Charitable bequests fell 2.1% to $22.91 billion, the second consecutive yearly decline. More financial consultants are urging wealthy individuals to make major gifts before they die so they can keep a closer eye on how their money is being spent, and get the satisfaction from watching their gifts be used to help others.I wonder what year this bequest will count towards?
“The revised Form 990 draft includes a shorter 10 page core form that will be supplemented by numerous schedules that provide information on activities of particular interest to the public and IRS. The revised core form includes two new sections of interest: 1) a summary section that provides a snapshot of the organization and its activities and 2) a section that requires governance information, including questions on board composition, conflict of interest policies and audit information.”
"Since there´s little cost involved in producing these clothes. Couldn´t we start an NGO that actually gave them for free or for practically nothing to poor girls in say Ecuador, Peru, Colombia? And in general, now that wealth is both felt (no food) and perceived (Swedish girls can buy clothes, Peruvian girls can´t), don´t we have an opportunity in the virtual world to do virtual philanthropy and make a lot of little girls, boys, and even grown ups happy?... Personally I think that there is a chance of bringing digital justice to this world. Pricing digital property in terms of the average purchasing power of each country would be a good start. Cause as opposed to real property digital property has no cost for an extra copy. Let´s take advantage of this and start the digital fair trade movement!"
"Last year, we [MacArthur] launched a $50 million initiative to help determine how digital technologies are changing the way young people learn, play, socialize, and participate in civic life. Answers are critical to developing educational and other social institutions that can meet the needs of this and future generations.Recently, we have been introduced to virtual worlds such as Second Life and There.com. I believe that the importance of virtual worlds may be less about their growth as economies, and more about their capacity for collaboration and human development. Activities in virtual worlds already are supported by MacArthur and other foundations, but we have much to discover about the right role for philanthropy itself in virtual worlds."
Nobody asked me, but here are some things I hope we see as the Foundation and its partners at USC role out in this experiment:
(1) Gates Foundation Awards $105 Million to University of
Washington for Health Institute
(2) HSBC Launches $100 Million Climate Change Effort
(3) Washington and Lee University Receives $100 Million Gift
If this keeps up, $100 million may become the base number for a "big gift." Sort of the way ATMs made $20 bills ubiquitous.
If this kind of cluster analysis can be done on capitalism, surely we can figure out indicators for the success of foundation grants to after school programs, for malaria treatments, or for reductions in gun violence.1. High degree of trust in fellow citizens
2. Low amount of corruption
3. Low unemployment
4. High level of education
5. High income
6. High employment rate of older people
7. Small shadow economy
8. Extensive economic freedom
9. Low employment protection
10. High birth rate
Don't let the mashed-up graphic fool you, Google did not buy SalesForce today.
