Internal Revenue Service

A few weeks ago, I received an e-mail from Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. The ask was simple: Please click here or on the image above, watch the video and then click on “Share” to add the video to your Facebook, MySpace and other networking sites! Adding this video is quick and easy. Thank you for helping to spread the word!

April 29, 2009, The Chronicle of Philanthropy — The Internal Revenue Service has released an updated plan for the next several years that pledges a continuation of “focused oversight of the tax-exempt sector.”

April 20, 2009, The Chronicle of Philanthropy — The Internal Revenue Service has announced a change in leadership in the office of its top charity regulator.

Washington, April 7, 2009, The Chronicle of Philanthropy — The Internal Revenue Service is working to help “protect the trust and confidence” in nonprofit organizations during the current economic crisis and will be watchful of possible abuse, says Lois G. Lerner, who oversees the IRS office that monitors charities and foundations.

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

Three senators introduced legislation Tuesday intended to encourage foundations to give away more of their money.

Social entrepreneur Daniel Ben-Horin, whose multimillion dollar San Francisco business TechSoup Global connects charities to computer companies, sees an upside to the economic downturn.

I have been tweeting on Twitter (my call sign is addedvalueth) for the last two weeks, wondering why a grown-up would share mundane parts of his personal life ("heading to sleep") with complete strangers on the other end of a computer or handheld. And why anyone would want to read aforementioned drivel.

For more than half a century, charities have been barred by federal law from making contributions to political campaigns.

House Republican Leader John Boehner calls President Barack Obama’s proposal to limit high earners’ charitable tax deductions a “sharp blow to charities at a time when they are hurting during the economic downturn.”