Charity drops refund request to Justin Trudeau, kicks out board members

Charity drops refund request to Justin Trudeau, kicks out board members: OTTAWA — The New Brunswick charity at the centre of a political firestorm over Liberal leader Justin Trudeau’s public-speaking fees this past spring has dropped its request for a refund.

The Grace Foundation has also cut ties with several board members, including one blamed for leaking a “private” letter about the issue to the federal Conservatives.

Lord Browne calls for philanthropy to become an integral part of culture

Lord Browne calls for philanthropy to become an integral part of culture: Last week, Lord Browne of Madingley gave a speech, ‘A New Age of Philanthropy?’, hosted by the Art Fund at the Royal Society of Arts, London.

In the speech he commented on the need to find a new balance between philanthropy and the state.

Foreign funding dries up for Latin American NGOs - CSMonitor.com

Foreign funding dries up for Latin American NGOs - CSMonitor.com: Aid from foreign governments fund about 50 percent of Latin America's civil society, according to estimates from the Inter-American Development Bank. The rest is made up by money from international NGOs and private donors. But international government contributions are drying up. Between 2005 and 2008, contributions to NGOs in Latin America grew an average of 37 percent. From 2008 to 2011, the donations grew just 3 percent, according to figures from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This was well below the average regional inflation of 6.1 percent for 2012.

Government changes mean companies won’t have to report on charitable giving

Government changes mean companies won’t have to report on charitable giving: The government is to remove regulations which require some companies to report on their charitable donations, arguing that such reportage is a burden and does not improve giving levels.

Regulations within the Companies Act 2006 which ask that companies declare charitable donations worth more than �2,000 are to be dropped following a motion passed in the House of Lords last week. The Directory of Social Change, which compiles annual data on company giving, has blasted the move, arguing that stronger – not less – company reporting on giving is necessary.

Philanthropist Chuck Feeney who inspired Bill Gates and Warren Buffet wants all his money spent on good causes before he's dead | Mail Online

Philanthropist Chuck Feeney who inspired Bill Gates and Warren Buffet wants all his money spent on good causes before he's dead | Mail Online: An Irish-American billionaire who kept his philanthropy secret for 15 years has given away $7.5billion (�4.9billion) - and plans for it all to go to charity before his dies.

Chuck Feeney, 82, wears a $15 Casio watch, travels in coach, does not own a car is a self-confessed 'shabby dresser' and sensibly made his children work their way through college.

Charity treasure hunt raises RM10,000 - Northern - New Straits Times

Charity treasure hunt raises RM10,000 - Northern - New Straits Times: THE Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) and MAH Johor chapter raised RM10,000 for the Spastic Children's Association of Johor in their recently-held charity treasure hunt, where the participants solve riddles while travelling from Kuala Lumpur to here.

Give and let give; the Syrian crisis and the challenges for international aid | nfpSynergy

Give and let give; the Syrian crisis and the challenges for international aid | nfpSynergy: By looking at the overall performance of humanitarian aid in 2012, it is possible to say that a number of former aid appeals, like governments, have underestimated the length and scale of the crisis. The recent military gains by the Assad regime show the President is less likely to step down – a precondition set by the Syrian opposition in order to participate in the upcoming Geneva conference II – which signals an even lengthier civil war.

Lord Browne calls for "new age of philanthropy" | Museums Association

Lord Browne calls for "new age of philanthropy" | Museums Association: ord Browne has called for a new balance to be found between philanthropy and the state.

Browne was speaking last night at the Royal Society of Arts in an event hosted by the Art Fund, a national fundraising charity for art.

Kenyan teenagers to visit York as part of charity project (From York Press)

Kenyan teenagers to visit York as part of charity project (From York Press): TEN teenage dancers from one of the roughest slums in Kenya will visit York next month, thanks to the charity efforts of a city shop owner.

Jeremy Piercy, who owns Shared Earth in Petergate, has been raising money for the past two years to help youngsters in the Mathare slum in Nairobi.

Google brings programme for nonprofits to the UK | ZDNet

Google brings programme for nonprofits to the UK | ZDNet: Google has unveiled a programme aimed at the UK's charity and not-for-profit sector.

Under the Google for Nonprofits programme, announced on Tuesday, organisations can apply for free Google Apps access, as well as up to $10,000 in AdWords credits with the company.

