Charities

August 17th Webinar: "Domestic and International Charitable Giving"

Muslim Advocates is hosting the second in its series of free Ramadan webinars to provide guidance on charitable giving for members of the American Muslim community. At a time when there are many questions about fulfilling religious and civic obligations toward charity while avoiding government scrutiny, this webinar will discuss practical tips that will ensure your giving this Ramadan is in line with best practices.

Have questions about your charitable donations this Ramadan? Join a Free Webinar on Aug. 17th.

On Wednesday, August 17, at 2:00 p.m. Pacific / 5:00 p.m. Eastern, Muslim Advocates will host a special webinar/conference call for members of the American Muslim community on the topic of domestic and international charitable giving. This one-hour event will feature Marcus Owens, a well-respected tax lawyer and former head of the IRS Exempt Organizations Division. The session will offer ample opportunity for attendees to ask questions about selecting reputable and effective charitable organizations and steps to ensure that donations go to the charitable causes for which they are intended.

If you are interested in attending, please register here call (415) 692-4931. Please RSVP as soon as possible as space is limited and filling up fast. This webinar is free of charge and open to all.

Please forward this e-mail to your communities, friends and family. Help them get access to the tools and information they need to do good and comply with the law this Ramadan.

Webinar: "Domestic and International Charitable Giving"
Date: Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Time: 2:00 PM PST / 5:00 PM EST

REGISTER TODAY to learn more about this important issue and what you can do to ensure that the religious and civic obligation of charity is protected. Call-in and log-in information will be emailed to you the day prior to the webinar.

Muslim Advocates Charities Counsel Offers Guidance on Conveying Charity Accountability and Confidence

Muslim Advocates Counsel Mohamed Sabur authored a May 30 piece on the blog altmuslim on the ways in which nonprofits and charities can provide accountability to donors and those interested in learning more about the organization.

More....

Ohio-Area Organizations Benefit from Free Educational Seminar

Muslim Advocates, the lslamic Center of Greater Cincinnati and the Ohio Muslim Bar Association welcomed more than 50 representatives of mosques, Muslim nonprofits and community-based organizations in the Tri-State (OH-KY-IN) area to a free legal and financial seminar at the ICGC Educational Center, on Saturday, September 25th.

Community leaders from Cincinnati, Lexington and Columbus community leaders had their questions answered by respected, national experts in law, accounting, nonprofit governance, and financial matters. Regional mosque leadership were well-represented.

Attendee Dr. Inayat Malik, of ICGC, called the seminar "...a must for any individual associated with a Muslim charitable educational or religious organization."

More than 40 Muslim, Arab, Sikh, South Asian Charities to Pres. Obama: Help Local Communities & Counter Extremists' Aid by Reforming Federal Charity Laws

(WASHINGTON, DC) August 11, 2010--In a letter sent today--the first day of Ramadan--to President Barack Obama, the national civil rights organization Muslim Advocates, and 42 other national and local American Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South Asian charities and civic organizations expressed their concerns that current federal charitable giving laws & regulations are creating an untenable situation for Americans who wish to help their neighbors here and disaster victims overseas, in nations like Pakistan. These laws instill fear in would-be donors and dissuade them from giving. Restricting donors' ability to give charity abroad may also undermine American efforts to promote itself as a kind and generous nation in parts of the world where its reputation is most in jeopardy.

Muslim Advocates believes that the President and Congress should reform current charitable giving laws and make lawful, generous donations from American Muslims more possible at home and abroad. With so many state and local governments suffering severe budget cutbacks, communities are counting on local charities to fill the gap these days. American Muslim charities--like other faith-based organizations--help fulfill this role, but only if donors can give without fear of federal scrutiny.

Read the full press release.
Read the charities' letter to President Obama