Mike Spector

May 12, 2009, The Wall Street Journal — It sounds good on paper: You make a donation to a worthy cause and, in return, receive regular lifetime payments. But so-called charitable gift annuities don't always deliver what they promise -- a risk that could intensify if the recession persists.

May 1, 2009, The Wall Street Journal — The Ford Foundation plans to pump $50 million into a new nonprofit venture that will help municipalities buy foreclosed homes from financial institutions, in an effort to stem property-value declines plaguing U.S. neighborhoods.

April 22, 2009, The Wall Street Journal — Robert Morris started his own private foundation in the early 1990s to funnel money to private schools, churches and hospitals. But as the years went on, running it became a hassle.

March 27, 2009, The Wall Street Journal — The furor over big bonuses at American International Group Inc. and other Wall Street firms is prompting nonprofit organizations to brace for more scrutiny of their executive pay practices.

A handful of senators introduced a tax-policy change Tuesday that they say would encourage charitable foundations to increase their giving.

Museums, theaters and operas, already reeling from the recession, are having a tough time attracting support amid perceptions that vital services like soup kitchens and homeless shelters should receive funds first.

What can individual donors learn from the philanthropic practices of big corporations? We talked with three corporate leaders at an annual gathering of the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) to find out how big companies make charitable gifts and what their practices can teach individual givers. We also quizzed them about corporate social responsibility — the buzz-term for putting a good charitable or socially-aware face on your company — and whether it helps attract new, younger employees.

Nonprofits already face the prospect of fewer donations amid turmoil at Wall Street firms and other companies. Now, they could face another donation deterrent: Washington's plans to curb executive pay.

Investors aren't in a giving mood these days. But the deepening recession presents a rare opportunity for some people: By setting up a special trust, wealthy donors can seed favorite charities, pass money to heirs and shelter potential growth from taxes.