US 2010 NAAG/NASCO Conferences -Nonprofit Regulatory Challenges During Tough Times

The US National Association of State Charities Officials (NASCO) and the US National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) will be having a conference in October on the subject of “Charities and Regulators: Doing More With Less During Hard Economic Times”.

2010 NAAG/NASCO Conference

For Immediate Release: September 14, 2010
Contact: Eric Carriker, NASCO President
(617) 963-2118

October Conference to Focus on Nonprofit Challenges During Tough Times

Now, more than ever, protecting nonprofits and donors during tough economic times requires the commitment and attention of all nonprofit leaders and regulators throughout the country.

With that theme in mind, the National Association of State Charities Officials (NASCO) and the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) will be hosting its annual conference for nonprofit leaders, regulators, policy makers and academics on Oct. 4 in Silver Spring, Maryland.

“Charities and Regulators: Doing More With Less During Hard Economic Times” is the theme of the one-day conference which aims to bring regulators and nonprofit leaders to work together effectively on issues of mutual interest.

NASCO President Eric Carriker, an Assistant Attorney General in Massachusetts, said that both charities and regulators face challenges during these financially challenging times.  “There are limited resources available to our nation’s nonprofits and it is important that all of us connected with the nonprofit sector work hard to ensure that assets intended to provide vital services to our communities are effectively used to support those causes,” he said.  Carriker said that regulators strive to prevent fraud, self-dealing and misapplication of charitable assets through regulation of fiduciary duties, restricted funds, charitable trusts, charitable solicitation, and registration for charities and professional fundraisers.

“These are issues that concern both regulators and committed nonprofit leaders because they can damage the integrity of and the public’s faith in the entire community,” he said.

Speakers at the October conference will include leaders in the Nonprofit Sector, federal and state regulators, academics and others who will address evolving issues within the Sector. Topics for discussion include updates on initiatives of Congressional and federal agencies related to nonprofits, oversight of nonprofit governance, nonprofit effectiveness measures, innovative fundraising strategies, and philanthropy trends.  In addition, Scott Harshbarger, former Massachusetts Attorney General and former Common Cause Director, will deliver a provocative luncheon address stemming from his recent representation of embattled ACORN: “Was ACORN The Real Victim? Shared Regulator/Charity Lessons for Effective Governance During Troubled Times.” A complete agenda can be found at http://www.nasconet.org.

The conference will begin at 8:30 a.m., Oct. 4 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Silver Spring, Maryland, which is just a short ride on the Metro’s Red Line from downtown Washington D.C. Registration for the conference is $325, and includes a continental breakfast, program materials, lunch, morning and afternoon refreshments, and a reception at the conclusion of the conference. Registration details are available at http://www.nasconet.org.

For further information see: http://www.nasconet.org/