Expert views on the making of a good board contrasted with the board of MOCA.
Posts Categorized: Accountability
Will Innovation Breed Success?
Many donors only give to charities that demonstrate specific evidence of their success. The governor of Massachusetts is now turning this commonly held standard into new state legislation. It’s called Social Innovation Financing. MA’s Governor Deval Patrick and Lt. Governor Timothy Murray released a statement explaining that it’s a “simple premise – have government pay …
How Would You Steal From Me?
That’s the question a former state regulator recently told nonprofit leaders to ask their staff members. He reasoned that because staff members are familiar with the organization, they are the best source to point out the charity’s weaknesses and vulnerabilities and to suggest improvements. While many nonprofit leaders will not feel comfortable with this approach, …
Federal Funding Comes With Strings Attached
Nonprofits that receive federal grant money are subject to certain restrictions and regulations that other nonprofits are not. For example, federal grant recipients commonly have to undergo specialized audits that confirm government money is being used appropriately. Further, federal grant recipients must not engage in religious activity that would violate the constitutional separate of church …
Do You Dislike Charity Ratings?
Since the advent of Charity Navigator and other websites that rate charities, there has been an increasing push for charities to meet their arbitrary standards. Voices critical of charity ratings rarely reach a national audience. But now a prominent critic has reached a national forum thanks to The Huffington Post. In a recent editorial, Founder …
Charity and its Former Leader Face Punishment for OFAC Violation
We warned you to check with the Treasury Department before making grants to foreign organizations, so as not to violate the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”). Here is an example of why nonprofits need to know those rules. Recently, Mehrdad Yasrebi, a former leader of the Child Foundation was found guilty of illegally funneling …