August 2000

The editors of the NonProfit Times have named Buzz Schmidt to the publication's third annual NPT Power and Influence Top 50. Schmidt is the founder and president of Philanthropic Research, Inc. (PRI) and creator of the GuideStar Web site.

The NPT Power and Influence Top 50 identifies persons in the nonprofit sector "who have moved the sector during their careers, as well as just during the past 12 months." About Schmidt, NonProfit Times commented, "It was Schmidt, with some support from the sector, who has helped make the Form 990 more readily available for public inspection by putting it online."

Form 990 is the financial and operating document that all nonprofit organizations with annual incomes of more than $25,000 must file with the Internal Revenue Service. In October 1999, PRI made data from and images of public charities' Forms 990 available on the GuideStar Web site. In March 2000, images of private foundations' Forms 990-PF were added. PRI worked in partnership with the Urban Institute's National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS) on both projects.

Other individuals in this year's NPT Power and Influence Top 50 include:

• Betty S. Beene, president of United Way of America
• Susan V. Berresford, president of the Ford Foundation
• Sara Engelhardt, president of the Foundation Center
• Bill Gates, Microsoft Corporation chairman and cofounder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
• Ralph Nader, Founder of the Center for the Study of Responsive Law and Green Party candidate for U.S. president
• Colin L. Powell, chairman of America's Promise
• Dorothy S. Ridings, president and CEO of the Council on Foundations
• Rebecca W. Rimel, president and CEO of the Pew Charitable Trusts

Suzanne E. Coffman
August 2000
© 2000, Philanthropic Research, Inc.