The Daily Tell

President Barack Obama recently proposed fiscal year 2012's budget, revealing a limit to the number of charitable tax incentives that will be made available to those that fall within the highest tax brackets. He said he wants to limit itemized deductions to 28 percent for tax payers who are among the well-heeled, an idea that is similar to one he introduced in last year's budget.

"While it's absolutely essential to live within our means, while we are absolutely committed to working with Democrats and Republicans to find further savings and to look at the whole range of budget issues, we can't sacrifice our future in the process," Obama said, according to the New York Times.

"Even as we cut out things that we can afford to do without, we have a responsibility to invest in those areas that will have the biggest impact in our future – and that's especially true when it comes to education," he added.

The new fiscal year begins on October 1, with this proposal reducing the value of itemized deductions for those people who fall within the top tax bracket by 30 percent. The top tax bracket, which is currently at 35 percent, will rise to 39.6 percent in 2013 without further action to extend tax cuts for those who earn more than $250,000 annually.

Additionally, the budget will cut back on or eliminate more than 200 programs, while still investing in education, transportation and research – areas that the country must back, the president told students in Baltimore, the New York Times reports. It would also cut billions of dollars of funding from domestic programs during the next decade, many of which are strongly supported by Democrats.

President Obama said he would push to end tax breaks for those falling within this income range when they expire in two years. He will also attempt to reduce the exemptions in estate tax, which cuirrently allow couples to pass on estates valued at up to $10 million to heirs, tax-free, the Chronicle of Philanthropy reported.

The Massachusetts Democratic congressional delegation, including U.S. Representative Barney Frank, have voiced opposition to what is expected to be $350 million in cuts to the Community Service Block Grant. This will represent a cut of 50 percent, with the remaining funding available to programs only on a competitive basis, according to South Coast Today. The cuts are anticipated to be included in the president's budget proposal for the fiscal year 2012, which would begin October 12.

All 11 members of Massachusetts' Democratic congressional delegation have fought the proposed funding cuts and have sent a letter to President Barack Obama explaining how the cuts will set back the U.S.'s economic recovery. Congressman Frank said the program is valuable to the country and any savings that would be achieved through cuts would be insignificant in comparison to the amount of money being spent on keeping U.S. troops overseas in Iraq.

"We are used to having funding fights with Republican administrations," said the executive director of People Acting in Community Endeavors, Bruce Morell. PACE helps to improve the social and economic quality of life for low income residents who are living in the Greater New Bedford area. The grants account for $490,000 of PACE's total $55 million total revenue, which Morell claims pays for a significant number of its programs.

"A funding fight with a Democratic administration feels like a betrayal. We understand these are difficult budget times [but] this came out of the blue," he added.

In Sunday's edition of The New York Times, Jacob Lew, director of the White House's Office of Management and Budget, wrote an op-ed piece claiming the cuts were difficult but necessary, considering the size of the country's debt and deficit. He also said that, given the president's previous background as a community organizer, the cuts were difficult for him to sign off on.

As part of President Barack Obama's plan to stimulate the economy, and create more jobs and small businesses, the White House is rolling out its Startup America Partnership. The effort is partially funded by the Case and Ewing Marion Kauffman foundations. To aid entrepreneurs in meeting the government's goals, the White House will work with with startup investors, CEOs, university presidents, foundations and other leaders.

More than one dozen firms have already committed to support the initiative, including a $100 million commitment from Intel for investment in new companies and $150 million from IBM for program funding that will promote entrepreneurship. HP has extended $4 million, which will act as an expansion of the company's existing Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs. The Blackstone Charitable Foundation's LaunchPad program has offered support via a $5 million expansion of its program. Additionally, Facebook will hold its Startup Days, 12 events that will support entrepreneurs nationally.

Other companies and organizations in support of Startup America include the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, Ernst & Young LLP, The Pearson Foundation, Google and New Markets Education Partners.

"America's story has been forged in large part by entrepreneurs who have against great odds created innovative products and services that have changed the world – and created millions of jobs," said Steve Case, co-founder of AOL. Case will lead the initiative with Carl Schramm, CEO of Revolution LLC and chairman of the Case Foundation.

"Our nation once again looks to these creative risk-takers to unleash the next wave of American innovation, and I am pleased that President Obama has made supporting and celebrating entrepreneurs a major priority of his economic strategy," Case added.

The Blue Shield of California Foundation has announced $1.7 million in grants to be awarded to 10 California counties working to get a head start on implementing health care reform that will become law in 2014.

"California has an opportunity to bring health care to those who need it most, and counties will be at the forefront of the expansion," said BSCF president and CEO Peter Long. "We have supported California's efforts to expand coverage for many years, and we are proud to act as an ally for counties working to take full advantage of this opportunity."

