Should Foundations Live Forever? The Question of Perpetuity

Should Foundations Live Forever? The Question of Perpetuity
Author: Martin Morse Wooster
Publisher:
Total Pages: 80
Release: 1998
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN:

A companion to The Great Philanthropists and the Problem of "Donor Intent," author Martin Morse Wooster considers whether the legal life of foundations should be limited to prevent successor trustees from ignoring the donor's intent. This volume surveys past congressional attempts to limit foundation perpetuity and offers case studies of donors who have put legal limits on their own foundations, setting a termination date and requiring the foundation to pay out all its assets.

Return to Charity?

Return to Charity?
Author: Martin Morse Wooster
Publisher:
Total Pages: 63
Release: 2000
Genre: History
ISBN: 9781892934055

Return to Charity?: Philanthropy and the Welfare State, by Martin Morse Wooster, clearly explains how the Victorian idea of charity for the poor was replaced by twentieth century social concepts of poverty and social welfare, which culminated in the "Great Society" welfare entitlement programs of the 196os. Wooster also identifies modern American conservatives who rediscovered the older idea of charity and who favor "faith-based" social service programs. Court cases permitting government assistance to faith-based groups are discussed.

Strategic Giving

Strategic Giving
Author: Peter Frumkin
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Total Pages: 471
Release: 2008-09-15
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0226266281

The philanthropic landscape is changing dramatically as a new generation of wealthy donors seeks to leave its mark on the public sphere. Peter Frumkin reveals in Strategic Giving why these donors could benefit from having a comprehensive plan to guide their giving. And with this thoughtful and timely book, he provides the much-needed framework to understand and develop this kind of philanthropic strategy. After listening for years to scores of individual and institutional funders discuss the challenges of giving wisely, Frumkin argues here that contemporary philanthropy requires a thorough rethinking of its underlying logic. Philanthropy should be seen, he contends, as both a powerful way to meet public needs and a meaningful way to express private beliefs and commitments. He demonstrates that finding a way to simultaneously fulfill both of these functions is crucial to the survival of philanthropy and its potential to support pluralism in society. And he goes on to identify the five essential elements donors must consider when developing a philanthropic strategy—the vehicle through which giving will flow, the way impact will be achieved, the level of engagement and profile sought, the time frame for giving, and the underlying purpose of the gift. Frumkin’s point is that donors must understand strategic giving as the integration of these five critical dimensions to giving. Essential reading for donors, researchers, and anyone involved with the world of philanthropy, Strategic Giving provides a new basis for understanding philanthropic effectiveness and a promising new way for philanthropy to achieve the legitimacy that has at times eluded it.

Putting Wealth to Work

Putting Wealth to Work
Author: Joel L. Fleishman
Publisher: PublicAffairs
Total Pages: 409
Release: 2017-09-26
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1610395336

By 2025, Americans will likely be donating over half a trillion dollars annually to nonprofit organizations. Those philanthropic gifts will transform significant parts of America's civic sector landscape. Philanthropy is entering an era of unprecedented growth and innovation. Established foundations such as Ford and Rockefeller are doubling down on programs tackling long-simmering problems, including global inequality, less-than-stellar education, and uneven access to health care. Many foundations are engaging in advocacy on controversial issues, exploring venture philanthropy solutions, and experimenting with impact investing. And philanthropists such as Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, New York's high-profile financiers, and Silicon Valley's billionaires are planning to put their wealth to work as never before: Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan recently pledged to donate 99 percent of their Facebook shares during their lifetimes, and nearly 150 others have signed the Giving Pledge to increase dramatically their "giving while living." In Putting Wealth to Work, Joel L. Fleishman provides expert analysis of contemporary philanthropy, offering invaluable insight for those engaging with and affected by charitable foundations. This is the fascinating and definitive account of philanthropy today, and an indispensable guide to understanding its inner workings, impact, and expansive potential.

Protecting Donor Intent

Protecting Donor Intent
Author: Jeffrey J. Cain
Publisher:
Total Pages: 61
Release: 2012
Genre: Charitable uses, trusts, and foundations
ISBN: 9780985126506

Abusing Donor Intent

Abusing Donor Intent
Author: Doug White
Publisher: Paragon House
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2014-04-01
Genre: Law
ISBN: 9781557789099

It was the largest one-time amount—$35 million—anyone had ever donated to benefit a university. The Robertsons were specific about the way the money was to be used. It was intended to help Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs focus on sending its graduates into those areas of the federal government concerned with international relations. "But the university," the son says, "was ignoring my parents' intentions." Furthermore, Princeton's administrators were "harming the country." That's not, as you might imagine, the way Princeton saw it—or sees it today. How much control over a gift does a donor have after the gift is given? How accountable is a non-profit recipient for the use of the gift? "Robertson v. Princeton may be the most important case higher education has faced over the question of honoring the wishes of the donor." Wall Street Journal "Doug White's careful and fair study of the seminal Robertson Foundation endowment litigation against Princeton University should be read by all donors and donees. As a former head of the New York State Law Department's Charities Bureau, I know donors have to have both courage and resources to enforce their rights, especially against iconic donees. Fortunately, the Robertsons had both." Bill Josephson, Former head of the Charities Bureau, New York State Attorney General's office This book is based on extensive research and interviews with leading attorneys Victoria Bjorklund and Douglas Eakeley (Princeton) and Ron Malone and Seth Lapidow (Robertson family), experts for both sides, representatives of other major nonprofits, philanthropists, and high-profile public figures including George H.W. Bush, Brent Scowcroft, Chuck Robb, and Paul Volcker.

The Nonprofit Challenge

The Nonprofit Challenge
Author: D. White
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 373
Release: 2010-10-25
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0230114008

This book describes the challenges facing charities, explains how they must reassess their commitment, and pushes charities to be their best. It also examines how two sectors of society - business and government - would benefit from a similar corrective journey.