Charity Law & Social Policy explores contemporary law, policy and practice in a range of modern common law nations in four parts and from the perspective of how this has evolved in the UK.

As progenitor of a system bequeathed to its colonies and after centuries of leadership in developing the core principles, policies and precedents that subsequently shaped its development, the contribution of England & Wales, the originating jurisdiction, is first described and analysed in detail in Parts 1 and 2. These broadly sketch the parameters and role of 'charity' - seen as a mix of public and private interests - then address the law's role in protecting, policing, adjusting and supporting charity. This provides the critical dimensions for the comparative analysis of experience in the common law nations that constitutes the main part of the book.

Part 3, in 5 chapters, provides an analysis of the legal functions as they apply to type of need and thereby give effect to social policy in Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States of America. Part 4 concludes with three chapters that appraise political influence as a factor in aligning charity law with social policy to create a facilitative environment for appropriate charitable activity. Attention is given to the central role of the regulator, contemporary charity law frameworks and definitional boundaries.

When disaster strikes, our instinctive response is to make things better, not only as individuals but also as groups, organisations, communities and major institutions within society. With increasing climate-related disasters and the potential for future global pandemics, philanthropy will continue to play an essential role. Yet our knowledge of how philanthropic responses to disasters are motivated, organised and received is fragmented. This book is a step toward curating our existing knowledge in the emerging field of 'disaster philanthropy' and to building a robust base for future research, practice and public policy. The authors highlight unknowns and ambiguities, extensions and unexplored spaces, and challenges and paradoxes. Above all, they recognise that philanthropic responses to disasters are complex, conditional and subject to change.

`Hard on the heels of a recent surge in charity-law reforms around the world comes this comprehensive volume of analysis and caution by leading academics and practitioners from many of the countries undergoing change. This timely and essential resource will not only aid those jurisdictions where welcome modernization has occurred, but also provide guidance and lessons for policy makers and scholars in Australia's renewed push for reform - as well as in the United States, where serious debates are just starting.' - Evelyn Brody, Chicago-Kent College of Law and Reporter, American Law Institute's Project on Principles of the Law of Nonprofit Organizations, US In recent years the pressure for charity law reform has swept across the common law jurisdictions with differing results. Modernising Charity Law examines how the UK jurisdictions have enacted significant statutory reforms after many years of debate, whilst the federations of Canada and Australia seem merely to have intentions of reform. New Zealand and Singapore have begun their own reform journeys. This highly insightful book brings together perspectives from academics, regulators and practitioners from across the common law jurisdictions. The expert contributors consider the array of reforms to charity law and assess their relative successes. Particular attention is given to the controversial issues of expanded heads of charity, public benefit, religion, competition with business, government participation and regulation. The book concludes by challenging the very notion of charity as a foundation for societies which, faced by an array of global threats and the rising tide of human rights, must now also embrace the expanding notions of social capital, social entrepreneurism and civil society. This original and highly topical work will be a valuable resource for academics, regulators and legal practitioners as well as advanced and postgraduate students in law and public policy. Specialists in charity law, comparative law, and law and public policy should also not be without this important book.

In this volume charity commissioners and leading charity policy reformers from across the world reflect on the aims and objectives of charity regulation and what it has achieved. Regulating Charities represents an insider's review of the last quarter century of charity law policy and an insight for its future development. Charity Commissioners and nonprofit regulatory agency heads chart the nature of charity law reforms that they have implemented, with a 'warts and all' analysis. They are joined by influential sector reformers who assess the outcomes of their policy agitation. All reflect on the current state of charities in a fiscally restrained environment, often with conservative governments, and offer their views on productive regulatory paths available for the future. This topical collection brings together major charity regulation actors, and will be of great interest to anyone concerned with contemporary third sector policy-making, public administration and civil society.

In this volume charity commissioners and leading charity policy reformers from across the world reflect on the aims and objectives of charity regulation and what it has achieved. Regulating Charities represents an insider's review of the last quarter century of charity law policy and an insight for its future development. Charity Commissioners and nonprofit regulatory agency heads chart the nature of charity law reforms that they have implemented, with a 'warts and all' analysis. They are joined by influential sector reformers who assess the outcomes of their policy agitation. All reflect on the current state of charities in a fiscally restrained environment, often with conservative governments, and offer their views on productive regulatory paths available for the future. This topical collection brings together major charity regulation actors, and will be of great interest to anyone concerned with contemporary third sector policy-making, public administration and civil society.

Charity Law & Social Policy explores contemporary law, policy and practice in a range of modern common law nations. It does so in four parts and from the perspective of how this has evolved in the UK.

As progenitor of a system bequeathed to its colonies and after centuries of leadership in developing the core principles, policies and precedents that subsequently shaped its development, the contribution of England & Wales, the originating jurisdiction, is first described and analysed in detail. This is achieved in the seven chapters comprising Parts 1 and 2. These broadly sketch the parameters and role of charity seen as a mix of public and private interests - then address the law s role in protecting, policing, adjusting and supporting charity. This provides the critical dimensions for the comparative analysis of experience in the common law nations that constitutes the main part of the book.

Part 3, in 5 chapters, provides an analysis of the legal functions as they apply to type of need and thereby give effect to social policy in Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States of America. Part 4 concludes with three chapters that appraise political influence as a factor in aligning charity law with social policy to create a facilitative environment for appropriate charitable activity. Attention is given to the central role of the regulator, contemporary charity law frameworks and definitional boundaries."