Field Guide to Establishing A Charitable Foundation
(Updated February 2007)
Making the decision to establish or participate in a charitable foundation can be difficult. The resources presented here can help facilitate the decision-making process. Here you will find information pertaining to tax and legal issues, fundraising as well as general tips on how to start a non-profit. You'll also discover a wide assortment of useful web sites as well as many valuable resources available from NAR, including the Housing Opportunity Program (HOP)! (K. Bartlett Walsh, Marketing & Communication Coordinator)
Contents:
Starting Out | Tax & Legal Issues | Fundraising | Useful Websites | Books, eBooks & Other Resources
NAR's Housing Opportunity Program
NAR's Housing Opportunity Program helps REALTORS® become leaders in promoting homeownership at local, state and national levels.
What is a Donor Bill of Rights?
A Donor Bill of Rights is a set of standards created by a group of professional fundraising societies for nonprofits to generate confidence between donors and donees. Board members of nonprofits should embrace these fundraising standards and also make certain that the development staff of their organization is familiar with a Donor Bill of Rights
A Donor Bill of Rights helps leaders understand the donor expectations while bolstering donor confidence. It also outlines the donor's right to receive proper recognition, gain access to the organization's financial statements, obtain information on how funds are being distributed, and stay anonymous if desired.
A full text is available at Donor Bill of Rights.
Source: Association of Fundraising Professionals
Starting Out 
Good neighbor toolkit - leading a charity toolkit, (REALTOR® Magazine Online, 2007).
Starting a nonprofit organization: one-stop answer page, (About.com, 2007).
The nonprofit FAQ, (Idealist.org, 2007).
Charitable giving - trusts and estates, (Trusts and Estates, Nov. 2005). Q
Business professionals give back by setting up family foundations, (Houston Business Journal, Nov. 11, 2005).
Keeping foundation in family becoming popular, (Puget Sound Business Journal, Mar. 25, 2005).
Ten common foundation mistakes, (Trusts and Estates, Apr. 2004). Q
Make a pledge to make a difference, (REALTOR® Association Executive, Fall 2002). Q
Tax & Legal Issues
IRS: tax information for charities and other non-profits, (Internal Revenue Service).
Charitable limitations and reforms of the pension protection act, (Estate Planning, Dec. 2006). Q
Foundations as entrepreneurs, (Trusts and Estates, June 2006). Q
An appeal to charity - using philanthropy to revitalize the estate tax, (Virginia Tax Review, Winter 2005). Q
Prelude to change: how the DMCA affects fundraising, (Nonprofit World, July/Aug. 2004). Q
Fundraising
Giving back: why big donors cut tiny checks, (Wall Street Journal, July 3, 2006). Q
Strings attached: along with their big bucks rich donors want to give charities their two cents, (Wall Street Journal, July 3, 2006). Q
A look at corporate giving, (Associations Now, May 2006). Q
Selling a cause? Bbetter make it pop, (Business Week, Feb. 13, 2006). Q
Hosted apps lift online charitable donations, (Computerworld, Jan. 16, 2006). Q
Charity begins on the web - tips to enhance online fundraising, (Nonprofit World, July/Aug. 2005). Q
How to increase donations from local businesses, (Nonprofit World, July/Aug. 2005). Q
Price testing: successful fundraising depends on it, (Nonprofit World, Sept./Oct. 2004). Q
Donor information helps charities hone their pitch, (Puget Sound Business Journal, May 19, 2003).
Useful Websites
Association of Fundraising Professionals
eBooks & Other Resources
eBooks.realtor.org
The following ebooks and digital audiobooks are available to NAR members:
Fundraising For Dummies® (Adobe eReader)
Effective Fundraising For Nonprofits (Adobe eReader)
Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations (Adobe eReader)
Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations (Adobe eReader)
The Accidental Fundraiser (Adobe eReader)
Not-for-Profit Budgeting and Financial Management (Adobe eReader)
Beyond Fundraising (Adobe eReader)
Nonprofit Internet Strategies (Adobe eReader)
Books, Videos, Research Reports & More
The resources below are available for loan through Information Central. Up to three books, tapes, CDs and/or DVDs can be borrowed for 30 days from the Library for a nominal fee of $10. Call Information Central at 800.874.6500 for assistance.
CPR for nonprofits, (San Francisco, CA.: Jossey-Bass, 2000). HF 294 R27
Starting and managing an association foundation: background kit, (Washington, DC.: American Society of Association Executives, 1995). HF 294 Am3str
The complete book of model fund-raising letters, (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995). HG 177 K97
Marketing the nonprofit association: a guide to marketing the functional areas of trade associations and professional societies, (Washington, DC: The Greater Washington Society of Association Executives Foundation, 1994). HF 294 G79m Ed.2
Field Guides & More
These Field Guides and other resources in the Virtual Library may also be of interest:
Field Guide to Strategic Planning for Associations
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The inclusion of links on this Field Guide does not imply endorsement by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR makes no representations about whether the content of any external sites which may be linked to this Field Guide complies with state or federal laws or regulations or with applicable NAR policies. These links are provided for your convenience only and you rely on them at your own risk.