The 10 counties – Contra Costa, Kern, Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, San Mateo, and Stanislaus – are among the first areas in the Golden State to begin developing coverage programs that will qualify for additional funding under a newly expanded Medi-Cal program announced last month by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

This new Section 1115 Medicaid waiver agreement will make counties eligible for up to $10 billion in federal funding over the next five years. The BSCF grants are designed to help counties qualify for this funding by giving them the ability to provide coverage in a responsible way to low-income legal residents and to create or expand local healthcare programs.

The grants will build on a similar round of funding provided to 12 counties by BSCF earlier in the year. The 22 counties receiving planning grants include 88 percent of the state's population, along with the majority of the uninsured and low-income.

"Our recently approved waiver offers a great opportunity for counties to improve and expand the services they provide to their uninsured low-income residents," said Department of Health Care Services Director David Maxwell-Jolly. "The Foundation grants provide the resources counties will need to develop innovative plans that make the most of this new opportunity." 

Times have been tough for the Caribbean nation of Haiti. First, a devastating earthquake shook the island in January, leaving thousands dead and many others missing or injured. Then a series of floods struck, destroying even more infrastructure and resulting in more deaths of innocent citizens. Even now, the country is in the throws of a cholera epidemic caused by improperly sanitized water, which has killed more than 1,100 people.

Trying to run a business in Haiti during a year like this is no doubt a challenge, but survivors of these disasters need an income to provide for their families and loved ones. That's why the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund has announced a $1 million grant and loan commitment to Root Capital, a nonprofit social enterprise fund dedicating to helping build enterprise in developing countries.

The financing from the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund will enable Root Capital to leverage an additional $1.6 million in funding from other social investors, such as Sweden's The World We Want Foundation, for loans to promising businesses in Haiti. Growing small businesses, such as farmer cooperatives and food processors, are key to increasing rural prosperity and building sustainable livelihoods in impoverished, environmentally vulnerable places. Businesses like the ones funded by Root Capital are essential to Haiti's economy and play a pivotal role in restoring the nation's autonomy.

"From Liberia to Colombia, Root Capital's clients have shown how well-placed capital and capacity building can propel small and growing businesses to become engines of sustainable growth that build rural prosperity – we expect nothing less in Haiti," said William Foote, Founder and CEO of Root Capital. "Investments from Clinton Bush Haiti Fund and The World We Want Foundation will help Root Capital reach businesses that are currently locked out of opportunities due to markets failures such as lack of access to credit, technology and markets." 

As if Haiti hadn't been devastated enough by a recent earthquake, which left the capital of Port-au-Prince practically in ruins, and Hurricane Tomas, which killed more than 20, left nearly 40 injured, now a recent cholera outbreak has killed more than 1,100 people and put thousands more in the hospital.

Luckily, charitable groups around the world are reaching out to put an end to the epidemic. Among them is the William J. Clinton Foundation, which has donated $1.5 million to help fund Haiti's efforts to combat the disease, an infection of the small intestine that causes dehydration, malnutrition and, often, death. The disease acts rapidly and is usually caused by contaminated water or food. Children between the ages of two and four are most susceptible to infection.

"The recent outbreak of cholera is a devastating development for the people of Haiti, and serves as an important reminder of all that remains to be done in our work to help Haiti build back better after the earthquake," said former president Bill Clinton. "The Clinton Foundation's commitment of $1.5 million will help expand treatment, care and education to those who need it and ultimately limit the outbreak's severity and impact."

In partnership with the Haitian Ministry of Health, the Clinton Foundation will commit $1 million to train 10,000 community public health workers across the country, as well as purchase thousands of treatment kits, containing oral hydration salts, soap, aqua tabs, chlorine, hand sanitizer and educational material, for those affected by the illness.

The remaining $500,000 will support the implementation of an aggressive national education and awareness campaign aimed at reducing the spread of the disease. A firm has not yet been chosen to execute the initiative, but the foundation and the Ministry of Health are working together to select the best candidate.  

For years, cigarette companies have fought increasingly strict regulations on their product while anti-smoking advocates work to make cigarettes harder to purchase and smoke. Recently, anti-tobacco groups have been stepping up their efforts to turn off potential new smokers with strongly-worded warnings and advisories. When words don't seem to be cutting it, the Surgeon General's office has turned to graphic images.

But America's recent efforts with disgusting and shocking photography on cigarette cartons are nothing compared to the warnings posted on Uruguay's cigs, which are so effective the tobacco industry has spent millions fighting to have them outlawed.

If New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has his way, Uruguay's labels will stay.

