Here's Why Jewish Charitable Giving to Israel Is Losing Ground

American Jews donate at high levels to charity. One way they support causes in the U.S., Israel and other places is collective, often through large grant-making organizations.

In researching this organized philanthropy, I’ve observed that the proportion of Jewish institutional giving to Israeli causes has fallen since 2009. I believe that several factors, including demographic and social changes, a diminishing perception of

These 10 Countries Have Pledged $2.3 Billion to Fight Climate Change. The US Isn't One of Them.

Poorer countries typically get the rough end of global warming: Not only are they more likely to feel the brunt of its impacts—like rising sea levels or increased extreme weather—they also don't have enough money to face the problem. This split between the rich and poor has become a major source of frustration in the global fight against climate change. Put simply, some poorer countries say they are being asked to give up the rapid, fossil-fuel-powered development the rest of the world enjoyed while simultaneously being hit with the costs of a problem they didn't create.

Secret $700,000 Donation Has Scott Walker Scrambling to Address ‘Appearance of Corruption’

When Gogebic Taconite LLC began moving in November 2010—the same month Scott Walker was elected governor of Wisconsin—to develop an open-pit iron mine in one of the most environmentally sensitive regions of northern Wisconsin, the Florida-based mining firm got a lot of pushback. Residents of the region objected, along with Native American tribes. So, too, did citizens from across Wisconsin, a state that has long treasured the wild beauty of the Penokee Range. Environmental and conservation groups voiced their concerns, as did local and state officials from across the political spectrum.

Scott Walker Approves Obscure Tax Break For Furniture Company, Quickly Collects Large Campaign Donation

Less than a month after voting to give a Wisconsin furniture company a $6 million tax creditthat allows it to lay off half its in-state workforce, Gov. Scott Walker (R) received $20,000 in campaign donations from the company’s leadership, a newspaper in the state reports.

Ashley Furniture won the credit from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) in January on a 9-2 vote. As WEDC Chairman, Walker was one of the 9 votes in favor. Then in February his campaign received four $5,000 donations from company founder Ronald Wanek, current CEO Todd Wanek, and their respective spouses, the Wisconsin State Journal reports.

Donors Who Lavish Money on Elite Institutions Only Exacerbate the Wealth Gap

Most Americans probably think a major goal of philanthropy is to fight poverty. But a closer look reveals that giving by foundations and philanthropists exacerbates wealth inequality in the United States.

Who Gives The Most To Political Parties? Dead People

OTTAWA — Generous New Democrats have been giving the NDP a lot of money in their wills, but that practice is about to come to an end with the Conservatives’ Fair Elections Act.

A review of Elections Canada’s records of contributions to political parties shows posthumous donations count for the largest gifts political parties receive – a total of $867,864.75 from the estates of 30 people between 2007 and 2012. But the gifts are not evenly distributed.

Finally, A List Of All The Center For American Progress' 2013 Corporate Donors

WASHINGTON -- The Center for American Progress has for years faced a tension between its call for campaign finance transparency and its unwillingness to disclose its own donors. CAP, a liberal nonprofit with an advocacy arm, has company in Washington when it comes to opaque funding -- a phenomenon that gained attention last week when Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) demanded that banks disclose financial contributions to Washington think tanks that often act effectively as lobbyists without being required to register as such.

Conservative Party loses almost 10,000 donors since January, opposition MPs say it's because of Senate expense scandal

PARLIAMENT HILL—The Conservatives lost almost 10,000 donors since the beginning of the year which indicates the Senate expenses scandal is hitting the party negatively, say opposition MPs.

NDP MP Pat Martin (Winnipeg Centre, Man.), chair of the House Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Committee where NDP and Liberal MPs are attempting to force a review into the government’s management of emails related to Wright-Duffy affair that temporarily disappeared, said the drop in Conservative donations is “the best and most graphic illustration that their base really, really hates this … stuff.”

Kenney donors in apparent breach of limits on political contributions

OTTAWA — Toronto-area donors who last year made $1,000 contributions to Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney’s Calgary riding association had also given the same amounts to another Conservative MP’s association, in apparent breach of the legal limits on political contributions.

Six donors who contributed at a private fundraiser held for Kenney in Scarborough last fall had earlier made $1,000 donations to the Conservative riding association in Oak Ridges–Markham, the riding held by the prime minister’s parliamentary secretary, Paul Calandra. The Elections Act limits individual contributions to electoral district associations to $1,200 in a single calendar year.

Tory Senate leader received large donations from 17 members of same family

OTTAWA — Before he was appointed to the Upper Chamber, the Conservative Party’s new leader in the Senate received political donations from 17 members of the same extended family as well as contributions from a key witness before the Charbonneau commission on Quebec political corruption.

Claude Carignan, the former mayor of the Montreal suburb of Saint-Eustache, was made government Senate leader this summer, replacing Sen. Marjory LeBreton as the Conservatives moved to stem the damage from the expense scandal.

Corporations fill Liberal coffers

The top donors to the B.C. Liberal Party in the past decade are a well-heeled corporate coterie.

