Items relevant to more than one category may appear more than once in this summary. From the issue dated March 9, 2006 The War in Iraq AT THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY of the Iraq invasion, the unceasing violence has left many humanitarian groups ever more concerned about working there. AS A MIDLIFE CAREER MOVE, this one was a little different: Bruce Parmelee went from selling motorcycles in upstate New York to running community rebuilding projects in Iraq. ADVOCACY GROUPS both for and against the war plan to mark the anniversary with publicity campaigns, fund-raising efforts, and protests. FOR CIVIL-LIBERTIES GROUPS, the U.S. government's campaign against terrorism has meant more work, but also more supporters and more donations. CHRISTIAN PEACEMAKER TEAMS, a group that sends people into war zones to promote nonviolent solutions to the crises, has seen four of its volunteers in Iraq kidnapped. DOZENS of humanitarian workers have been killed since the war in Iraq began three years ago. IRAQ PRESENTS A SPECIAL CHALLENGE for a Washington charity that provides employment and other services to women in war zones. NOT ALWAYS PREPARED to temporarily lose the reservists on their staffs, many charities have nonetheless made an extra effort to hold open jobs and maintain pay for employees deployed to Iraq. ALMOST 5,600 U.S. CHARITIES, 2 percent of the total, work overseas or have an international focus, according to a report from the Urban Institute. About Giving and Grant Makers GIVING BY FOUNDATIONS rose by more than 8 percent in 2004 after two years of decreases, the Foundation Center has reported. SHAREHOLDER RESOLUTIONS have been filed by a conservative advocacy group in an effort to force several major corporations to disclose their charitable contributions. GRANT MAKERS IN ARIZONA have pledged $150-million toward bioscience research and development there, in an effort to persuade state lawmakers to commit money to the work. LARRY BRILLIANT is not two people — really. But if he were, both of them would be at home in his new job as head of Google.org, the tech company's philanthropic arm (New on the Job). A $10-MILLION PLEDGE to the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston will establish a clinic for children with learning disabilities; other recent gifts to nonprofit organizations and institutions. FACE OF PHILANTHROPY: ArtsConnection, a New York charity, brings artists into the public schools and helps teachers learn to incorporate the arts into their lessons. RECENT GRANTS by foundations, corporations, and other grant makers. About Fund Raising MARKETING DEALS WITH BUSINESSES can be lucrative, and charities need to learn how to pitch them better, said speakers at a conference of the American Marketing Association. TOP FUND RAISERS for colleges and universities got a median pay raise of 3.6 percent last year, just ahead of inflation, a new survey reveals. 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 MOST NONPROFIT EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS expect to be gone from their jobs within five years, burned out by the stress of constant fund raising and unresponsive boards, says a new study of charity leaders. THE AMERICAN RED CROSS received stinging criticism from a key Congressional leader for its ineffective governance and troubling organizational "culture." A MAJORITY OF THE 82 GROUPS investigated by the IRS for improper political activity during the 2004 elections were deemed guilty, though few of the violations were serious. A COALITION OF NONPROFIT GROUPS has urged the Treasury Department to scotch new guidelines aimed at helping charities avoid unwitting support of terrorist activities. DEMAND FOR FOOD AID has been on the rise, according to the nation's largest anti-hunger network. ADVICE ON THE FEES to charge for grant-proposal writing and how to move into fund raising after a career in grant making, in our monthly advice column (Hotline). THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE has adjusted certain rules governing charitable deductions to take inflation into account (Tax Watch). TWO TEXAS GROUPS have been cleared of any violation of nonprofit tax law following an IRS investigation requested by an ally of the former House majority leader Tom DeLay (Tax Watch). REPORTS ON CHARITIES by the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance. About Technology CHANGES PLANNED BY AOL in the way it handles bulk e-mail messages have united more than 50 nonprofit groups and other organizations in opposition. MICROSOFT has given $1-million in cash and $40-million in software toward efforts to improve coordination of relief work during a disaster. Also in This Issue OPINION: Leslie Lenkowsky complains that the IRS has further blurred the line between acceptable advocacy and unlawful politicking; Julie L. Rogers plumbs the hostility to foundations uncovered in a study of nonprofit executives; and William A. Schambra remembers Michael Joyce, a key figure in conservative philanthropy. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: on the role of philanthropy in the recovery from Katrina, on the difference between "time banking" and charity, on the right of nonprofit groups to lobby, and on whether, when it comes to government, less is really better. BOOKS: A detailed look at how best to ask a donor for a big gift and a guide on how to persuade people to give money to solve social problems. PRESS CLIPPINGS: The Economist examines the new, more businesslike approach to philanthropy; and The American Prospect looks at Operation Good Neighbor Foundation, Sen. Rick Santorum's charity. PEOPLE: Appointments and promotions in the nonprofit world. AWARDS: Honors for people and organizations in philanthropy.