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.

Agros International, 4528 Eighth Avenue, N.E., Suite 1A, Seattle, Wash. 98105; http://www.agros.org. Meets all standards.

Air Charity Network, formerly known as Angel Flight America, 4300 Westgrove Drive, Addison, Tex. 75001; http://www.aircharitynetwork.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) have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year that outlines expenses for fund raising and administration; (3) have an accessible annual report that includes financial information such as net assets, income, and expenses; (4) include on Web sites that solicit contributions the same information recommended for annual reports, as well as electronic access to its most recent IRS Form 990; and (5) take action to ensure that privacy concerns of donors are respected in the securing of personal information. As of September 2007, the organization had not provided complete information about its governance and oversight. Therefore, the alliance is unable to determine if the Air Charity Network meets one additional standard.

American Friends of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam, also known as Oasis of Peace, 12925 Riverside Drive, Third Floor, Sherman Oaks, Calif. 91423; http://www.oasisofpeace.org. Meets all standards.

American Homeless Veterans, 576 East Highway 278 Bypass, Piedmont, Ala. 36272. As of September 2007, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if American Homeless Veterans meets the standards.

American Jewish Congress, 825 Third Avenue, Suite 1800, New York, N.Y. 10022. As of September 2007, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if American Jewish Congress meets the standards.

American Land Conservancy, 250 Montgomery Street, Suite 210, San Francisco, Calif. 94104; http://www.alcnet.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) 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; and (3) include on Web sites that solicit contributions the same information recommended for annual reports, as well as electronic access to its most recent IRS Form 990. As of September 2007, the organization had not provided complete information about its finances and governance. Therefore, the alliance is unable to determine if the American Land Conservancy meets four additional standards.

Best Friends Animal Society, 5001 Angel Canyon Road, Kanab, Utah 84741; http://www.bestfriends.org. Does not meet the standard calling for a charitable organization to 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.

National Foster Parent Association, 7512 Stanich Lane, Suite 6, Gig Harbor, Wash. 98335; http://www.nfpainc.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 a board policy for assessing, at least every two years, the organization’s performance and effectiveness and for determining actions to achieve its mission; (3) have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year that outlines expenses for fund raising; (4) include on Web sites that solicit contributions the same information recommended for annual reports, as well as electronic access to its most recent IRS Form 990; and (5) take action to ensure that privacy concerns of donors are respected in the collection, dissemination, and securing of personal information. As of August 2007, the organization had not provided complete information about its annual report, finances, and governance and oversight. Therefore, the alliance is unable to determine if the National Foster Parent Association meets three additional standards.

Orphan Grain Train, 601 West Phillip Avenue, Norfolk, Neb. 68701; http://www.ogt.org. Does not meet the standards calling for a charitable organization to: (1) have a board of directors that provides adequate oversight of the charity’s operations and staff; (2) 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; and (3) 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. As of August 2007, the organization had not provided complete information about its solicitation materials. Therefore, the alliance is unable to determine if Orphan Grain Train meets one additional standard.

Spastic Paraplegia Foundation, 11 Douglass Green, Woburn, Mass. 01801; http://www.sp-foundation.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) have an accessible annual report that includes financial information such as net assets; and (3) take action to ensure that privacy concerns of donors are respected in the collection and securing of personal information.

World Relief Corporation of National Association of Evangelicals, also known as World Relief, 7 East Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Md. 21202; http://www.worldrelief.org. Meets all standards.

Wycliffe Bible Translators, 11221 John Wycliffe Boulevard, Orlando, Fla. 32832; http://www.wycliffe.org. As of August 2007, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if Wycliffe Bible Translators meets the standards.