"American efforts pale in comparison to the work that Uruguay has done, which has really set the gold standard for tobacco packaging," the mayor explained. "Uruguay is not alone in their fight. We stand shoulder to shoulder with them."

The South American country doesn't just have the mayor's support – it has also $500,000 of his own money.

Mayor Bloomberg made the donation to help Uruguay's anti-smoking groups fend off lawsuits brought on by the massive tobacco corporations. He said his money "will assist Uruguayan government officials by providing legal research and expertise, launching public education mass media campaigns, and galvanizing world support and public opinion."

Bloomberg, a billionaire with a strong anti-smoking record, has donated $65 million over the years to defend anti-tobacco laws. 

Next month, nine Washington breweries and five local bars are coming together to support charity through a fundraising food drive for the West Seattle Food Bank, reports Seattle PI.

The drive is being organized by Beer Church, a nonprofit group that aims to get people engaged in community initiatives through beer. Beer Church has put together more than 10 events in the past, with attendees generating tens of thousands of dollars.

"[Our goal is to] create simple, fun and affordable ways for people to be involved in charitable giving. And what's more simpler, more fun and more affordable than beer?" the organization told the source.

Beer Church is organizing a bowling play-off between local brewers and bars. The event will be sponsored by Link Apartments and Mike's Hard Lemonade. All funds raised will be donated to the West Seattle Food Bank. Additionally, Beer Church is developing a pale ale that will be sold by the participating bars, which will also support the food bank.

With more than 600 wineries and breweries in Washington, the state has a refined taste for exquisite spirits, which is partially the reason the Beer Church's events have been so successful in the past. 

National Public Radio is the recipient of a $1.8 million grant from the Open Society Foundations to support the development and launch of its Impact of Government initiative, which aims to add at least 100 journalists, analysts and experts focused on the impact of state government policies to NPR member stations throughout the United States.

The initial grant will aid in the planning and launch of the program's year-long pilot phase, beginning in March 2011. Over the following 12 months, NPR will work to add reporters, editors, experts and analysts to NPR member stations in all fifty states across America as part of an effort to provide comprehensive, in-depth, non-partisan reporting on the role of state governments from local, regional and national perspectives.

"This initiative will provide the public not just with information, but with the context they need to hold local governments to a higher level of accountability," said NPR president and CEO Vivian Schiller. "Our network provides a perfect vehicle for cross-state, cross-region and national analyses of the most critical issues facing our country."

The initiative's timing couldn't be better – Americans are more ignorant than ever about the way our government works, what our leaders believe and what truly poses a threat to our society. In fact, a recent poll found that one in five Americans believe, wrongly, that President Barack Obama is a Muslim. What's more, the current national dialog includes some undeniable lying and misinformation, which NPR hopes to combat.

"A strong democracy requires a diverse, independent and highly functioning watchdog press to help people hold the government and private sector accountable," said Ann Beeson, executive director of U.S. Programs at the Open Society Foundations. "The dramatic decline in news coverage at the state level has left millions of people significantly less informed about what is happening in their own backyards. We are confident that NPR, its member stations and partners can help fill that void with much needed in-depth and analytical reporting for communities of every size in every corner of the country."

The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health will be the recipient of a $1.3 million grant from Eli Lilly and Company to launch a public-private partnership that will encourage collaboration between the United States and Russia in health-related research.

In partnership with the NIH Clinical Center and the John E. Fogarty International Center, FNIH will launch the U.S.-Russia Forum in Health Sciences, a venture designed to help the two countries work together to address shared health-related priorities. The forum will work to design and implement improvements in public health, strengthen activities related to disease control, treatment and prevention, develop clinical and translational research methods, improve manufacturing practices and regulatory science and support emerging technologies in the healthcare field.

"We are delighted to facilitate this significant collaboration between the U.S. and Russian biomedical and behavioral health research communities," said FNIH executive director and CEO Scott E. Campbell. "Communication and information sharing among scientific health entities are central to overcoming complexities and transforming medicine in new and creative ways by leveraging joint research, technology, data, and experiences."

The funding will also be used to create a scientific forum that will facilitate communication between the United States and Russian government agencies and universities. The forum, which will link entities such as the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, and other partners involved in biomedical and behavioral research, will feature an annual symposium to help the two countries bridge the gap between research and practice, facilitate joint projects and maximize the public benefit of medical breakthroughs.

"The establishment of this collaborative initiative is founded on the belief that people from different corners of the pharmaceutical and healthcare world will overcome their differences and come together to meet the needs of patients," said Dr. Gail Cassell, vice president of scientific affairs and distinguished research scholar at Eli Lilly. "We are encouraged by the response and inspired by the commitment of our colleagues and are very optimistic about the possibilities for success."