Urban Institute: Governing

When Health Reform Violates Standards of Equal Justice : The Government We Deserve

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Many families with moderate earnings pay 20 percent or more of their income for health insurance. By Congressional Budget Office estimates, a family making $54,000 a year can expect a moderate-cost insurance policy to cost about $14,700 in 2016. True, employers often contribute a big chunk of the total. But most economists believe that the family really pays by accepting lower cash wages.

Policy Polymath Eugene Steuerle Returns to the Urban Institute

paffairs@urban.org ( The Urban Institute ) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

Eugene Steuerle, one of the nation's most respected public policy experts, whose portfolio ranges from taxes and federal spending on children to entitlements and the vitality of nonprofits, has rejoined the Urban Institute as an Institute fellow and the Richard B. Fisher

Evaluation Matters : Lessons from Youth-Serving Organizations

paffairs@urban.org ( Mary Kopczynski Winkler, Brett Theodos, Michel Grosz ) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

Nonprofits face growing demands to demonstrate their impact. Their ability to report on program performance is essential to organizational legitimacy and financial survival. This report chronicles the evaluation experiences of four youth-serving nonprofits that participated in the East of the River Initiative, a multi-year effort to increase the capacity of agencies to assess their performance. We detail key successes and challenges with the goal of sparking a dialogue between nonprofits, funders, and technical assistance providers about the proper value of evaluation in the sector.

Central Louisiana in Focus

paffairs@urban.org ( Katie L. Roeger, Carol J. De Vita ) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

This series of fact sheets provides a quick overview of the nonprofit sector in each of the nine parishes that comprise Central Louisiana Allen, Avoyelles, Catahoula, Grant, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Rapides, Vernon, and Winn. Each fact sheet provides information on the number of nonprofits and congregations found in the parish; the types of services offered; basic financial measures, such as total revenues, expenses, assets, and liabilities; sources of revenue; and a measure of fiscal health. The fact sheets also include basic demographic information for the parish, such as total population, median age, race-ethnic composition and median household income. A companion report, A Profile of Nonprofit Organizations in Central Louisiana, provides a detailed analysis of the size, scope, fiscal health, and other dimensions of the sector.

A Profile of Nonprofit Organizations in Central Louisiana

paffairs@urban.org ( Carol J. De Vita ) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

Nonprofit organizations in Central Louisiana are an integral part of community life, helping people in need and providing cultural and civic opportunities to local residents. Yet most people have only a vague idea of the number and types of nonprofits in the region or the financial resources needed to support and sustain this work. This report is a comprehensive study of Central Louisiana's nonprofit sector. It examines the size, scope, and financial underpinning of the sector, and explores the extent to which nonprofits and religious congregations collaborate with each other and with other groups. It also reports the challenges that nonprofit and faith-based leaders see as critical to the region. A companion report, Central Louisiana in Focus, provides a statistical fact sheet for each of the nine parishes in the region.

Cultural Development and City Neighborhoods

paffairs@urban.org ( Carole E. Rosenstein ) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

Cities around the world are building urban cultural life as a way to develop local economies and revitalize urban centers. But they have done less to recognize and systematically promote the cultural lives of urban neighborhoods and their residents. This brief examines four characteristics of city cultural policy that affect cultural development and cultural life in neighborhoods. The brief is informed by policy forums held by The Living Cultures Project in New Orleans in 2008-2009 to address key policy issues confronting neighborhood and cultural life.

"Sticks" or Mandates to Buy Health Insurance: Is Health Reform Possible Without Them?

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EST

In a letter to top Senate Democrats, President Obama recently stated that he was open to the "principle of shared responsibilitymaking every American responsible for having health insurance coverage, and asking that employers share in the costs." This sounds very much like support for what are sometimes labeled individual and employer "mandates," though in the Presidential campaign he opposed requiring adults to buy insurance, except for their children. Done the right way, "mandates" could increase dramatically the numbers of those insured, while helping drive down the rate of increase in health care costs. Done the wrong way, they can be unenforceable or drive up the number of unemployed. The Senate Finance Committee increasingly has been turning to mandates as part of a package of health reform.

Why CBO Won't Credit Congress for Reducing Health Costs

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST

Again and again, health reformers believe they have identified ways to save money through more efficient delivery of care. So why can't we count on those savings to budget the coming expansion of health care for Americans or lower cost growth?

Political Claims Get a Reality Check in "Policy and Evidence in a Partisan Age"

paffairs@urban.org ( The Urban Institute ) — Thu, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 EST

In Policy and Evidence in a Partisan Age: The Great Disconnect, Paul Gary Wyckoff presents an accessible, compact, and iconoclastic exploration of the paradox between the exaggerated claims made for public policies and the reality of their limited effectiveness.

