Charitable giving soars in U.S.

Published on August 17, 2005

* Giving to U.S. charities surged in the first three months of 2005, thanks to economic recovery, easier online giving and simple generosity, Knight Ridder reported Aug. 12. * United Way of the National Capital raised $39 million in its most recent fundraising drive, up 2 percent and the first increase since a scandal four years ago, the Washington Post reported Aug. 10. * The chief investment officer for Yale’s endowment, who has overseen its growth to over $15 billion from $1.3 billion 20 years ago, says in a new book that, despite “democratization” in personal investing, the odds still favor institutional investors or individual investors, The New York Times reported Aug. 13. * A long-time scientist at the New York University School of Medicine is giving it $105 million, one of the four or five largest gifts ever to a school or health-care institution in New York City, The New York Times reported Aug. 12 * The Department of Veteran Affairs has let a top official of Vietnam Veterans of America resign as a claims handler to help stop a federal probe looking into whether he submitted fraudulent documents to help clients secure federal disability and health benefits, Knight Ridder reported Aug. 8. * An internal report says federal tax regulators have been lax in monitoring Canada’s 81,000 registered charities, a growing number of them involved in fraudulent activity, Canada Press reported Aug. 14. * A former Thai minister and social activist says nonprofits in Asia must adopt business models to better achieve their goals, Channel NewsAsia reported Aug. 14. * Slovak nonprofits received 878.4 million Slovakia Koruny, or $28.2 million, from the 2 percent that individuals and companies could allocated from their taxes until the end of July, news wire SITA reported Aug. 10. * The Department of Veteran Affairs has let a top official of Vietnam Veterans of America resign as a claims handler to help stop a federal probe looking into whether he submitted fraudulent documents to help clients secure federal disability and health benefits, Knight Ridder reported Aug. 8.

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