The top 20, which gave nearly $10 million to the Liberals from 2005 to 2012, include a who’s who of the mining, forestry, retail investment and building sectors, according to a detailed database constructed by The Vancouver Sun from Elections BC information. There’s also representation from resource sector suppliers, the oil and gas sector and the auto sales sector.

It’s time to ban corporate donations from city politics

Political skulduggery is a hot topic in Montreal these days. This incredible imbroglio shows us that mixing business with politics is fraught with danger. All the more reason why the City of Ottawa should take every step it can to separate the pecuniary interests of corporations and unions from our elected officials who make decisions for the public good. What I am talking about is banning corporate and union donations from municipal politics.

This is not merely an academic question. Six unions, nine associations and 174 corporations donated $134,335 to help Jim Watson become mayor. Larry O’Brien’s campaign took in $52,512 from one association and 89 corporate supporters in a losing effort.

Elections Alberta Illegal Donations: Towns, Counties, Schools Fined For Illegally Donating To PCs

EDMONTON - Critics say thousands of dollars in illegal donations from towns, cities and schools to Alberta Premier Alison Redford's party are proof of institutionalized political corruption and kickbacks.

"This is a system that has been established in order to shake down public institutions and have taxpayers' money flow to the Progressive Conservative party," NDP Leader Brian Mason said after 45 cases of illegal contributions were released Thursday.

When can Peter Penashue speak for himself?

The federal intergovernmental affairs minister sits in the front row of the government's benches in the Commons, not far from the Speaker.

And that's what the Conservatives' Peter Penashue does. He sits, even as questions mount about overspending in his 2011 election campaign.

New Democrat Charlie Angus demanded to know how the minister ''blew past the legal spending limits'' in 2011 by failing to disclose $18,000 in flights to communities in the sprawling Labrador riding.

Liberal leader Bob Rae accused the first-time MP, the first Innu elected from Labrador, of ''buying the seat,'' and he has demanded an investigation by Elections Canada.

Records May Suggest Corporate Donation To Tory MP Penashue

Records obtained by CBC News appear to indicate the campaign of federal Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Peter Penashue deposited a single cheque from a company in the riding, but wrote separate receipts to the board members for the donation.

Corporate donations are illegal in Canada. It's also illegal to contribute indirectly, by going through another person to make a donation.

Fair or not, Opposition targets Katz donation(s) as symbol of Tory sleaze

The Wildrose Party strategy for defeating the Progressive Conservative government of Premier Alison Redford when the next election rolls around in 2016 is a variation of the right-wing party's plan when it came close to winning earlier this year: paint the PCs as corrupt and themselves as the only viable uncorrupted alternative.

As a result, we can expect to see a lot more implications and inferences in the Legislature's Question Period like the attack Monday by Opposition Leader Danielle Smith on Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz's ability to perform his duties on the board of the Alberta Investment Management Co., which invests the province's public service pension funds and other huge pools of money.

Opposition demands Tories return donations from fugitive businessman

OTTAWA – The Conservative Party didn’t respond Friday to opposition demands that it return thousands of dollars in donations it has received from fugitive businessman Nathan Jacobson.

For the second week in a row, Conservative MPs declined to answer questions from the Liberals about the money from Jacobson, who pleaded guilty to money-laundering connected to an illegal online pharmacy in San Diego in 2008.

Jacobson was released by American authorities and the plea deal was sealed, after which he became active in Canadian philanthropic and Conservative political circles, sponsoring charity events and becoming close to Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.

Mayor Rob Ford ponders losing his job in conflict of interest case

Famously combative Mayor Rob Ford sounds resigned to the possibility he might be kicked out of office over a conflict-of-interest allegation a lawyer says is consistent with past actions “as if the rules do not apply to him.”

Appearing on Newstalk 1010 on Tuesday, Ford noted he will be grilled on the witness stand next Wednesday by renowned lawyer Clayton Ruby.

A lawsuit accuses Ford of breaking provincial law in February by speaking and voting on whether he should have to pay back $3,150 in donations to his football foundation from lobbyists and a corporation.

Elections Canada investigating claims workers at company owned by Del Mastro's cousin were reimbursed for donations to MP's campaign

Elections Canada is now investigating allegations that donors who contributed about $20,000 to Peterborough MP Dean Del Mastro’s 2008 re-election campaign were reimbursed by a company owned by the MP’s cousin.

About 20 people who either worked for Deltro Electric in Mississauga or are relatives of someone who worked for the company at the time each donated $1,000 to Del Mastro’s campaign and it is alleged that the company gave them $1,050 for making the donations.

Cabinet ministers didn’t know supporter was guilty of money-laundering

OTTAWA – A Canadian businessman who pleaded guilty to money-laundering in San Diego in 2008 was able to hob-nob with Canadian politicians for four years because American authorities kept his file sealed while he helped with their investigation into an illegal online pharmacy.

Nathan Jacobson, a Winnipeg businessman who struck it rich in Russia in the 1990s, rubbed elbows frequently with Canadian politicians, including Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, because they had no idea he faced legal trouble in the United States.