The Psychology of Health Reform

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 EST

If we are to achieve health reformthat is, affordable, sustainable, and constantly improving health care available to allwe need to start looking as much to the psychology of the issue as to the economics and politics.

Transformational? Not Yet.

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EST

Pundits and press alike are declaring President Obama's budget "transformational." ... Administration insiders are more careful with their claims, knowing that the hard work remains to be done.

Systems to Improve the Management of City-Owned Land in Baltimore

paffairs@urban.org ( William Ballard, G. Thomas Kingsley ) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EST

Baltimore participated in a 2004 National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP) pilot project to enhance local capacity to manage land markets through innovative use of parcel-level information. The city already had a program in place to acquire and re-market abandoned properties. The NNIP project focused on helping officials use the program-generated property information for more effective land management. New information systems were created to manage the complex business rules, to store the property data, and to provide staff with desktop access to information. An integrated disposition system reduced staff time, improved performance, and enhanced the city's service to its business partners.

Is a "C" Grade Good Enough for Government?

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

"If you're depressed when Congress fails to get an 'A' on legislation, you should never work for government. Getting from an 'F' to a 'C' must be fulfillment enough." That's the advice I got many years ago at the Treasury Department from Jim Wetzler, who worked for the tax-writing committees of Congress, later became Commissioner of Taxation and Finance for the State of New York, and most recently was on an Obama transition team that reviewed the Treasury Department.

Tax-Law Expert Demystifies the 100-Year-Old Corporate Tax

paffairs@urban.org ( The Urban Institute ) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

The U.S. corporate tax has been in effect longer than the current individual income tax but it has only rarely changed significantly since its 1909 inception. Daniel N. Shaviro, in the new book Decoding the U.S. Corporate Tax, outlines longstanding imperfections in the tax code and describes difficulties in applying corporate tax laws now that financial instruments are so complex and capital flows are worldwide. Shaviro also explains how political and economic realities are likely to frustrate much-needed changes to the tax code.

Big, Small or Working Government

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

In his inaugural speech, President Obama attempted to move beyond the partisan divide over size of government, claiming that his tenure would be mainly devoted to making government work. Some might view this statement simply as a political appeal to moderates in both partiesechoing President Clinton's 1996 election year claim that "the era of big government is over." Others more cynically might view it as a ploy to get around the dilemma that plagues almost every winning candidate when campaign promises for both tax cuts and spending increases face the reality of governing.

Unwinding the Stimulus Package

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

Now that the United States has discovered that it was easier to fall into a recession than to climb out of one, the Obama administration needs to learn an equally urgent lesson. Timeliness is important not just for getting into, but also backing out of, an economic stimulus package.

The Role of Faith-based and Community Organizations in Providing Relief and Recovery Services after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

paffairs@urban.org ( Carol J. De Vita, Fredrica D. Kramer ) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

This research brief examines the relief and recovery services provided by faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) in the Gulf Coast region after hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. The study included a telephone survey of 202 FBCOs that provided services and in-depth case studies of eight organizations. The brief explores how FBCOs functioned during this time-i.e., what they did, who they served, and with whom they collaborated-and offers lessons learned for planning for future disasters. The brief summarizes the findings from the full report "The Role of Faith-Based and Community Organizations in Post-Hurricane Human Service Relief Efforts," available at http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=1001245.

The Role of Faith-Based and Community Organizations in Post-Hurricane Human Services Relief Efforts

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

The events surrounding hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 produced one of the largest disaster responses by nongovernmental, charitable organizations, including both faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs). This report is based on a telephone survey of 202 FBCOs that provided disaster-related human services and in-depth, field-based case studies of eight organizational responses after the hurricanes. The survey findings address what types of services were provided, to whom, and the collaborations used by FBCOs to deliver services. The case studies explore what motivated the response in 2005 and suggest how such efforts might connect with the larger disaster response and human service delivery systems to provide needed services in future disasters (For more information, contact Principal Investigators Carol J. De Vita and Fredrica D. Kramer).

Experiment to Get Best Stimulus Results

paffairs@urban.org ( Leonard E. Burman ) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

What will work best to stimulate the nation out of recession? Look to the states, saysLen Burmanin a commentary for public radio's Marketplace program.

Boundaries Between Nonprofits and Business Are Increasingly Blurred, Scholars Say

paffairs@urban.org ( The Urban Institute ) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

Nonprofits and businesses interact in more and newer ways every year as powerful economic and social forces change. Nonprofits adopt more business-like practices, corporations support nonprofits through cause-related marketing, and social entrepreneurs create private businesses to achieve social goals. Nonprofits and Business, a new Urban Institute Press book, explores these and many other ways the two sectors collaborate, compete, and clash.

