The Issue
Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) January 6, 2011 released a long-awaited staff review of the activities and practices of six media-based ministries, indicating that he hopes to spark a “self-correction” movement similar to the Panel on the Nonprofit Sector convened by Independent Sector in 2004.
Responding to complaints about lavish lifestyles of well-known TV ministers, Grassley wrote to six media-based ministries in November 2007, asking for detailed accounts of their activities. The report summarizes the findings and offers suggestions that not only have implications for religious organizations but also for the broader nonprofit community.
ECFA Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations
In response to a request from Senator Grassley for "input on how to address these issues and to help facilitate discussion on whether these issues can be addressed without legislation," the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) has created the Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations. The commission will address some of the most challenging tax and policy issues involving religious organizations, including:
- Whether churches should be required to file a Form 990;
- Whether legislation is needed to curb abuses of the clergy housing allowance exclusion;
- Whether the current prohibition against political campaign intervention by churches and other nonprofits should be repealed or modified; and
- Whether legislation is needed to clarify tax rules covering “love offerings” received by some clergy.
The Commission is expected to release a report of its initial findings in December 2012.
