Articles

Symphony donors question giving amid contract dispute

The ailing Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra intends to step up annual donations 40 percent. But many longtime donors feel conflicted about future contributions as they await word on whether the ISO will scale back to part time.

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Charity watchdogs at odds with IUPUI professor

IUPUI economics professor Richard Steinberg stands by his philanthropic theory, despite seeing his fundraising principles speared by a charity watchdog group and then by a cable news network. At issue is his belief that charities are justified in spending heavily on fundraising, because doing so positions them for long-term success.

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Symphony standoff might fray local support

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s decision to cancel the first two weeks of its season and lock out musicians could carry long-term risks in alienating subscribers and donors, observers say.

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Report: Charitable donations ticked up in 2011

Charitable giving grew 4 percent nationally in 2011, but the increase was less than 1 percent after adjusting for inflation, according to a report released Tuesday by the Giving USA Foundation and The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

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Endowment’s resurgence emboldens IMA’s leaders

After three years of shrinking budgets, Indianapolis Museum of Art leaders are ready to leave the lean times behind. The IMA’s endowment, which has covered close to 70 percent of operating expenses, is on the rebound and reached $324 million at the end of last year.

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Komen grant recipients cope with controversy they didn’t create

Local health care providers won’t find an easy replacement for the grant money supplied by Susan G. Komen for the Cure. That money could be in jeopardy, as grass-roots Komen supporters appear to be sitting out of this year’s Race for the Cure in response to a national controversy over grants to Planned Parenthood.

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Private schools raking in cash thanks to 2011 reform law

A generally overlooked part of the 2011 education reform package makes it clear donors to private schools can target their gifts to specific schools, a move that seems to have unleashed the tax credit’s full potential by helping private schools line up more donations.

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