Watchdog Watch

Following are summaries of recent reports by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. This private group reports on whether charities meet standards for fund raising, governance, financial management, and public information. The alliance does not approve or disapprove of charities, and urges potential donors to evaluate the importance of variations from the standards. It also notes that charities’ practices may change at any time. For charities that do not meet the standards, details are given only on those standards that are not met. Those organizations meet all other standards. Copies of the full reports are available from the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Wise Giving Alliance, 4200 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 800, Arlington, Va. 22203; http://www.give.org.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 511 East John Carpenter Freeway, Suite 700, Irving, Tex. 75062-8187; http://www.madd.org. Meets all standards.

Nature Conservancy, 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Va. 22203-1606; http://www.nature.org. Meets all standards.

National Parkinson Foundation, 1501 N.W. Ninth Avenue, Bob Hope Road, Miami, Fla. 33136-1494; http://www.parkinson.org. Does not meet the following standards: (1) that the organization provide on request an annual report that includes information about its purposes, current activities, governance, finances, and tax-exempt status; and (2) that the organization establish and exercise adequate controls over disbursements.

Native American Rights Fund, 1506 Broadway, Boulder, Colo. 80302-6296; http://www.narf.org. Meets all standards.