - Third Sector

Charities 'must get better at measuring social returns' - Third Sector: "New Philanthropy Capital paper says SROI is being held back by poor quality of evidence
The charity sector could lose credibility with funders because of the poor quality of its impact measurement, according to the author of a new report.
A position paper published this week by the think tank New Philanthropy Capital examines how charities apply social return on investment, which measures an organisation's impact in financial terms.
It says that SROI, which has been backed by the Government, had the potential to be 'an incredibly useful tool for understanding and increasing charity effectiveness', but was held back by the low quality of the evidence in many SROI reports."

Channel NewsAsia - New accounts system allows donors to check where their dollar goes in real-time - channelnewsasia.com

Channel NewsAsia - New accounts system allows donors to check where their dollar goes in real-time - channelnewsasia.com: "SINGAPORE: Donors can now check a charity's balance sheets in real-time with a new accounts system. The online system is meant to provide charities with greater transparency.

Donors can now run through unaudited balance sheets of a charity online.

LiveCharity which took six months to build allows donors to find out where and how their donations are spent."