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Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Group Denied Grant Money Over Antiprostitution Pledge

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that the U.S. government can deny grant funds to a nonprofit AIDS group that will not sign a pledge rejecting prostitution and sex trafficking. The group, DKT International Inc., provides family planning and HIV/AIDS prevention programs in foreign countries. This decision overturns the lower court ruling that the groups' free speech rights would be violated in linking the funding to a pledge upholding a government policy. The group works in an area where prostitution is a reality, and works to help stop the spread of AIDS by distributing condoms to prostitutes. The court disagreed with the argument that denying funds to this group violates their free speech rights, a penalty too harsh for not wanting to be publicly associated with a U.S. government policy. According to the court decision:

The Act does not compel DKT to advocate the government's position on prostitution and sex trafficking; it requires only that if DKT wishes to receive funds it must communicate the message the government chooses to fund. This does not violate the First Amendment.

The AP story can be read here.

Posted by Amanda Adams, 05:29:39 PM

Monday, February 12, 2007

Will High Speed Internet be Available for Your Group?

The Communications Workers of America have launched a program advocating for a national strategy to make high speed Internet service universally available. Here's what they say about why this issue is important:

We are falling behind because the United States is the only industrialized country without a national policy to promote high speed broadband. Instead, we have relied on a hodge-podge of fragmented government programs and uneven private sector responses to changing markets.
It is now time for the United States to adopt a comprehensive national high speed broadband policy to ensure that we all benefit from the telecommunications and information revolution

The project Speed Matters has an online test that allows you to test your own Internet speed. To take the test click here.

Posted by Kay Guinane, 09:03:01 AM

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Bush's Proposed Budget And Charities

The Chronicle on Philanthropy ($$) outlines how President Bush's budget request will affect nonprofits, charities, and foundations. While it proposes a permanent extension of the law that encourages older Americans to give money in their retirement accounts to charity, it would also cut many of the federal programs charities rely on. Encouraging giving to charity from a retirement account is no guarantee replacement for some of the federal programs that could be cut, almost nullifying the retirement account incentive. More Americans would have to rely on assistance from charities that are also struggling to find funds. The article also goes into some of the other tax proposals affecting charities, foundations, and donors.

However, many charities that count on federal aid would be harmed by President Bush's budget. For example, the administration proposed a $2.4-billion reduction in spending on community and regional development grants, which cities and states distribute to nonprofit organizations, and he would reduce spending on the Medicare and Medicaid, federal health care programs for the elderly and the poor, by $101.5-billion over the next five years.

Posted by Amanda Adams, 01:09:56 PM

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