Lessons for the Nonprofit Board from SVCF Crisis
“Recent events at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) have rocked the philanthropic community and left many wondering why things went so terribly wrong.” In
Stakeholder Revolts and Successful Comebacks
Back in 2015, we featured two stories about troubled nonprofit institutions on opposite coasts. The common thread in each tale was a stakeholder revolt which successfully
Troubling Policies at Purdue’s (Formerly For-Profit) Arm
Since the end of World War II, “proprietary” post-secondary institutions have popped up around the nation, taking advantage of generous G.I. benefits to lure students
Charity Naming Rights: A Provocative Idea
Philanthropic naming rights “…are the charitable cousin of corporate – commercial – naming rights.” In Naming Rights: It’s a Philanthropic Jungle Out There, we explained
Corporate Governance: No Longer Just About Business
With the goal of closing the gender gap in corporate governance, in 2018 former Governor Jerry Brown signed into law requirements that all publicly traded
The Refrigerator Estate Plan
You’re ahead of most of your generation; you know that an estate plan is vitally important, especially if you own property or have children. You
Guidance on Excess Compensation Rules for 501(c)(3) Execs
The new excise tax on excess compensation of nonprofit execs is ambiguous and confusing, but the IRS has issued some interim guidance.
Too Many Nonprofits?: A New Analysis
How are the nation’s nonprofits like a herd of animals in a forest? That’s the analogy used by a team of five university experts in
Rage Giving: The RAICES Example
In Rage Giving: What’s the Formula For Success?, we described an example of this phenomenon following the tumultuous 2016 presidential election that resulted in windfalls
Second Thoughts About Cryptocurrency Donations?
In early April 2018, we posted Bitcoin and More: The New World of Donations. Cryptocurrency was Introduced just a decade ago, but by 2017, it
The Charity Raffle in CA: An Update
Around the United States, raffles are among the most popular fundraising methods for charitable organizations. Many groups, though, are unaware that raffles are governed by
Church Feud in Bay Area Erupts
Ask any lawyer about the types of disputes that turn ugliest fast: it’s when family members turn on each other. Divorces are notorious for level