The Nation’s Major Charity-Watchdog Groups: At a Glance

November 28, 2002 | Read Time: 1 minute

	American Institute of Philanthropy	BBB Wise Giving Alliance	Charity Navigator	Wall Watchers’ Ministry Watch

Year started	1993	2001*	2002	2000

Budget	$350,000	$1.3-million	$500,000	$500,000

Number of employees	4 full-time	10 full-time	9 full-time	4 full-time; 1 part-time

Sources of income	Individual donors, foundations, and corporations	Individual donors, Council of Better Business Bureaus, foundations, and corporations	A single donor, John P. Dugan, chairman of PDI, a pharmaceutical sales company (Saddle River, N.J.)	A single donor, Howard Leonard, chief executive offficer of Stewardship Partners Investment Counsel (Matthews, N.C.)

Rating system	A+ to F	Judged on 23 standards	0 to 4 stars	1 to 5 stars

Number of nonprofit groups evaluated	450	559	1,750	475

Basis for evaluations	Forms 990, annual reports, audited financial statements	Forms 990, annual reports, audited financial statements fund-raising materials and contracts, bylaws, conflict-of-interest policies, other materials	Forms 990	Forms 990, audited financial statements

Web address	http://www.charitywatch.org	http://www.give.org	http://www.charitynavigator.org	http://www.ministrywatch.com

* Organization grew out of a merger of the Council of Better Business Bureaus’ Foundation’s Philanthropic Advisory Service, which was started in 1971, and the National Charities Information Bureau, which was started in 1918.