Charity Governance

OUR ABSENCE

DATELINE: OCTOBER 1, 2008, CHICAGO

We have received several e-mails asking why no posts lately.  We have been on hiatus since August. That is expected to continue through most of October.  Our Jack Siegel was commissioned to write a book on the role of auditors and accountants in nonprofit governance.  Writing a book requires large blocks of time, particularly at the outset of the project when the book’s voice and broad contours are being developed.  Jack should be finished with that stage in the next several weeks, permitting a more modular approach to bringing the book to completion.  Jack also has been inundated with several other projects that need to be completed by the end of October.

We are glad to know we are missed and will try to get back on track as soon as possible.  There may be occasional posts along the way.

Thank you.

BACK IN THE USSR

DATELINE: July 28, 2008, Moscow

Been away so long I hardly knew the place
Gee, it's good to be back home
Leave it till tomorrow to unpack my case
Honey disconnect the phone
I'm back in the USSR
You don't know how lucky you are, boy
       Beatles, Back in the USSR from the The White Album

How things have changed since 1968.  We won't be flying BOAC and hopefully the paper bag won't be on our knees.  While Moscow is still in Russia, it isn't in the Soviet Union.  Lenningrad is now St. Petersburg.  And Moscow is the most expensive city in the world.  Which is why the staff of Charity Governance picked Moscow as our vacation spot this year.  There is no challenge like making a weak dollar go as far as it can go--most likely we will be eating free food samples at Gum instead of lunch.  With all the change, hopefully the Ukraine girls will still knock us out. 

Posts will resume after August 12, unless we get inspired and are snow-bound (more likely rain). 

THE FRIENDS OF THE SOUTHWEST MUSEUM COALITION RELEASES REPORT PREPARED BY CHARITY GOVERNANCE CONSULTING LLC AND JACK SIEGEL

DATELINE: March 24, 2008, Chicago

The Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition have released the Charity Governance Consulting LLC report prepared by Jack Siegel entitled, A REPORT ADDRESSING CERTAIN FINANCIAL ISSUES PERTAINING TO THE 2003 MERGER BETWEEN THE AUTRY WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM AND THE SOUTHWEST MUSEUM.  Since Jack prepared the report, we will not comment on it any further, but we are making the report available to our readers.  Click here for the report.   

For information about the Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition, the context surrounding the report, and additional information, visit the Friends' Web site.

 

GO WEST YOUNG MAN: OUR JACK B. SIEGEL HEADS TO SIGNAPORE TO DISCUSS BEST PRACTICES

DATELINE: January 19, 2008, Chicago

We will be on hiatus until February 3 or thereabouts—although we may do an occasional post if computer facilities and time permit.  Our Jack B. Siegel will be participating in an all-day program on January 24^th in Singapore.  The program is organized by Lexis/Nexis Singapore and focuses on charity governance and accounting.  Jack was originally asked to be the conference’s keynote speaker, but...

JACK SIEGEL TO DELIVER KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT NAAG/NASCO 2007 CHARITABLE TRUSTS AND SOLICITATIONS CONFERENCE

DATELINE, October 12, 2007, Chicago.

We are pleased to announce that our very own Jack Siegel will be delivering the keynote address at this year's public session of the National Association of Attorneys General/ National Association of State Charity Officials conference on Monday October 15, 2007.  Jack is honored by the opportunity.  His speech is entitled Bringing It All Back Home: Notable Developments in the Nonprofit Sector During the Last Year or So.  He will talk about recent trends in restricted giving, proposed governance reforms and problems that they might cause charities, the Maddox Foundation settlement, the need for financial controls, the problems charities have collecting pledges, the need for guidance when it comes to state charity registration requirements, lessons from the Form 990 revisions, and a number of other topics.

The conference is being held in Denver, Colorado this year.  It looks like the public session will be an exciting one, with regulators, lawyers, and others providing insights into the sector.  Hope to see you there.