April 1, 2004 | Read Time: 6 minutes
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 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.
In March 2003, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance revised its standards (The Chronicle, March 20, 2003). Some of the reports summarized below were produced under the new standards, while others were based on the old standards.
Copies of the full reports are available from the Wise Giving Alliance, 4200 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Va. 22203; http://www.give.org.
The ALS Association, also known as the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association, 27001 Agoura Road, Suite 150, Calabasas Hills, Calif. 91301-5104; http://www.alsa.org. Meets all standards.
American Indian College Fund, 8333 Greenwood Boulevard, Denver, Colo. 80221; http://www.collegefund.org. Meets all standards.
Believe in Tomorrow National Children’s Foundation, formerly known as Grant-A-Wish Foundation, 6601 Frederick Road, Baltimore, Md. 21228; http://www.believeintomorrow.org. Does not meet the standard calling for a charitable organization to have a minimum of three evenly spaced meetings per year of the full governing body, with the majority of board members attending each meeting in person. The charity responded to BBB’s claim about that standard, and has since changed its policies.
Central Asia Institute, P.O. Box 7209, Bozeman, Mont. 59771; http://www.ikat.org. Does not meet the standards calling for a charitable organization to: (1) have a board of directors with at least five voting members; (2) make available annual financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; (3) have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year that outlines expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration; and (4) have an accessible annual report that includes a roster of officers and members of the board of directors, and financial information such as net assets, income, and expenses.
Children’s Defense Fund, 25 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001; http://www.childrensdefense.org. Meets all standards.
Children’s Organ Transplant Association, 2501 COTA Drive, Bloomington, Ind. 47403; http://www.cota.org. Meets all standards.
Dogs Against Drugs/Dogs Against Crime, 4012 West 32nd Street, Anderson, Ind. 46011; http://www.daddac.com. Does not meet the standards calling for a charitable organization to: (1) have a board of directors with at least five voting members; (2) have no more than one compensated person, or 10 percent of the board, whichever is greater, serving as a voting member of the board, and for compensated members not to serve as the board’s chair or treasurer; (3) spend at least 65 percent of its expenses on program activities; (4) spend no more than 35 percent of contributions on fund raising; (5) make available annual financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; (6) have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year that outlines expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration; and (7) have an accessible annual report that includes a mission statement, program accomplishments, a roster of officers and members of the board of directors, and financial information such as net assets, income, and expenses. As of February 2004, the organization had not provided complete information about its finances, governance, and fund-raising and informational materials. Therefore, the alliance is unable to determine if Dogs Against Drugs/Dogs Against Crime meets five additional standards.
Firefighters Charitable Foundation, formerly known as Fire-Victims Charitable Foundation, 105 Franklin Street, Suite 17, Westerly, R.I. 02891; http://www.ffcf.org. Does not meet the standards calling for a charitable organization to: (1) have no more than one compensated person, or 10 percent of the board, whichever is greater, serving as a voting member of the board, and for compensated members not to serve as the board’s chair or treasurer; (2) spend at least 65 percent of its expenses on program activities; and (3) spend no more than 35 percent of contributions on fund raising.
Muscular Dystrophy Association, 3300 East Sunrise Drive, Tucson, Ariz. 85718-3208; http://www.mdausa.org. Meets all standards.
National Cancer Coalition, 757 St. Charles Avenue, Suite 202, New Orleans, La. 70130; http://www.nationalcancercoalition.org. As of January 2004, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if the National Cancer Coalition meets the standards.
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 699 Prince Street, Alexandria, Va. 22314; http://www.missingkids.com. Meets all standards.
National Park Foundation, 11 Dupont Circle, N.W., Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20036; http://www.nationalparks.org. As of January 2004, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if the National Park Foundation meets the standards.
Ocean Conservancy, formerly known as the Center for Marine Conservation, 1725 DeSales Street, N.W., Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20036; http://www.oceanconservancy.org. Meets all standards.
Primarily Primates, 26099 Dull Knife Trail, San Antonio, Tex. 78255; http://www.primarilyprimates.org. Does not meet the standards calling for a charitable organization to: (1) have a minimum of three evenly spaced meetings per year of the full governing body, with the majority of board members attending each meeting in person; (2) have no more than one compensated person, or 10 percent of the board, whichever is greater, serving as a voting member of the board, and for compensated members not to serve as the board’s chair or treasurer; and (3) have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year that outlines expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration.
Refugees International, 1705 N Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036; http://www.refugeesinternational.org. Meets all standards.
River Network, 520 S.W. Sixth Avenue, Suite 1130, Portland, Ore. 97223; http://www.rivernetwork.org. Meets all standards.
Save Our Scouts, 3904 Foothill Drive, Provo, Utah 84604; http://www.saveourscouts.org. As of February 2004, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if Save Our Scouts meets the standards.
United States Fund for Unicef, 333 East 38th Street, Sixth Floor, New York, N.Y. 10016; http://www.unicefusa.org. Meets all standards.
World Society for the Protection of Animals, 34 Deloss Street, Framingham, Mass. 01702; http://www.wspa-americas.org. Does not meet the standard calling for the soliciting organization’s financial statements to present adequate information to serve as a basis for informed decisions, including a detailed schedule of expenses by natural classification, presenting the natural expenses incurred for each major program and supporting activity.
Youth Harbor, 2121 Commonwealth Avenue, Suite 106, Charlotte, N.C. 28205; http://www.youthharbor.org. As of January 2004, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if Youth Harbor meets the standards.
