Senator Baucus Releases Health-Care Proposal for Hospitals

Sen. Max Baucus' bill, known on the hill as the “chairman’s mark” and planned to be reviewed by the finance committee next week, would require nonprofit hospitals “to conduct a community health needs assessment at least once every three years and adopt an implementation strategy to meet the community needs.”

Full-text post by Grant Williams is available via the Government and Politics Watch, 9/16/09.

IRS Official Offers Preview of Much-Anticipated Compensation Study

A top official of the Internal Revenue Service has given a preview of findings from a much-anticipated study of more than 500 nonprofit hospitals. Under the IRS's
microscope are the compensation provided to hospital executives and the benefits that hospitals provide to the neighborhoods they serve.

Full-text article by Grant Williams is available via the Chronicle of Philanthropy, 1.12.09. [Subscription required.]

Web Site To Help Local Donors Make Wise Choices

A Web site could forge new links between prospective donors and local nonprofit organizations in 2009.

DubuqueGiving.org is a facet of the GoldPenny Project, a partnership between Dubuque365.com, the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque and the Better Business Bureau of Greater Iowa.

The project seeks to help local donors make wise giving choices, help local leaders promote nonprofit excellence, efficiency and effective governance and encourage and develop a culture of local philanthropy.

Full-text article by Erik Hogstrom is available via the Telegraph Herald, 12.31.08.

Building a Better World While Touring It

Philanthropic travel — which introduces tourists to local outfits working to better their communities — is on the rise. Companies like GoPhilanthropic are forming, and entrepreneurs like Stephen M. Case, a co-founder of AOL, are creating eco-friendly luxury resorts that give back to the community (www.revolution.com). The United Nations Foundation recently formed the Partnership for Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (www.sustainabletourismcriteria.org), which issued guidelines for tourism companies.

Full-text article by Hilary Howard is available via the New York Times, 11.10.08.

Hospitals Use 'Broad Latitude' in Reporting Charity Care, Report Finds

Nonprofit hospitals take a wide array of approaches to how they count their contributions to the cities they serve,according to a new federal study by the Government Accountability Office.

Full-text article by Eric Kelderman is available via the Chronicle of Philanthropy, 10.14.08. [Subscription required.]

Struggling Communities Turn to Colleges

In economically troubled areas, small private colleges help generate development projects in large part as a matter of survival.

Full-text article by Karin Fischer is available via The Chronicle of Higher Education, 5.16.08. [Subscription required.]