Charity News Roundup

In case you missed them, here are some recent stories in the news about charities. Not surprisingly, the stories this week center on politics, the economy, and the upcoming holiday season.

• On the political front, there is of course much talk about the impact that Barack Obama's victory and the new, more Democratic congress will have on taxes and other issues that impact the nonprofit sector. For instance, see these articles in The NonProfit Times, The Philanthropy News Digest and The Chronicle of Philanthropy. And we note with pleasure that in their article on giving and taxes, The Houston Business Journal quoted Charity Navigator's 2008 Metro Market Survey.
• In these uncertain economic times, there is mixed news for charities. USA Today reports that food pantries are facing decreasing donations and increasing demand. The Washington Post reports that grants from corporate foundations are likely to remain flat over the next year, despite a sharp increase in requests. On the other hand, we hear from the Philanthropy News Digest that donor advised funds are helping to get some donors to maintain their level of giving through the hard times. And we still do hear of very large donations, such as this gift to the University of Chicago, as reported in the New York Times.
• As the holiday season hastens upon us, you might want to review Charity Navigator's Holiday Giving Guide. Delaware Online did, in their reporting of this story of a bikers holiday toy drive.