Charity baking: is food the future of philanthropy? | Life and style | guardian.co.uk

Charity baking: is food the future of philanthropy? | Life and style | guardian.co.uk: Life & style
Baking



Charity baking: is food the future of philanthropy?

Amateur bakers are using their skills to help needy children. What motivates them, and is it more than a fad?



The charity bake sale, humble stalwart of the fundraising effort, has spread its wings. Bake-offs, tarts, dinner parties, cups of coffee, unused kitchens and surplus groceries: food-based philanthropy appears to be flourishing.

Free Cakes UK, a service that matches keen amateur bakers with families struggling to provide a child's birthday cake, attests to the boom. The network has recently delivered its 1,000th cake to a needy child.

Is Silicon Roundabout creating a new form of philanthropy? | Media Network | Guardian Professional

Is Silicon Roundabout creating a new form of philanthropy? | Media Network | Guardian Professional: More than simply trying to make the next Instagram, these tech leaders, such as the Founders Forum for Good, are using their skills to help the third sector and budding social entrepreneurs tackle major social issues, address a changing fundraising landscape and survive in the challenging times brought about by an extended recession.

Singapore Children’s Society charity show raises S$4.6 million - Channel NewsAsia

Singapore Children’s Society charity show raises S$4.6 million - Channel NewsAsia: SINGAPORE: The Singapore Children’s Society’s (SCS) first-ever televised charity show raised S$4.6 million for the organisation on Saturday.

Slideshow: Cheeky dramatics group bare all in charity fundraising bid - Top Stories - Yorkshire Evening Post

Slideshow: Cheeky dramatics group bare all in charity fundraising bid - Top Stories - Yorkshire Evening Post: A cheeky amateur dramatics group is baring all in a bid to raise money for charity.

Bramham Drama Group have been given permission to bring the famous Calendar Girls stage production – a story inspired by Yorkshire fundraisers – to Bramham Village Hall for three shows from July 18 to 20.

Save the Children takes over Merlin

Save the Children takes over Merlin: nternational aid charities Merlin and Save the Children have today announced that they are merging, to secure a “sustainable future” for Merlin’s work and to create a “world-class humanitarian health force”.

Commission: CharityGiving likely to cost charities even more than �250,000

Commission: CharityGiving likely to cost charities even more than �250,000: A representative from the Charity Commission told the national media this morning that she expects that charities involved with the Dove Trust’s suspended fundraising portal CharityGiving could lose even more than the �250,000 first estimated.

CAF Bank to diversify services for charities

CAF Bank to diversify services for charities: CAF Bank’s operating profit, and thus its donation to its parent, the Charities Aid Foundation, fell by �1.3m last year, as it reveals plans to further diversify its range of services so that it is“less reliant on wholesale interest income” from its deposits.

CharityGiving website is suspended

CharityGiving website is suspended: According to the Dove Trust, Framjee was meeting with a "large charity" this morning in a bid to try to "salvage the situation" and ensure charities do not miss out on funds raised for them.

Framjee’s recent assessment indicates that there is a shortfall between the funds due to the charities donated through CharityGiving, and the cash held by the Dove Trust. Online reports suggest that the shortfall may be in the region of �250,000.

Austerity Street: middle-class town Orpington makes do with 12 charity shops - Telegraph

Austerity Street: middle-class town Orpington makes do with 12 charity shops - Telegraph: Orpington, a London suburb once synonymous with prosperity, now has 12 charity shops offering cut-price goods.

Charity fundraisers show they’re no Wallies! - Local News - Shields Gazette

Charity fundraisers show they’re no Wallies! - Local News - Shields Gazette: A ‘WALLY’ good time was had by all when a group of caring pals swapped pints for pounds on a fundraising pub crawl in South Tyneside.

A fantastic 40 friends got dressed up as cartoon favourite Where’s Wally to serve up vital support for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Russia Says Nonprofits Violate ‘Foreign Agent’ Law - NYTimes.com

Russia Says Nonprofits Violate ‘Foreign Agent’ Law - NYTimes.com: Russian prosecutors said Tuesday that 215 nongovernmental organizations had violated a contentious new Russian law that requires them to register as “foreign agents,” potentially setting the stage for a new wave of legal confrontations.

