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 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 Wise Giving Alliance, 4200 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Va. 22203; http://give.org.

America’s Prayer Network, 3509 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008; . As of May 2006, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if America’s Prayer Network meets the standards.

American Jewish Committee, 165 East 56th Street, New York, N.Y. 10022; http://www.ajc.org. As of June 2006, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if the American Jewish Committee meets the standards.

Center for Science in the Public Interest, 1875 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009; http://www.cspinet.org. As of June 2006, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if the Center for Science in the Public Interest meets the standards.

Foundation for American Veterans, 473 Wilshire, West Bloomfield, Mich. 48322. As of May 2006, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if the Foundation for American Veterans meets the standards.

Gesher Foundation, 25 West 45th Street, Suite 1405, New York, N.Y. 10036. As of May 2006, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if the Gesher Foundation meets the standards.

National Arbor Day Foundation, 211 North 12th Street, Lincoln, Neb. 68508; http://www.arborday.org. Meets all standards.

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 699 Prince Street, Alexandria, Va. 22314; http://www.missingkids.com. Meets all standards.

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 1325 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20005; http://www.thetaskforce.org. As of June 2006, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force meets the standards.

National Park Foundation, 11 Dupont Circle, N.W., Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20036; http://www.nationalparks.org. Does not meet the standards calling for a charitable organization to: (1) have a board policy for assessing, at least every two years, the organization’s performance and effectiveness and for determining actions to achieve its mission; (2) submit to its governing body for approval a written report outlining the results of a performance and effectiveness assessment and recommendations for future actions; (3) include in its financial statement a breakdown of expenses (such as salaries, travel, and postage) that shows what portion of those expenses is dedicated to program, fund-raising, and administrative activities; (4) have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year that outlines expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration; (5) have an accessible annual report that includes information on administrative, fund-raising, and program expenses; (6) include on Web sites that solicit contributions the same information recommended for annual reports, as well as the mailing address of the charity and electronic access to its most recent IRS Form 990; (7) take action to allow donors opportunities to have their names removed from solicitation lists; and (8) clearly disclose how the charity benefits from the sale of products or services that state or imply that a charity will benefit from a consumer’s purchase or business transaction.

National Urban League, 120 Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10005; http://www.nul.org. Does not meet the standards calling for a charitable organization to: (1) make available annual financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; (2) include on Web sites that solicit contributions the same information recommended for annual reports, as well as the mailing address of the charity and electronic access to its most recent IRS Form 990; and (3) take action to ensure that privacy concerns of donors are respected in the collection, dissemination, and securing of personal information, and allow donors opportunities to have their names removed from solicitation lists. As of June 2006, the organization had not provided complete information about its effectiveness measures, finances, governance, and solicitation materials. The alliance is unable to determine if the National Urban League meets seven additional standards.

Oxfam America, 26 West Street, Boston, Mass. 02111; http://www.oxfamamerica.org. Meets all standards.

Parents Television Council, 707 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 2075, Los Angeles, Calif. 90017; http://www.parentstv.org. Does not meet the standards calling for a charitable organization to have a board of directors that provides adequate oversight of the charity’s operations and staff; and to clearly disclose how the charity benefits from the sale of products or services that state or imply that a charity will benefit from a consumer’s purchase or business transaction. As of June 2006, the organization had not provided complete information about its finances and solicitation materials. The alliance is unable to determine if the Parents Television Council meets four additional standards.

PATH-Program for Appropriate Technology in Health, also known as Program for Appropriate Technology in Health, 1455 Northwest Leary Way, Seattle, Wash. 98107; http://www.path.org. As of June 2006, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if PATH meets the standards.

ProLiteracy Worldwide, also known as ProLiteracy America, 1320 Jamesville Avenue, Syracuse, N.Y. 13210; http://www.proliteracy.org. Meets all standards.

SOS Children’s Villages-USA, 1200 G Street, N.W., Suite 550, Washington, D.C. 20005; http://www.sos-usa.org. Meets all standards.

Trust for Public Land National Office, 116 New Montgomery Street, Fourth Floor, San Francisco, Calif. 94105; http://www.tpl.org. Meets all standards.

United Way of America, 701 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Va. 22314; http://www.unitedway.org. Meets all standards.

Women’s Sports Foundation, Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, N.Y. 11554 ; http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org. Meets all standards.