Join FONSI for a day of innovation, collaboration and excellence on February 28, 2011 in Jaffa, Israel.

FONSI – Future of Nonprofit Summit – Israel is an organization that brings together some of the best professionals, innovators, lay leaders, organizations, brands, and other passionate people to explore tools and ideas to move the vital third sector forward.

ROI is pleased to offer a 200 NIS subsidy through a promotional password to ROI members interested in attending. If you are interested, please email Shoshana@roicommunity.org. Don't miss the early bird special, register by February 1^st, and pay only 150 NIS (instead of 350).

Featured speakers include: Adi Albala, Ariel Beery, Florence Broder, Dan Brown, Yuli (Yoel) Edelstein, David Gappel, Alan Hoffman, and Tova Serkin.

If you are in Israel, this is an event you don't want to miss. Email today for your promotional password.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation has announced that it will begin an effort to investigate the existing workplace policies for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees at Jewish nonprofit organizations. The work, an expansion of HRC’s workplace equality project, is supported by a generous lead grant from the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation and supporting grants from The Morningstar Foundation, Stuart S. Kurlander – a leader in several non-profit Jewish and Jewish LGBT community organizations – and an anonymous donor.

“The continued marginalization of LGBT Jews in some quarters is especially disheartening for those of us who believe in the power of a fully inclusive Jewish community that embraces every person as having equal and infinite merit,” said Lynn Schusterman, chair of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. “We hope that by creating this equality index, we can advance a process whereby LGBT Jews will be more welcomed and protected in the workplace and in Jewish community organizations, which will, in turn, create a more open, vibrant and diverse Jewish community.”

When grants or gifts cannot be made directly to a recipient (individual or organization) many times Fiscal Agents are used. These Intermediate charities are commonly referred to as Conduit Organizations because they are not the intended final recipient, rather just a pass-through.

With the right due diligence, control, and by-laws, this type of seemingly-indirect charity can be perfectly legal and advisable. (Please consult your lawyer to see if this solution is right for you or your organization.)

One such group that uses Conduits in this way are charities located outside of the United States (and, thus, not considered tax-exempt in the eyes of the IRS) that are looking to fundraise in America.

FSU Moishe Houses were opened in cities that have both a rich Jewish history as well as a growing community of young adults who have demonstrated a desire to build their own Jewish lives. The houses, which received support from the Genesis Philanthropy Group as well as other generous funders, provide Jewish young adults with an alternative to organizational Jewish life. For example, the houses have hosted literature nights where they read poetry by candlelight, Rosh Hashanah parties, and informal text studies where many of the participants read traditional Jewish texts for the first time in their lives.