Downtown Greensboro Incorporated, Federal Tax Returns

Are you aware that DGI may have access to your personal credit ratings? From DGI's 2004 Federal Tax Returns:

"FORM 990, PART VI - NAMES OF RELATED ORGANIZATIONS

DOWNTOWN GREENSBORO FOUNDATION
DOWNTOWN GREENSBORO IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION
GREATER GREENSBORO MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION
CREDIT BUREAU OF GREATER GREENSBORO, INC .

To be honest, I don't know the Federal definition of "related organizations" but perhaps someome reading will see fit to share.

In 2005, DGI gave $156,539.oo to the Downtown G'boro Improvement Corp-- another name for Downtown Greensboro Inc. I think. And what is "residential management" and who got that check for $146,473.oo?

I'm not an accountant and I don't play one on TV but paying money to yourself seems kind of fishy to me.

Yes, as a matter of fact I do know I'm a poet.

Want to go poking around through the Federal tax returns of a few non profit foundations on you own? That was the link.

Continue to page 38. Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, Federal Tax Returns.

Action Greensboro Inc, Federal Tax Returns

Previously I looked into Action Greensboro but didn't find many answers. Well I took a little break and looked around for more records to search and while I'm unable to unearth any grand conspiracies, the tax returns for Action Greensboro did bring up a few more questions to which I haven't found answers.

The American Judicature Society:

"Founded in 1913, the American Judicature Society is an independent, non-partisan, membership organization working nationally to protect the integrity of the American justice system. AJS’s diverse and broadly based membership --including judges, lawyers and members of the public-- promotes fair and impartial courts through research, publications, education and advocacy for judicial reform. The work of AJS focuses primarily on judicial ethics, judicial selection, access to justice, criminal justice reform, and the jury system."

Not that the American Judicature Society is a bad thing but why did Action Greensboro Inc. donate $75,000 to AJS in 2005. The link is to Acton Greensboro's 2006 Federal Income Tax Return. And where did Action Greensboro get that money? How much money did the City of Greensboro give Action Greensboro that same year? And why is Action Greensboro donating to a non profit located in Des Moines, Iowa? Anyone?

From IRS Form 990, Part IV. Reason for Non-Private Foundation Status:

11a. "An organization that normally receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or from the general public .
Section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (Also complete the Support Schedule in Part IV-A )"

And why a 2003 donation of $102,178 to the Inception Micro Angel Fund, LLC? I'm just askin'.

You can view all of Action Greensboro's Federal Tax returns here.

Something tells me I'm going to have to look up the tax returns of the American Judicature Society and a whole bunch more.

By the way, do you think it strange that the Bryan Foundation pays Action Greensboro to pay Grassroots Productions to hire Downtown Greensboro Inc to manage City Center Park and bill the City of Greensboro when DGI (funded by the City of Greensboro) Action Greensboro, The Greensboro Partnership, Greensboro Economic Development Alliance and Greensboro Chamber of Commerce are all one in the same?

Continue to page 36. Greensboro Economic Development Alliance, Federal Tax Returns.

Bill Knight On The Greensboro Chamber Of Commerce

Any investigation of the Greensboro Partnership has to include the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. You see, the Greensboro Partnership, Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, Action Greensboro, Downtown Greensboro Inc., Downtown Greensboro Improvement Corporation, Downtown Greensboro Foundation, Guilford Nonprofit Consortium, Greensboro Economic Development Alliance, and any number of area non profits are, for all intents and purposes, one in the same. Many even share the exact same boards of directors.

From a recent conversation between John Hammer and former Mayor Bill Knight:

"He said he spent a lot of time on economic development and would love to see the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce take a more active role in economic development and with existing businesses like it does in other communities.

He said he was surprised to see how little the chamber knows about some segments of business in Greensboro."

You see, as a non profit, the Chamber Of Commerce has no need to know about private business. The Chamber exists on handouts, taxpayer dollars and donations just like the downtown panhandlers who are forced to get permits before they panhandle. They don't do business, they beg. Since when did we put beggars in charge of business?

So maybe, just maybe the point of my investigation shouldn't be the infractions I've found thus far. Maybe it's simply inept management?

Continue to page 21. Greensboro Beautiful Inc Board Of Directors.

Downtown Greensboro Inc. Caught In The Act

From GPAC2012:

"Charge to the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro:

The Greensboro City Council asked The Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro to convene a task force that will study the benefits of constructing a new state-of-the-art performing arts center. The task force is a citywide body representing a number of groups including leaders and volunteers from the arts, business and foundation communities. The city has charged the task force with:

* Creating an open, candid and constructive dialogue around the needs of a performing arts center;
* Creating an economic impact report and a feasibility analysis of a downtown facility; and
* Exploring using private investment to complement public resources"

But the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro appears to have gone beyond their charge. According to Federal statute 501(c)(4) propaganda is an illegal activity for non profits. (I assume there's some sort of exception for non profit political action committees.) According to definition:

"Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position. Propaganda is usually repeated and dispersed over a wide variety of media in order to create the desired result in audience attitudes."

So what did they do? The Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro appears to have enlisted another Greensboro non profit, DGI, to start a propaganda campaign known as "Talk it up! to "enlist ambassadors to promote building a performing arts center in downtown." in what appears to be a violation of Federal non profit statutes.

Is Susan Schwartz unaware that she heads a non profit and that non profits are prohibited from engaging in propaganda? Or does she and Ed Wolverton simply believe the law does not pertain to them.

