Tag Archive for David Billet

Insight Not Accuracy: Why The New York Times is Important

A recent New York Times’ article attacked American charities that help build communities in Israel’s West Bank and IRS policy that enables donations to these organizations to be tax-deductable. As with any piece about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, many people have been quick to attack or defend the veracity of the article.

To nonprofit organizations, the value of the article is not the accuracy of the authors’ claims, but rather the article’s insight into current concerns and trends influencing the nonprofit sector. These can serve as warnings and guidelines to US charities that operate internationally.

Nonprofits' War of Independence

America has a long history of positive social change affected through the initiatives of private individuals and foundations. These nongovernmental institutions have been succesful because of their greatest weapon, independence. An article that was recently forwarded to me in The Commentary Magazine entitled, “The War on Philanthropy”, by David Billet, argues that this autonomy is under fire.