Incredibly relevant and timely information. I’m not someone who has ever worked for a not-for-profit but this newsletter has educated me about what works and what does not work. I used to think the articles were overly-critical but I now realize that the intention is to help Muslim consumers best understand what orgs handle money properly, and what orgs can do to best serve the people they want to help. The Palestinians community and the Muslim community in general is under fire so it is best we close ranks.
Whatever tactical decisions specific Muslim organizations should make, the erosion of the Establishment Clause in the United States has lead to tax-evading subsidies for all kinds of "non-profit" behavior that is either political advocacy or profit-generating.
The United States should eliminate "religion" or "church" as a consideration in non-profits, with perhaps the most limited exceptions such as bona-fide ministerial excpetions (not the "janitor is a minister" claims designed to limit workers' rights).
In the long-run, perhaps the United States should eliminate tax deductions for donations to all organizations.
If I were writing tax policy I would eliminate the income tax charitable deduction completely, for all nonprofits religious and secular. I would severely restrict the estate and gift tax charitable deduction to (not a professorship at Stanford). Secular and religious nonprofits don’t need tax benefits if they provide adequate value.
Anyway I have a lot more to say about that, but that would be a different substack.
Incredibly relevant and timely information. I’m not someone who has ever worked for a not-for-profit but this newsletter has educated me about what works and what does not work. I used to think the articles were overly-critical but I now realize that the intention is to help Muslim consumers best understand what orgs handle money properly, and what orgs can do to best serve the people they want to help. The Palestinians community and the Muslim community in general is under fire so it is best we close ranks.
Well done, Ahmed.
Whatever tactical decisions specific Muslim organizations should make, the erosion of the Establishment Clause in the United States has lead to tax-evading subsidies for all kinds of "non-profit" behavior that is either political advocacy or profit-generating.
The United States should eliminate "religion" or "church" as a consideration in non-profits, with perhaps the most limited exceptions such as bona-fide ministerial excpetions (not the "janitor is a minister" claims designed to limit workers' rights).
In the long-run, perhaps the United States should eliminate tax deductions for donations to all organizations.
If I were writing tax policy I would eliminate the income tax charitable deduction completely, for all nonprofits religious and secular. I would severely restrict the estate and gift tax charitable deduction to (not a professorship at Stanford). Secular and religious nonprofits don’t need tax benefits if they provide adequate value.
Anyway I have a lot more to say about that, but that would be a different substack.