Continue to page 20. Bill Knight On The Greensboro Chamber Of Commerce.

Downtown Greensboro Improvement Corporation Board Of Directors

According to the filings of the NC Secretary of State, the Downtown Greensboro Improvement Corporation has but 1 member, Downtown Greensboro Incorporated. The articles of incorporation state that the Downtown Greensboro Improvement Corporation is to be managed by its board of directors. As to who makes up that board? The best answer I've come up with to date is the exact same people who sit on the board of DGI right down to the last man.

Is this legal? Ethical? Why does Downtown Greensboro Incorporated operate under no less than 4 different names? And why does it appear that hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of taxpayer dollars are being shuffled back and fourth through a dozen or more local non profits who are all run by the same people?

And don't even get me started on the political action committees these non profits are involved with.

Finally, a trivia question that has nothing to do with this investigation whatsoever, can anyone reading this tell me who's name is on more buildings in North Carolina than any other person? Hint: She's running for reelection.

Continue to page 17. Greensboro Housing Coalition Board Of Directors.

Downtown Greensboro Foundation Board Of Directors

Perhaps you've never heard of the Downtown Greensboro Foundation? They were new to me until I began preparing this report and a friend sent me the links. They're the folks who manage the ice rink in Center City Park, a privately owned, tax exempt park belonging to former Mayor Jim Melvin's Bryan Foundation, managed by Action Greensboro and staffed and maintained with taxpayer dollars by the City of Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department. The Downtown Greensboro Foundation recently got a $4000 grant from The Community Foundation and was founded solely to provide services to Downtown Greensboro Inc.

Are you confused yet? Sorry, I'm learning as I go.

The 2011 Board of Directors of the Downtown Greensboro Foundation can be found here, reports here. It's the exact same board as that of Downtown Greensboro Inc., whose board can be found here. Wonder why that is?

Filings for DGI can be found here. My apologies for not being able to locate this information before posting Downtown Greensboro Incorporated Board of Directors.

Is this how money gets laundered squandered?

Continue tp page 16. Downtown Greensboro Improvement Corporation Board Of Directors.

Grassroots Productions Limited Board Of Directors

Almost everyone knows that Betty Cone runs Grassroots Productions Limited, the 501(3)(c) non profit organization responsible for the Fun 4th Festival and the Festival of Lights. Betty's ancestors were the Cone Brothers who founded Cone Mills in the late 19th century and build much of what Greensboro is today. Betty married into the Cone family. So far I have been unable to determine who sits on Ms Cone's board of directors but Betty Cone does or did have a seat on the boards of the Carolina Theater, the United Arts Council of Greater Greensboro, Downtown Greensboro Incorporated, the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro Inc. and other area non profits.

Is there a source available to the general public that tells us who sits on the boards of non profits? Most for profit corporations make this information very easy to locate and some non profits do as well but to date, the leadership of most of Greensboro's non profit organizations seems shrouded in mystery. I guess there are no laws requiring such things but given that these non profits are receive taxpayer dollars and/or tax free donations in one form or another it seems to me the public should have a right to know without having to jump through a bunch of hoops. Perhaps we should start lobbying North Carolina state legislators for ways and means to make such information public?

Continue to page 12. Center for Creative Leadership Board Of Directors.

Downtown Greensboro Incorporated Board of Directors

After failing to find different boards of directors for Action Greensboro, the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce and the Greensboro Partnership I thought I'd take a look at some of the other non-profit organizations involved in the governmental and civic operations of Greensboro, North Carolina beginning with DGI, aka Downtown Greensboro Incorporated. From the DGI website:

"How is DGI funded?

The major funding source for the organization is a Municipal Service District or Business Improvement District (BID), that levies a special assessment on Downtown business and property owners to provide enhanced services and programs that benefit the ratepayers. This district was created by City Council in 2005 after a petition process demonstrated support by over 60% of the property owners. These funds are governed by state law and are intended to enhance, not replace, government funding to Downtown.

The City of Greensboro and Guilford County contributes to DGI through annual contracts for economic development and other services for the area. These contracts have specific, quantifiable outcomes that are targeted to growing the community's tax base. DGI also receives contributions from its Annual Fund Drive. Contributors include the Guilford Merchants Association, local foundations and dozens of individual supporters."

So we've established that DGI is taxpayer funded. With a name like Downtown Greensboro Incorporated, one would assume they have a board of directors just like any other corporation and the DGI website even shows they have a Chief Financial Officer whose name is Kate Phillips and a CEO who is said to be, Ed Wolverton. As it turns out their 2011 Annual Report does list a 33 member DGI Board of Directors but the current board isn't mentioned. You see, I know the current board isn't the same as last year's board because DGI board member and former Greensboro City Manager, Rashad Young skipped town a few months ago. So who is currently seated on the board at DGI?

No conspiracies here so I decided to do the usual searches. DowntownGreensboro.net is registered to an unknown entity. Why? I don't know. My search of the NC Secretary of State website tells me that DGI's registered agent is The Greensboro Area Chamber of Commerce but like other non profits DGI is not required to file annual reports and has never done so. Interesting note: If you go to this page and click on " THE GREENSBORO AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, INCORPORATED" you will be directed to this page And while you're on the second page, try clicking on "DOWNTOWN GREENSBORO INCORPORATED" and see where that takes you. As with most things involving the Greensboro Partnership, I have no clue as to what that means so you're free to speculate anything you wish.

Update: DGI's board can be found here.

Continue to page 9. synerG Board Of Directors.