Philanthropy

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  Charity Donations Rose in 2012: Giving USA

  By Michael S. Fischer  |  June 19, 2013

  Americans donated an estimated $316 billion to charity in 2012, according to the annual Giving USA report, released Tuesday.

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  Senate Finance Mulls Charitable Giving Reform

  By Michael S. Fischer  |  June 17, 2013

  Overhaul of the charitable deduction and the political involvement of tax-exempt groups are two areas senators should examine, their staffers say in a new paper.

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  Making an Impact in Challenging Times: A Profile of Donor Advised Funds' Giving

  By Michael S. Fischer  |  June 11, 2013

  Fidelity Charitable's comprehensive report on the giving patterns of donor-advised funds shows DAFs are seen as a ‘ready reserve’ for giving in difficult economic times.

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  10 Worst Charities in America

  By Michael S. Fischer  |  June 10, 2013

  Well-run charities use their own staff to raise funds and spend most donations on easily verifiable activities. The underbelly of the charity world looks a lot different.

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  Philanthropy by Big Companies Rose During Slow Recovery

  By Michael S. Fischer  |  June 7, 2013

  Noncash giving in particular has surged since 2007, according to a new report from the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy.

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  Smaller Foundations’ Endowments, Giving Increased Sharply in 2012

  By Michael S. Fischer  |  May 30, 2013

  U.S. private foundations with less than $50 million in assets increased their grantmaking by 9.2% last year, according to a new report from Foundation Source.

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  Foundation Trends on Giving Beam a Ray of Hope to Marginalized Groups

  By Michael S. Fischer  |  May 28, 2013

  Nonprofits and communities in need are benefiting from philanthropic giving trends, but whether these trends will persist is an open question.

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  Top 25 Colleges for Best Return on Investment: 2013

  By Dan Berman, AdvisorOne  |  May 27, 2013

  Out of 1,511 schools studied, these 25 had the greatest payoff for graduates over the course of a 30-year career.

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  Program-Related Investing Has Yet to Attract Foundations

  By Michael S. Fischer  |  May 23, 2013

  Program-related investments can help foundations achieve their charitable goals while generating financial returns, but U.S. foundations have been slow to adopt their use.

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  Andy Friedman: Which Wealth Transfer Tactics Will Survive Congress?

  By Gil Weinreich, AdvisorOne  |  May 22, 2013

  Act now to transfer wealth, Washington Update analyst Andy Friedman warns, because Congress is likely to close some loopholes while forging a budget compromise needed to raise the debt limit.