Watchdog Group Devises New Accreditation Plan for Muslim Charities

A watchdog group and a nonprofit legal organization announced a plan Wednesday aimed at restoring donor confidence in Muslim charities and protecting them from unfair government scrutiny.

The voluntary accreditation program — run jointly by the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance and Muslim Advocates — will vet aid groups, mosques, and other Muslim charities and help them meet the alliance’s standards of accountability.

Muslim Advocates, a legal and civic-education group in San Francisco, will look over a charity’s financial and legal records and offer advice to Muslim charity leaders in advance of review by the Better Business Bureau.

Farhana Khera, executive director of Muslim Advocates, said she hoped the program would reassure donors that the charities are not engaged in funneling money to terrorists.

Following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, “the government turned a microscope on American Muslim organizations and sowed confusion and fear among donors and volunteers,” she said. “The Muslim Charities Accreditation Program is a smart, practical solution.”

Art Taylor, president of the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, noted that charities don’t typically volunteer for accreditation by his organization, so Muslim charities would send a strong message by participating in the program.

“In this case, a group of organizations that are committed to transparency came to us,” he said. “This will give the American donor much more information about the operations of these organizations, their overall transparency, and their willingness to share information about their work.”

Seven nonprofit groups have signed up so far. Muslim Advocates will be holding meetings in eight cities this fall to educate charity leaders about the program.

Ms. Khera said her organization has discussed the program with Treasury Department officials and was hopeful the effort could play a role in educating the government and the public about Muslim charities.