Boston College

The charitable sector plays an essential role in American society. Yet many question whether the statutes and regulations governing the current system are adequately promoting the public good. The last time Congress addressed this issue was 46 years ago when it enacted the Tax Reform Act of 1969. Much has changed since. Last year Boston College Law School hosted a Convention on Promoting Meaningful Reform in Philanthropy, bringing together 31 of the country’s most distinguished experts in law and philanthropy to explore the adequacy of current policies. The Boston College Law School Forum on Philanthropy and the Public Good was created in the wake of that meeting as a time-limited think tank that will continue to convene the nation’s leading philanthropy experts to discuss matters of philanthropic policy. Topics will range from the role of Donor Advised Funds and University endowments; to the trade-offs between time-limited and perpetual foundations; to a Philanthropy Boot-Camp for Journalists, providing background on the field of philanthropy.

The Forum on Philanthropy and the Public Good was created at Boston College five years ago in recognition of the need for a forum to promote high-quality, non-partisan debate, research, and education on the most important policy issues facing the philanthropic and charitable sector today. By raising the level of sophistication of policy discussions and their timely expression, the Forum has played a leadership role in developing a full and fair airing of issues in connection with this inquiry. Given the Forum's work to create and disseminate knowledge about philanthropy, it fits within the Philanthropy Grantmaking Program's Knowledge for Better Philanthropy strategy.

The charitable sector plays an essential role in American society. Yet many question whether the statutes and regulations governing our current system are adequately promoting the public good. The last time Congress addressed this issue was 45 years ago when it enacted the Tax Reform Act of 1969. This legislation overhauled the rules governing philanthropy and played a significant role in shaping the current structure and activities of the charitable sector. A lot has changed in 45 years, and the problems of 1969 have been replaced with the problems of 2014, causing many to wonder whether the time has come for Congress to revisit the rules governing the charitable sector with the goal of creating a closer alignment with the public good. This grant would help bring together leading experts in philanthropy- -- including, legal scholars, economists, political scientists, historians and representatives from nonprofits and foundations -- at Boston College for a Convention on Promoting Meaningful Reform in Philanthropy.