Philanthropy Roundtable

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The Philanthropy Roundtable
Image:Philanthropyroundtable.gif
Founder(s) William Simon, Irving Kristol
Type 501(c)(3)
Founded Late-1970s, gained independent status in 1991
Headquarters Washington, D.C.
Origins Formerly project of Institute For Educational Affairs
Key people Adam Meyerson, Daniel S. Peters, Heather Higgins
Area served United States
Focus philanthropic strategy and analysis, education, conservation, national security
Method publishing, conferences
Revenue US$5,872,863 in 2006[1]
Slogan Strengthening our free society
Website philanthropyroundtable.org

The Philanthropy Roundtable is a private, non-partisan 501(c)(3) educational organization whose origins trace to the late 1970s, as a project directed by the Institute For Educational Affairs.[2] In 1991, The Philanthropy Roundtable became an independent entity, with its own board of directors and staff, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana .[3] Its stated mission is "to foster excellence in philanthropy, to protect philanthropic freedom, to assist donors in achieving their philanthropic intent, and to help donors advance liberty, opportunity, and personal responsibility in America and abroad."[4]

Contents

[edit] Leadership

Kimberly Dennis, who currently serves as secretary of the board of directors, was the organization's first executive director. She served as executive director from 1991 through 1996. John P. Walters assumed administrative leadership of the organization in the newly defined role of president the following year when the organization moved its headquarters to Washington, D.C.[2] Walters remained in that position until resigning in October 2001[3] in order to accept an appointment by George W. Bush to the cabinet-level position of Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.[5]

The current president of the Roundtable, Adam Meyerson, has held that position since Walters's departure in 2001. Before Meyerson's move to The Philanthropy Roundtable, he was the Heritage Foundation's vice president for educational affairs. Meyerson was previously an editorial writer for the Wall Street Journal and, in the late 1970s, managing editor of American Spectator.[3]

[edit] Projects

Since 2003, The Philanthropy Roundtable has organized issue-specific "breakthrough groups" designed to "help philanthropists connect with like-minded peers in their field of interest to share ideas, leverage resources, and strategically collaborate to create significant change. Each group holds separate regional meetings and offers customized resources, including publications and seminars."[6] Groups have been formed to develop philanthropic strategies for addressing K-12 education, conservation, national security, and higher education.[6]

[edit] Publishing

The Philanthropy Roundtable publishes a series of more than a dozen guidebooks offering suggested strategies for many philanthropic niches. Such books published by the organization include Soaring High: New Strategies for Environmental Giving,[7] Jump-starting the Charter School Movement: A Donor's Guide, and Reviving Marriage in America: Strategies for Donors, all of which are available in electronic and print format.[8]

The Roundtable also publishes a bi-monthly magazine, Philanthropy, that includes coverage of past and ongoing philanthropic efforts and strategies, as well as news stories and commentary relevant to readers who are active in the non-profit sector.[9]

[edit] Alliance For Charitable Reform

In January 2005, The Philanthropy Roundtable created the Alliance For Charitable Reform (ACR) in response to pending legislation that would have created new statutory regulations and restrictions on the non-profit sector.[10] The ACR website describes its formation "as an emergency self-defense initiative to respond to legislative proposals on Capitol Hill, some of which could adversely affect private foundations and the charities they support." The Alliance opposes legislation that would create accreditation requirements for grant-making foundations, establish a five-year IRS review of tax-exempt status, or restrict the ability of donors to establish family foundations.[11]

In a letter published in The Hill, ACR co-founders Dan Peters and Heather Higgins responded to discussion of legislative regulatory proposals, saying that, "ACR believes that every dollar of tax increases on foundations is to the federal government rather than a dollar to charities, and the ACR is troubled by that notion.... We cannot adopt a one-size-fits-all solution that disadvantages smaller organizations. We must do everything possible to encourage philanthropy and not create barriers to charitable giving."[12]

[edit] Board of directors

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ "IRS Form 990: Philanthropy Roundtable." Hosted by the Foundation Center. 23 May 2007. [1]
  2. ^ a b "History." The Philanthropy Roundtable. philanthropyroundtable.org. 2006. [2]
  3. ^ a b c "Newsmakers: Adam Meyerson, President, The Philanthropy Roundtable: Donors and Philanthropic Intent." Foundation Center. 29 November 2006. [3]
  4. ^ "Mission and Principles." The Philanthropy Roundtable. philanthropyroundtable.org. 2006. [4]
  5. ^ "John P. Walters." whitehouse.gov. [5]
  6. ^ a b "Breakthrough Groups." The Philanthropy Roundtable. philanthropyroundtable.org. 2006. [6]
  7. ^ "PERC Board." Property and Environment Research Center. perc.org. [7]
  8. ^ "Guidebooks." Philanthropy Roundtable. philanthropyroundtable.org. 2006. [8]
  9. ^ "About Us." The Philanthropy Roundtable. philanthropyroundtable.org. 2006. [9]
  10. ^ "Issues: Alliance For Charitable Reform." The Philanthropy Roundtable. philanthropyroundtable.org. 2006. [10]
  11. ^ "About The Alliance For Charitable Reform." Alliance For Charitable Reform. acreform.org. 2007. [11]
  12. ^ Peters, Dan and Heather Higgins. "Letter: Don't Erect Barriers to Charity." The Hill. 24 May 2006. [12]
  13. ^ "Board of Directors." Philanthropy Roundtable. philanthropyroundtable.org. 2006. [13]

[edit] External links