"Investment" and Obama's First Budget

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

President-elect Obama's chief in-house economic advisor Larry Summers suggests in a recent Washington Post piece that the new Administration will put a lot of effort into addressing long-term growth challenges, not just short-term policies that generate consumer spending. How? Through "investments." To make sure we get the point, Summers uses that word or some variation 12 times.

The Breadth of Brokenness

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:00:00 EST

The breakdown in the financial markets, our huge budgetary mess, and multiple government scandals have only highlighted the depth of our government's problems. Recently, I noted that the required governmental reforms are so extensive that President Obama will find it difficult to succeed by taking one-off approaches to each of the nation's problems rather than addressing them in a more unified way. Here I strengthen my case by turning from the depth to the breadth of brokenness of government.

Legislating-for-Results Municipal Action Guides

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 EST

The Urban Institute and National League of Cities developed this series of 10 guides for city and county elected officials, and their staffs, to help them obtain and use information about the results of their governments' services in helping their citizens. The Guides address such issues as: improving strategic planning; improving budgeting decisions; reviewing programs throughout the year; helping motivate their government's employees and contractors; and two-way communications with citizens on what citizens are getting for their money. Specific actions are suggested, and examples are provided.

Broken Government

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:00:00 EST

The Obama Administration faces not one but several dilemmas. First is the huge issue of preventing the current downturn from turning into a very deep and long-lasting worldwide recession. State governors are running to Washington for help with their own budget crises, while Democratic supporters are clamoring for the spending increases and tax cuts they were promised during the campaign. Unfortunately, the long-term federal budget is so unbalanced that even if the nation were experiencing good times, able to avoid more tax cuts or spending increases, and in a position to enact the types of budget reforms that President Clinton did in 1993, it would still be way behind the fiscal eight-ball.

Governing for Results: Improving Federal Government Performance and Accountability : Suggestions for the New Federal Administration

paffairs@urban.org ( Harry P. Hatry ) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:00:00 EST

Providing the best possible government services to our citizens requires accountability and effective measurement of performance. It's been 15 years since Congress passed the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, which requires each federal agency to develop strategic plans, annual performance plans, and performance reports. The time is right to review the performance improvement process so the new administration can build on, and exceed, previous results.

The President's First Step

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 EST

At last the election is over. Yet there is no rest for the weary. Not two hours passed before President-elect Obama was being called upon to act. Many demand that he immediately propose reforms to their favorite programs, especially those he supported during the campaign. Yet the most dangerous thing he can do at this point is to jump into making individual, one-off policy decisions, especially before hes got a full budget picture of how everything adds togethernot just for this year, but for the eight years he hopes to be President.

Joe Plumbs Press Predilections

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EST

Poor Joe the Plumber. His fame has been established, but at what cost? Steve Weisman, a former New York Times reporter and colleague of mine, predicted that within an hour of that fateful presidential debate, Joe would find hundreds of press people camped on his lawn.

SVORI Evaluates the Effectiveness of Re-Entry Programs

paffairs@urban.org ( Laura Winterfield ) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EST

Funded by the Departments of Justice, Labor, Education, Housing and Urban Development, and Health and Human Services, the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI) supports innovative reentry programs at the state and community level. As part of this effort, the National Institute of Justice is funding a five-year evaluation of SVORI programs conducted by RTI International and the Urban Institute. This article, published in the August 2006 issue of the Probation and Pretrial Services System Newsletter, outlines the research questions to be addressed by the evaluation as well as the methodologies employed- implementation assessment, impact evaluation, and cost-benefit analysis.

Pre-release Characteristics and Service Receipt among Adult Male Participants in the SVORI Multi-site Evaluation

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EST

This report presents findings from the Multi-site Evaluation of the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI). The results of our initial in-prison interviews with SVORI participants and comparison respondents are included, in addition to an overview of the SVORI programs observed. The report describes the characteristics of the adult male prisoners we interviewed, the services they reported needing, and the services they reported receiving prior to release. Overall, SVORI participants reported receiving more services of a variety of types than members of the comparison group, although there was considerable variation in the levels of services among the sites.

The Third Fiscal Turning

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EST

To do what must be done for the nation, and then to finance it. At its core, that's what government fiscal policy is all about. A "fiscal turning" happens when the old ways of doing things obstruct vital government reforms, and new waysa new paradigmmust be found.

