Search Charities Online: Select Check

Learn how to search for charities and other nonprofits using the IRS online tool called Select Check in this new YouTube video.
Watch this and other videos on the IRS YouTube Channel.

Year End Tax Tips from the IRS

Development and fundraising offices will want to get these tips to potential donors. December is traditionally a month for giving generously to charities, friends and family. But it’s also a time that can have a major impact on the tax return filed in the New Year.  The IRS Special Edition Tax Tips offers tips about charity donations before year end. Click here.

Covenant Project Workshops

Announcing:
Covenant Project Workshop
February 4, 2013, 9am-5pm
2311 S. Lindbergh, St. Louis, MO

This workshop is part of the Covenant Project which provides comprehensive service to religious institutes that wish to explore their options in an uncertain and changing future. In this difficult but grace-filled time, a community can live today's challenges with the same courage, fidelity and creativity that have marked its entire history. We assist communities exploring options, in identifying the covenant(s) and/or partnership(s) that will be helpful along the way, and in developing a timeline and putting the necessary documents in place regarding:

Sponsorship
Health-care and retirement resources
Administration, Temporal Goods and Finance
Pastoral Care of Members, Communities, Ministries
Governance and Legal Matters

More Information - Registration - Printable Flyer

New Mileage Rates

The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2013 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.
Beginning on Jan. 1, 2013, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:
• 56.5 cents per mile for business miles driven
• 24 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes
• 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable
organizations
The rate for business miles driven during 2013 increases 1 cent from the 2012 rate. The medical and moving rate is also up 1 cent per mile from the 2012 rate.

8 Nonprofit Tasks before Year's End

1. Make sure you've had your Annual Meeting.

2. File Annual Report with state if required.

3. Ensure you're on target to file federal Form 990 and any similar state filings.

4. Confirm that charitable solicitation registrations are up to date (if required).

5. Review grant agreements to ensure terms and restrictions are being honored.

6. Review insurance policies for adequate coverage and conformity to current operation.

7. Private Foundation must make grants to public charities sufficient to avoid excise tax penalties.

8. Thank Your Donors with Proper Gift Receipts.

From Daily Dose of Nonprofit Law

Pope issues norms on charitable agencies.

The Pope issued new norms giving the local bishop sweeping powers over charitable agencies operating in his diocese. It remains to be seen whether and how this will be implemented, given the widespread financial abuse and mismanagement in the Vatican and in various dioceses. The document may be found here.

Mystics & Prophets: How to be a Nun

Mystics & Prophets: How to be a Nun: A Quick Guide for Intrepid Explorers, Scared Survivors and Those Who Don't Know by the Colletine Poor Clare community at Ty Mam Duw, No... read on...

IRS Group Rulings Questionnaire

To help them better understand the relationship between central or parent organizations of group rulings and their subordinates, and learn how they satisfy their exemption and filing requirements, IRS Exempt Organizations Section is asking more than 2,000 randomly selected central organizations to complete the Group Rulings Questionnaire. See a copy of the Questionaire.

Webcast on New Member Legal Issues

November 20, 2012: New Members Legal Issues - This updated webcast will discuss the various issues in screening and incorporating new members. New members are diverse in age, education, experience, culture and ethnicity. For this reason flexibility practices and policies is necessary. Participants will receive a newly revised Screening Workbook for use with new members; it is available in English and Spanish. For more information & to register...

Online Symposium on Consecrated Life

Fourth Session - October 14, 2012, 2pm ET

Karen Rose, OSB

Charism: Yesterday, Today and Forever

Charism: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Using oral histories of sisters entering a Benedictine monastery in the early 20th century and interview data from women entering in the last 30 years, the paper will compare and contrast the call to religious life in the pre- and post-Vatican II eras. Discussion will focus on the lessons to be learned as we move into the future.

Presenter:
Sr. Karen entered religious life in 2007. A British citizen, she has a BA/MA in philosophy and theology from Oxford University. She holds an MSc in social anthropology, PhD in palliative care and has researched extensively on social aspects of health care. Currently, her research interest is in applying the lens of social science to the study of history.

Responder:
Sr. Juliet Mousseau teaches theology at Aquinas Institute in St. Louis, MO.

For more information or to register go to www.ahereford.org/symposium