Get creative with your charitable giving | Pay Day - Yahoo! Finance Canada

Get creative with your charitable giving | Pay Day - Yahoo! Finance Canada: Back in the day, donating to charity meant cutting a cheque. These days, there are countless other creative ways to give back.

That’s not to say charitable organizations don’t gratefully accept those cheques, of course. And Canadians are generous, giving a total of $10.6 billion in financial donations in 2010, according to Statistics Canada. The average annual amount per donor that year was $446.

Billionairess' Fortune Goes to Charity, Lover Goes to Prison - ABC News

Billionairess' Fortune Goes to Charity, Lover Goes to Prison - ABC News: The enormous fortune of Hong Kong billionairess Nina Wang will all go to charity and her long time lover, a former bartender and self proclaimed fengshui master, will go to prison for 12 years after being convicted of forging her will.

The court said that former lover Peter Chan's attempt to pass himself off as the beneficiary of Wang's $10.7 million fortune showed "unparalleled greed."

Many non-profits neglecting new federal law as deadline looms: lawyer - Local - Ottawa Business Journal

Many non-profits neglecting new federal law as deadline looms: lawyer - Local - Ottawa Business Journal: The new legislation is designed to create a clearer set of rules for non-profits, according to the federal government’s website, in part by creating a more “objective standard” for those who want to join boards. It is also designed to make major changes, like amalgamations, easier.

Only 1,173 of the 24,086 corporations signed up as non-profits under the old Canada Corporations Act have transitioned to the new law, according to figures the fe

Charity register aims to boost transparency | ACNC | Susan Pascoe

Charity register aims to boost transparency | ACNC | Susan Pascoe: An online charity register allowing Australians to compare and contrast the ways their donations are spent will improve transparency and may help mend a national reluctance to give to lesser-known charities, according to the sector's new regulator.

Charities must pay stamp duty - The Standard

Charities must pay stamp duty - The Standard: Charity groups will not be exempt from paying the buyer's stamp duty as it is difficult to tell whether they will really use flats for charity purposes, a senior government official said yesterday.

"More than 5,000 out of the 7,600 charity groups listed under the tax system are registered companies," said Agnes Wong Tin-yu, deputy secretary for transport and housing, at the meeting of the bills committee on the Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill 2012.

Vive (avec) la difference

Vive (avec) la difference: It’s 11pm in London. It’s 5pm in Minneapolis, 6am in Taipei, 3pm in Vancouver and 8am in Melbourne. Trying to work out the time zone makes my head spin. It’s midnight in Pretoria and in Vienna and they’re not on the call.

This is a monthly board meeting of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF). My question in my last blog was whether or not I would find that being on a global board would be any different from being on a UK board.

I have an answer for you. Yes it is.

Charity Commission severance payments exceed salary savings by �1m

Charity Commission severance payments exceed salary savings by �1m: The Charity Commission has agreed just over �4.3m in voluntary redundancy packages to 129 people since January 2011, while saving �3.3m on its wage bill over the same period.

One of those severance payments was in the range �150,000-200,000; three were between �100,000 and �150,000, and 26 ex-employees pocketed payments of between �50,000 and �100,000.

BC CANCER FOUNDATION | 8th annual Underwear Affair raises $625,000 for the BC Cancer Foundation

BC CANCER FOUNDATION | 8th annual Underwear Affair raises $625,000 for the BC Cancer Foundation: "8th annual Underwear Affair raises $625,000 for the BC Cancer Foundation
2013 event draws 1,025 participants to race, walk or complete challenges in downtown Vancouver wearing underwear and outrageous attire to support leading-edge research and enhancements to care for cancers which occur below-the-belt"

'via Blog this'

Indian-Americans: A Community With Two Traditions of Philanthropy | DipNote

Indian-Americans: A Community With Two Traditions of Philanthropy | DipNote: Now that focus on “giving back” is turning to the relationship between the United States and India. While Indian immigrants have always sent home money to relatives, organizations, such as the India Giving Network, are now offering Americans a chance to make impactful investments in the future of India. Many of the organizations in the India Giving Network provide services locally that ultimately benefit our bilateral relationship.

