Article on Restricted Charitable Gifts: Public Benefit, Public Voice

Susan N. Gray recently published an Article entitled, Restricted Charitable Gifts: Public Benefit, Public Voice, 81 Alb. L. Rev. 565-608 (2017-2018). Provided below is the beginning of the introduction to the article.

Donors who contribute to charities or create new charities often have specific intentions about the use of their donated assets. One donor may want to ensure that the charity follows the donor ’s personal views about how best to address climate change. Another donor may want to support an already established program for homeless youth. And a third donor may want to devote resources to finding a cure for the Zika virus. These donors may impose restrictions on their gifts, trying to require the charity to honor their wishes over time, but over time, things change. What if the donor’s views about climate change become outdated and the charity identifies strategies that the charity concludes will be more effective? What if the charity wants to expand its program for homeless youth to include veterans or mothers with children? And what if scientists find a cure for the Zika virus, but plenty of other mosquito–borne viruses continue to plague humans?