Release Planning for Successful Reentry : A Guide for Corrections, Service Providers, and Community Groups

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EST

This report is designed to help the corrections community, service providers and community groups prepare prisoners for the moment of release from prison and the time immediately following release. It describes the eight most basic and immediate needs returning prisoners have when they exit prison, recommends minimum policies practitioners can institute to meet these needs, and highlights the opportunities and challenges practitioners face when trying to improve their release planning policies. The report also uses the results of a UI survey of 43 departments of corrections to illustrate what release planning procedures are currently being implemented across the country.

Modernizing Social Security

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST

Certainly one important question raised about Social Security today is how to balance its finances. But it's only one question. Social Security exists-or should exist-to serve people, and lately it's been doing only a so-so job on that front.

Food Stamps, Federalism, and Working Families

paffairs@urban.org ( Kenneth Finegold ) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST

Food stamp benefits can provide an important supplement to the income of working families (families with children under 18 and earnings), who now make up nearly 40 percent of program participants. States can take advantage of Food Stamp Program policy options that increase eligibility and benefits. Seven policy options are particularly important for working families: more liberal vehicle rules, expanded categorical eligibility, transitional benefits for families leaving cash assistance, outreach, longer certification periods, reduced reporting requirements, and waivers of the required face-to-face interviews at recertification.

Are Independents Accruing Political Power?

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST

In the run-up to the presidential election, the number of voters who call themselves independent is swelling. Both Barack Obama and John McCain can trace their primary victories largely to independents. At the same time, millions of Republicans and Democrats crossed over to vote in the other party's primary. Doubtless, the presidential election will swing on these voters.

An Issue of Democracy

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST

I know. It's campaign time. Time for our politicians to promise us more and more. Of course, it is always someone else who will pick up the tab. Increasingly it is the young who are not only asked to pay more for others and get less for themselves, but who are being denied their fundamental democratic rights to share equally in deciding just what type of government we should have.

A Better Way to Deal With the Leadership Crisis

paffairs@urban.org ( Francie Ostrower ) — Fri, 30 May 2008 00:00:00 EST

Too few boards are doing a good job of helping nonprofit grops carry out their missions, explains Francie Ostrower in this Chronicle of Philanthropy commentary. They need to be more active in fund raising, monitoring programs, community relations, educating the public, and monitoring the board's own performance.

Community-Based Nonprofits Serving Ethnic Populations in the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area

paffairs@urban.org ( Carol J. De Vita, Alicia Lee ) — Thu, 22 May 2008 00:00:00 EST

This brief profiles community-based nonprofits in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area that are helping newcomers adjust to their new social and political environment, while affirming their cultural identities. The brief focuses on nonprofit groups that serve Asian, Middle Eastern and African populations and examines the characteristics of these organizations in terms of their number, size, location, and scope of activities. The findings provide a unique picture of the community-based resources that are helping immigrants incorporate into American life.

Civil Society Structures Serving Latinos in the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area

paffairs@urban.org ( Guillermo Cantor, Carol J. De Vita ) — Thu, 22 May 2008 00:00:00 EST

Over the past decade the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area has become increasingly diverse, driven in large part by the growth of the Latino population. By 2006, almost 610,000 Latinos lived in the region. Today's immigrants, like those before them, contribute to the development of civil society organizations and rely on them for services and activities. Yet little is known about these organizations and the ways they help newcomers build and engage in civil society. This brief provides an overview of nonprofits and religious congregations in the Washington, D.C. region that focus on providing services and support to the Latino population.

Child Care Voucher Programs: Provider Experiences in Five Counties

paffairs@urban.org ( Gina Adams, Monica Rohacek, Kathleen Snyder ) — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 EST

Child care providers are a linchpin of the voucher subsidy system, yet little is known about how the system works for them. This comprehensive report examines the voucher experiences of child care centers and family child care homes in five counties in 200304. Using data from a survey of representative sample of providers and discussions with providers, caseworkers, and administrators, it examines provider experiences with key features of voucher systems and highlights policy strategies to help the system better meet their needs. It is part of the Urban Institutes Child Care Providers and the Child Care Voucher System project.

Child Care Centers, Child Care Vouchers, and Faith-Based Organizations

paffairs@urban.org ( Monica Rohacek, Gina Adams, Kathleen Snyder ) — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 EST

Faith-based providers are key in delivering child care services overall and for children receiving child care vouchers, though data are scarce in this area. Using data from a survey of a representative sample of centers and site visits in five counties in 2003-4, this report examines the role of faith-based organizations in center-based child care, the extent to which centers affiliated with faith-based organizations care for children receiving vouchers, and whether such providers face barriers to working with the voucher system. The paper is part of the Urban Institutes Child Care Providers and the Child Care Voucher System project.

