<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><div>Re Parminder’s recent posts concerning NGO funding transparency:</div><div><br></div><div>This issue is much more complex than what is being represented in this most recent go-between/rehashing of a topic that affects not only the BB community but also every other NGO issue sector (see <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Money-History-Billionaires-Radical/dp/0385535597">https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Money-History-Billionaires-Radical/dp/0385535597</a>). That said, NN is one area where transparency is critical: see </div><div><br></div><blockquote style="margin:0 0 0 40px; border:none; padding:0px;"><div><a href="https://m.theregister.co.uk/2017/07/03/net_neutrality_rage_hits_academia">https://m.theregister.co.uk/2017/07/03/net_neutrality_rage_hits_academia</a>/</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2838972/secretive-funding-fuels-debate-about-net-neutrality-astroturfing.html">http://www.computerworld.com/article/2838972/secretive-funding-fuels-debate-about-net-neutrality-astroturfing.html</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://openpolicyresearch.com/2014/10/28/astroturfing-in-the-net-neutrality-debate">https://openpolicyresearch.com/2014/10/28/astroturfing-in-the-net-neutrality-debate</a>/.</div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Having worked in philanthropy and now researching and teaching about its complex/contentious role in policy advocacy (<a href="http://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/6399">http://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/6399</a>; <a href="https://lbj.utexas.edu/spring-2017-61510-pa388l-advanced-topics-management">https://lbj.utexas.edu/spring-2017-61510-pa388l-advanced-topics-management</a>), I offer two comments.</div><div><br></div><div>First, EFF is to be applauded for making its 990 form accessible on its website: <a href="https://www.eff.org/document/public-990-fiscal-year-2015">https://www.eff.org/document/public-990-fiscal-year-2015</a>. From this form one can see that there is an endowment along with several income streams. In other words, this is more here than simply grants; there are resources indicated that seem independent from donor influence. Would other civil society groups in the BB community concerned about transparency in funding consider posting their tax filings as a resource for civil society researchers?</div><div><br></div><div>Second, these resources are available for researching the financials of US-based non profits:</div><div><br></div><blockquote style="margin:0 0 0 40px; border:none; padding:0px;"><div><a href="https://www.guidestar.org/Home.aspx">https://www.guidestar.org/Home.aspx</a></div><div><a href="http://foundationcenter.org/find-funding/990-finder">http://foundationcenter.org/find-funding/990-finder</a></div><div><a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/search-for-forms-990-n-filed-by-small-tax-exempt-organizations">https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/search-for-forms-990-n-filed-by-small-tax-exempt-organizations</a></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Please feel free to email me off-list for additional information and questions and also how to research the financials of non US based NGOs. Also feel free to contact me if you would like to consider participating in an emerging research project related to this topic.</div><div><br></div><div>Cheers,</div><div>B. Lentz, McGill University</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"></span><style><!--
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