Charitable-Giving Plan Divides Nonprofit Groups and Worries Donors

“Bluntly, this proposal allows the government to choose the charitable recipient rather than the donor,” Mr. Kallina said. “The government is cutting back on our ability to give to charity, because they want to dictate where the charitable dollars go.”

Robert F. Sharpe, a Memphis planned-giving consultant, said there is an argument to be made against cutting the charitable deduction because it flies in the face of a longstanding principle that people should not be taxed on money they give voluntarily for charitable purposes.