Obituary: James Martin, Tech Seer and $150-Million Oxford Donor - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Obituary: James Martin, Tech Seer and $150-Million Oxford Donor - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: ames Martin, a British technology expert who decades ago foresaw the rise of personal computers and the Internet and was the biggest individual donor to England’s Oxford University, died in late June at age 79 after suffering a heart attack while swimming near his Bermuda home, The New York Times writes.

Putin Gives Philanthropy Award to Russia's Richest Man | Russia | RIA Novosti

Putin Gives Philanthropy Award to Russia's Richest Man | Russia | RIA Novosti: MOSCOW, July 8 (RIA Novosti) – Billionaire Alisher Usmanov has received one of Russia’s highest civil awards in recognition of his charitable and philanthropic activities, according to a presidential order published Monday.

Charity groups say volunteering on the rise in Qatar - Alarabiya.net English | Front Page

Charity groups say volunteering on the rise in Qatar - Alarabiya.net English | Front Page: Charity groups say that volunteering is on the rise in Qatar, with more people becoming aware of social and environmental issues in the gulf state.

From young people cleaning Doha’s beaches and carrying out wildlife research, to businesses setting up volunteering initiatives to help the country’s youth find jobs, more people are trying their hand at volunteering.

Limerick people urged to give 1% of their time - Latest News - Limerick Leader

Limerick people urged to give 1% of their time - Latest News - Limerick Leader: GIVING while living’ has always been the philosophy of billionaire philanthropist Chuck Feeney, who donated hundreds of millions to causes in Limerick.

With Feeney’s Atlantic Philanthropies organisation winding up in 2016, a major campaign has been launched to encourage Irish people and business to commit 1% of their income, profits or time to a cause they believe in.

Charity Bank looks to start small loan funding and set up a foundation

Charity Bank looks to start small loan funding and set up a foundation: Charity Bank plans to work with grantmakers to help provide small loans to small charities and social enterprise; and is looking at setting up its own charitable foundation.

Announcing its new strategy at its annual open day, Patrick Crawford (pictured), chief executive of Charity Bank, said since it has ceased to be a charity, it has started the process of raising new capital.

Charity watchdog's 200 probes since 2011 - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

Charity watchdog's 200 probes since 2011 - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk: Northern Ireland's charity regulator has conducted 200 investigations since it began probing alleged mismanagement and misconduct in 2011, a report reveals.

Workload forces sector managers to skip holidays

Workload forces sector managers to skip holidays: Managers in the charity sector are forgoing their annual leave because they are afraid they will fall behind with work, according to a survey of 106 sector managers.

The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) carried out an online survey of 838 senior staff among its members, including 106 from the voluntary sector, in May this year.

Charity champ is Beijing bound in mum’s memory - News - Shields Gazette

Charity champ is Beijing bound in mum’s memory - News - Shields Gazette: Amy Clarke, 39, is getting saddled up for a Chinese challenge to raise vital cash for a trio of cancer charities.

Mrs Clark is putting her peddle to the mettle in honour of mum Margaret Pentland, who died at the age of just 63 in October after an 18-month battle with ovarian cancer.

A radical solution for payroll giving

A radical solution for payroll giving: In her recent blog Celina Ribeiro suggested the sector is sceptical that the Treasury and HMRC will make radical changes to the payroll giving system. I'm not so sure. I think this government understands that the current set-up is not sustainable or fit for purpose in the 21st century. I think it genuinely wants to create a better system. But for the last three years it has had other priorities, so has merely tweaked the current set-up with marginal improvements.

In the UK we have two main tax-effective giving channels - gift aid and payroll giving. One is pretty successful, with over ten million donors contributing about �1bn a year in tax refunds to over 60,000 charities. The other is a damp squib, with well under a million donors and yielding only about a thirtieth of the tax (about �30m a year), with only a few thousand larger employers and charities taking part and gaining any benefit.

Yao stresses transparency in charity |Nation and Digest |chinadaily.com.cn

Yao stresses transparency in charity |Nation and Digest |chinadaily.com.cn: Former NBA star should work on fundraising efforts, consultant says

Despite his fading personal influence and the public's growing suspicion of the credibility of charities, Yao Ming is determined to carry out his charitable commitment.

Although shifting between roles as a businessman, club owner and political adviser since he retired from basketball in 2011, Yao has sensed the decline of his popularity and its consequent effect on his charity program.