Watchdog Watch

Following are summaries of recent reports by the Council of Better Business Bureaus’ Philanthropic Advisory Service and the National Charities Information Bureau.

Those two private organizations report on whether charities meet standards for fund raising, governance, financial management, and public information. The organizations do not approve or disapprove of charities, and urge potential donors to evaluate the importance of variations from the standards. They also note that charities’ practices may change at any time.

For organizations that do not meet the standards, information is given only on those standards that are not met. Those organizations meet all the other standards.

Copies of the full reports are available from the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Philanthropic Advisory Service, 4200 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Va. 22203; http://www.bbb.org; and the National Charities Information Bureau, 19 Union Square West, New York 10003; http://www.give.org.

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU

Cancer Fund of America, 2901 Breezewood Lane, Knoxville, Tenn. 37921; http://www.cfoa.org. As of July 11, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The bureau is unable to determine if CFOA meets its 23 standards.

International Children’s Fund, P.O. Box 97191, Washington 20090-7191. As of July 13, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The bureau is unable to determine if ICF meets its 23 standards.

Leukemia Society of America, 600 Third Avenue, Fourth Floor, New York 10016; http://www.leukemia.org. Meets all standards.

National Children’s Cancer Society, 1015 Locust, Suite 600, St. Louis 63101; http://www.children-cancer.com. Meets all standards.

NATIONAL CHARITIES INFORMATION BUREAU

Cancer Research Foundation of America, 1600 Duke Street, Suite 100, Alexandria, Va. 22314; http://www.preventcancer.org. Meets all standards.

CARE USA, 151 Ellis Street, N.E., Atlanta 30303-2440; http://www.care.org. Meets all standards.

Fund for an Open Society, 603 Walnut Lane, Suite Two, Philadelphia 19128-1713; http://www.libertynet.org/open. Does not meet the following standards: (1) that the organization’s governing board have in-person, face-to-face meetings, at least twice a year, evenly spaced, with a majority of voting members in attendance at each meeting; (2) that the organization’s annual report include an explicit narrative description of the organization’s major activities, presented in the same major categories and covering the same fiscal period as the audited financial statements; and (3) that the organization prepare a detailed annual budget consistent with the major classifications in the audited financial statements, and approved by the board.

World Vision, 34834 Weyerhaeuser Way South, Federal Way, Wash. 98001. Meets all standards.