Rep. Xavier Becerra, a California Democrat, says he wants to know whether tax-deductible gifts do much to help the poor.

Danuta Otfinowski, for The Chronicle

Amity Tripp directs AmeriCorps Alums, a group that is mobilizing support to expand federal volunteer programs.

Edward Caldwell, for The Chronicle

Sean Sullivan, a San Francisco fund raiser, says jobs are scarce in his city.

Rick Reinhard, Courtesy of the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region

Michelle Fletcher (at left, with her mother) was a beneficiary of the long-term recovery aid provided by the Survivors' Fund, a charity created after the 2001 terrorist attacks.

From the issue dated September 4, 2008 About Gifts and Giving NATIONAL-SERVICE PROGRAMS could get a major lift from a gathering of charity leaders on September 11, though critics say such programs have yet to prove their effectiveness. A KEY SENATE COMMITTEE is considering whether grant-making foundations should be treated differently under tax law than charities supported with money from many sources. THE TWO MAJOR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES pretty much agree on national service: Both John McCain and Barack Obama would like to see it grow substantially. THE SURVIVORS' FUND, set up to help victims of the 2001 attack on the Pentagon, became a model for such efforts by offering people more than just money to see them through their recovery. RECENT GIFTS to nonprofit organizations and institutions. RECENT GRANTS by foundations, corporations, and other grant makers. THE FACE OF PHILANTHROPY: Trinity College's Dream Camp helps children from needy families get academic attention year-round. About Fund Raising THE FUND-RAISING JOB MARKET, especially among smaller, less-wealthy charities, is growing more and more precarious as the economy weakens. VETERAN FUND RAISERS AND RECRUITERS offer career advice on how to weather the turbulent economy. FUND RAISERS, LIKE FISHERMEN, trade tales about "the one that got away"; in Bob Levey's case, it was a 1977 Mercedes-Benz two-seater. UPDATE ON CAMPAIGNS for endowments, capital improvements, and other needs. INTEREST RATES for planned gifts, issued by the Internal Revenue Service. About Managing Nonprofit Groups CHARITABLE DEDUCTIONS, tax exemptions, and the very definition of "charity" are all likely to get a serious rethinking next year with the advent of a new Congress and a new presidential administration. EMPLOYING FAMILY MEMBERS in top jobs at the same nonprofit organization has certain advantages, but watchdog groups and the Internal Revenue Service think the practice warrants careful scrutiny. THE AMERICAN BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION, in Baltimore, hired a company owned by its president's son to raise money for the group — and his fortunes have improved substantially since then. FOUR RELATIVES hold the reins at the National Association of Chiefs of Police, in Florida, and have a hand in running three other related charities as well. FINAL INSTRUCTIONS for the revised Form 990, the key charity tax form, have been released by the Internal Revenue Service, and most nonprofit officials and experts are pleased with the results. SLIGHT AND SOFT-SPOKEN, Neslihan Akbulut is stirring passions in her country as she helps lead the campaign to allow Muslim women to don head scarves in Turkey's public institutions (Dispatches). About Technology RESPONDING QUICKLY to people who sign up to receive its online newsletters can reap significant fund-raising benefits for a charity, according to a new study. POLICYMAP is a new online tool that can help charities assemble demographic and financial data about the areas in which they work. THE JOHN D. AND CATHERINE T. MACARTHUR FOUNDATION has expanded its Digital Media and Learning Competition this year, inviting young people to submit ideas about the future of participatory learning. TO MARK 50 YEARS of work in education and health promotion, the Education Development Center, in Massachusetts, has created an interactive timeline that uses photography, audio, and video to highlight its achievements. About Philanthropy Careers VALUES AND MISSION are the selling points charity leaders should focus on when they recruit new employees, says a report from the Johns Hopkins University. LOVE FOR A GENTLE SAINT BERNARD, and grief at his loss, brought Nikki Conkings to a nonprofit job that is worlds away from her career in the aerospace industry. HOW TO AVOID BURNOUT as a fund raiser, and the best ways to fashion a job-share position: tips from The Chronicle's bimonthly advice column (Hotline). A BOUT WITH BREAST CANCER led a single mother in rural California to found a charity that helps others with cancer get through visits to the doctor, diagnosis, and treatment (Entry Level). Also in This Issue OPINION: Susan Berresford and Lorie Slutsky think there's something to be said for keeping foundations around for a long time; Pablo Eisenberg offers the story of an extraordinary charity that seems to have escaped donors' notice; and Leslie Lenkowsky argues that the case for expanding national service is thin. LETTERS: on the debate touched off by Leona Helmsley's big bequest to benefit dogs, and what members of the "millennial" generation can learn from their elders. NEW BOOKS: A nonprofit career guide, a handbook on strategic planning, and a look at philanthropy and globalization. PEOPLE: Appointments and promotions in the nonprofit world. AWARDS: Honors for people and organizations in philanthropy.