Boards of Midsize Nonprofits: Their Needs and Challenges

paffairs@urban.org ( Francie Ostrower ) — Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 EST

Nonprofit boards are receiving increased attention from policymakers, media, researchers and the public. Yet most research, policy proposals, and best practice guidelines have been oriented toward large organizations. This brief helps fill a major gap in our understanding by focusing on governance among midsize nonprofits, identifying certain problem areas, and suggesting strategies that those engaged with midsize nonprofits may find helpful in strengthening their boards. The discussion uses data on the subset of 1,862 midsize organizations in our Urban Institute National Survey of Nonprofit Governance, the first national representative study of nonprofit governance.

"Disturbing Levels of CEO Dissatisfaction With Board Performance" at Midsize Nonprofits, Study Finds

paffairs@urban.org ( The Urban Institute ) — Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 EST

Most heads of midsize nonprofits give their trustees low marks for fundraising and monitoring board performance, an Urban Institute study of nonprofits with annual expenses between $500,000 and $5 million has found.

New Edition of Nonprofit Almanac Offers Detailed Portrait of an Expanding Sector

paffairs@urban.org ( The Urban Institute ) — Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 EST

The Nonprofit Almanac 2008, from the Urban Institute Press, offers data and facts charting the sectors recent evolution. The statistics-packed volume can help nonprofit managers, researchers, the press, and the public better understand changes in the sector and its economic role.

Filling the Credit Gap: The Role of the Small Business Administration

paffairs@urban.org ( Shelli B. Rossman, Brett Theodos ) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST

The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 to help Americans start and build small businesses. Recently, the SBA commissioned the Urban Institute to look at four of the agency's loan and investment programs to assess their past performance and consider how the agency can set benchmarks for future performance management. The studies addressed three key research questions of particular interest to SBA and its constituents: 1) Does SBA assistance help the firms that receive it? 2) To what extent does SBA assistance serve its market? 3) Do SBA programs duplicate or overlap with other public sector programs?

Restoring Fiscal Integrity to Medicaid Financing?

paffairs@urban.org ( Teresa A. Coughlin, Stephen Zuckerman, Joshua McFeeters ) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST

Using state survey data, researchers examined Medicaid supplemental payments, including disproportionate share hospital and upper payment limit payments in 2005 and changes in these payments between 2001 and 2005. The researchers found that states increased their use of general funds in financing Medicaid DSH payments while expanding the size and scope of other supplemental payments considerably. Although the federal government has made some headway in reforming state Medicaid financing in recent years, the paper concludes that problems persist and more work remains.

Thinking Long Term At the New Year

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST

In the policy world, elected officials often consider anything more than one year long term. Charles Rangel (D-NY), chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, likes to quip "I don't buy green bananas" when asked to comment on policies for 2010 or beyond. But consider the other end of the spectrum. Orthodox history traces civilization itself back only 5,000 or 6,000 years (e.g., Sumer, Persia, China, Egypt); even 3,000 years ago, few people led what we'd call civilized lives, despite the beginnings of kingships under King David or the Zhou dynasty in China or the advances of the Mayan civilization. From this perspective, most of us alive today will live through 1 percent or more of civilization. And while each year's changes may seem small or marginal, they compound profoundly over a lifetime.

The Office of the President

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST

My advice to presidential campaign staffers this season is simple: stop the pandering. Run first and foremost on the one fundamental issue that matters most to the publicthat you will restore the stature and integrity of the Office of President of the United States. In other words, treat as solemn and serious the oath that the Constitution requires every president to take.

Lecture Series Honoring Paul Offner Launched by University of Wisconsin and Urban Institute

paffairs@urban.org ( The Urban Institute ) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EST

Paul Offners legacy of applying good scholarship to public policy solutions, especially for societys disadvantaged, will be celebrated with a lecture series sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Madisons La Follette School of Public Affairs in partnership with the Washington, D.C.-based Urban Institute.

Blurring the Line Between Charities and Businesses

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EST

In this Washington Post commentary, senior fellow Eugene Steuerle argues that the increased collaboration and competition between businesses and nonprofits calls for a continuous reexamination of tax laws governing charitable giving and charitable status.

An Ever-More Charitable Society?

paffairs@urban.org ( C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EST

As time goes on, more conflicts seem to flair between charities and businesses, but collaboration is also occurring like never before. These new collaborations and conflicts, and consequent legislative attempts to ensure that charities really are "charitable," can be tricky. But before attempting to judge all these attractions and repulsions between the two sectors, let's hold our peace and ask what is fostering these new relationships in the first place.